- Difficulty
- Introductory
- Suggested time
- 2 min
- Marks
- 1
Exponential and trigonometric functions practice question 8
Which function satisfies both for every and ?
Test each condition separately: differentiate to check , and substitute to check .
Use and . A constant factor comes through differentiation unchanged, while an added constant differentiates to 0.
Theory UBC Math 100 §3.5CLP-1 §2.7Key results
Worked solution
Strategy
eˣ is its own derivative, and a constant multiple C eˣ keeps that property. Choose C from the starting value.
Working
A constant factor comes through differentiation unchanged.
Substitute x = 0.
Adding a constant or changing the base breaks dy/dx = y; here log is the natural logarithm.
Answer
The answer is y equals 3 e to the x.
Check
At x = 0, 3eˣ has value 3 and slope 3, as dy/dx = y with y(0) = 3 needs, while eˣ + 2 has value 3 but slope 1.
Where this goes wrong
Choosing eˣ + 2 because it starts at 3. The 2 differentiates to 0, so the derivative is eˣ, which is y − 2, not y.
Leans on
The exponential function, from Functions, graphs and inverses
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