Practice IB Mathematics Analysis and Approaches (AA) Topic AHL 5.14—implicit Functions, Related Rates, Optimisation with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for AHL 5.14—implicit Functions, Related Rates, Optimisation and mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 style where relevant.
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Consider the curve defined by the equation , where .
Using implicit differentiation, show that .
Find the coordinates of the point on where , in the interval .
Consider the curve defined by the equation , where .
Using implicit differentiation, show that .
Find the coordinates of the point on where , in the interval .
A cylindrical vase has a height and a radius (in arbitrary units), with the constraint , where .
Express the volume of the vase in terms of .
Show that .
Find and that maximize , and find the maximum value of .
Consider the curve defined by the equation , where .
Using implicit differentiation, show that .
Find the coordinates of the point on where , in the interval .
In the study of kinematics, the position of a moving particle can be described by a position vector that depends on time. If a particle moves through three-dimensional space with constant velocity, its position at time seconds is given by a vector equation of the form
where is the position of the particle at and is its constant velocity vector. Note that while each particle traces out a straight-line path in space (which you are familiar with from the study of vector lines), the key idea here is that the parameter represents time: at each instant , the particle occupies a specific point on the line.
This investigation explores what happens when two particles move simultaneously through 3D space, and in particular, how calculus can be used to determine when they are closest together.
Two particles and move through three-dimensional space. At time seconds (), their position vectors are given by
where distances are measured in metres.
Find the position of each particle at and at .
Find the distance between and at and at .
Show that the displacement vector from to at time is given by
The distance between and at time is denoted .
Show that .
Since for all , the value of that minimises is the same as the value of that minimises . This is a standard technique in optimization: working with the squared distance avoids the complication of differentiating a square root.
Find .
Hence find the value of at which and are closest together, and determine this minimum distance.
The velocity vectors of and are and respectively. The relative velocity of with respect to is defined as .
Find .
Find the displacement vector at the moment of closest approach.
Hence show that is perpendicular to .
Consider now two particles with general position vectors
where , , , are constant vectors and .
Define and .
Show that .
Hence show that at the time when the particles are closest, the relative velocity is perpendicular to the displacement vector .
Explain geometrically why the displacement vector between two particles must be perpendicular to their relative velocity at the instant of closest approach.