M-1000   Topics and techniques covered by the Final Exam

0. Precalculus techniques. Please pay attention to:

Brackets, parentheses

Addition (subtraction) of fractions.
    Wrong: "   (a+b)/(c+d)= a/c  +  c/d  "

Algebraic identities, such as   x3-y3=(x-y) (x2+xy+y2)
  See back of the Textbook,   Special Factors   and   Binomial Theorem.

The Quadratic Formula

Trigonometric identities   (See back of the Textbook)

Simplification of expressions: similar terms, cancelations. Do not wrongly oversimplify. Avoid meaningless "simplifications" like this
    Wrong: "   (sin x)/ x= sin  "
    (Now think:    sin  of what?   -- there is no way to compute it, therefore we got something that doesn't make sense!)

Do not jeopardize on additivity:   it is not generally true that
  "   sin (x+y)=sin(x)+sin(y)  ",   etc.   Yet many students tend to use such "rules" in a rush.

Identities with powers and exponents   (See back of the Textbook)
Remember:
  roots and inverse powers are particular cases of the power function   xn ,     here  n   is a constant.

Identities involving logarithms. (See handout on Logarithmic Identities)

Concepts of a constant, an independent variable, a parameter. The same notation can stand for either of these in different contexts.

Concept of a function. The main thing to remeber is that a function  f(x)  cannot take more than one value at given   x.

Geometry: area of a triangle (not necessarily a right triangle), Pithagorean Theorem, areas of a trapezoid, a circle;   Volumes of a cube, a cone, a cylinder, a sphere.   (See Textbook, inside front page).

1. Limits (including infinite limits)

Substitution (should be attempted first in most cases, cf. Text, Sect.1.3, pp. 75-77)

Divide-out (Text, p.79)

Rationalizing technique (p.80)

Special limits:    as   x->0 ,
    (sin x / x)   ->    1
    (exp(x)-1) / x   ->    1
    (cos x-1) / x  ->   0
   (Th.1.9, p.81)

Infinite limits and vertical asymptotes   (Sect.1.5)

2. Find Derivative by Definition   (Sect.2.1, p.115 and on)

3. Continuity   (Sect.1.4)

Removable/non-removable discontinuities
Possible sources of discontinuity
   denominator = 0   (in rational fractions as well as in trigonometric functions like
   tan x = sin x / cos x ,   sec x = 1 / cos x ,   csc x = 1 / sin x
   piecewise-defined function
   log |x|   at   x=0   and, in general, logarithm of a non-negative function   f(x)   at points where   f(x)=0 .

4. Differentiation using rules &nvsp; (see summary in Sect.2.4, p.155;   Handout)

Sum,   Difference,   Product,   Quotient.   (Sect.2.2, Th.2.5 and Sect.2.3, Ths.2.8, 2.9)

Very basic rules:     const'=0 ,     x'=1.

Power rule (derivative of   xn), including roots and negative powers   (Th.2.3, p.124, and Th.2.12, p.148)
Chain rule   (Sect.2.4)   [f(g(x)) ]' = f'(y) g'(x)  where  y=g(x) .

Derivatives of the functions:   ex,   sin x,   cos x,   tan x,   cot x, sec x,   csc x,   ln x,   ln|x|   (See front page, also pp.128-129)

Logarithmic Differentiation  (pp.153 and 166;   Handout)

5. Equation of tangent line at given point to the graph of y=f(x)   (pp.113-114)
(y-y0) / (x-x0)= m    (slope),  = f'(x0)

6. Implicit Differentiation
(Sect.2.5, p.161; algorithm on top of p.162)

7. Related rates
(Sect.2.7, p.175; algorithm on p.176)

8. Accelerated motion  (p.142, also Excercises 103-105 on p.145)

9. Optimization  (Sect.3.7, algorithm on p.251) A notion of target function (notes).

13. Elements of curve sketching  (Sect.3.6; also review midterm problems 6,7, worksheet on graphing, and similar problems in earlier final exams.)

Behaviour at infinity. (Positive or negative growth, or existence of limits(s) as   x-> infinity;   horizontal asymptotes.)   (Sect.3.5, esp.  p.231 - Hor.As.;   p.232 - Rational functions;   p.236 - infinite limits at infinity).

Intercepts, Critical values, Inflection Points. (Cf. tables in examples of Sect.3.6)

Intervals of monotonicity and intervals of concavity.

Fit parameters of a curve of a given type to satisfy certain conditions.
(Review examples in notes: Cubic curve (Tue Apr.8), Parabola (Wed Apr.9))

10. Curve sketching  (Sect.3.6)

a) sketch a graph of a given function

b) graph of a function satisfying given condition &npsp;&npsp; (points, limits at infinities, asymptotes, critical value / horizontal tangent, intervals of monotonicity and/or concavity).

12. Integration

Indefinite integrals  (= antiderivatives)  (Sect.4.1)
      Don't forget +C

Definite integrals   (Th. 4.9, p.309)
      Constant C isn't needed (it cancels anyway).

13. Area

To find area between two given curves   y=f(x)   and   y=f(x)  ,
  1) Solve the equation  f(x)=g(x)  to find two solutions  x=a   and  x=b.
  2) Evaluate the definite integral from  a  to  b  of  f(x)-g(x) .


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