AP Calculus BC

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Differentiation practice questions — AP Calculus BC

21 free multiple-choice problems on differentiation, ordered to match AP Calculus BC difficulty, each with a full worked solution. No account needed — and there's a fresh problem set every day.

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Problem #0119 International
AdvancedCalculus
Compute for .

Problems & worked solutions

Problem #0119 International

Problem 1 Differentiation

Compute f(x) for f(x)=tan(x2).

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. sec2(x2)
  2. B. 2xtan(x2)
  3. C. 2xsec2(x2)✓ correct
  4. D. sec2(2x)

Outer: sec2(x2). Inner derivative: 2x. So f(x)=2xsec2(x2).

Problem #0120 International

Problem 2 Differentiation

Compute f(1) where f(x)=lnxx.

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 0
  2. B. 1✓ correct
  3. C. 1
  4. D. 12

f(x)=(1/x)xlnx1x2=1lnxx2. At x=1: 101=1.

Problem #0116 International

Problem 3 Differentiation

Compute f(x) for f(x)=(x2+1)5.

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 5(x2+1)4
  2. B. 5x(x2+1)4
  3. C. 10x(x2+1)4✓ correct
  4. D. (2x)5

f(x)=5(x2+1)42x=10x(x2+1)4.

Problem #0118 International

Problem 4 Differentiation

If f(x)=cos(2x), what is f ⁣(π2)?

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 2
  2. B. 0✓ correct
  3. C. 2
  4. D. 1

f(x)=2sin(2x), so f(π2)=2sin(π)=0.

Problem #0876 US AP

Problem 5 Differentiation

Using the definition f(a)=limh0f(a+h)f(a)h, the derivative of f(x)=x2 at x=3 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 3
  2. B. 9
  3. C. 6✓ correct
  4. D. 0

f(3+h)f(3)h=(3+h)29h=9+6h+h29h=6h+h2h=6+h.

limh0(6+h)=6.

Problem #0114 International

Problem 6 Differentiation

Compute f(x) for f(x)=sin(3x).

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. cos(3x)
  2. B. 3cos(3x)✓ correct
  3. C. 13cos(3x)
  4. D. 3sin(3x)

ddxsin(3x)=cos(3x)3=3cos(3x).

Problem #0878 US AP

Problem 7 Differentiation

By Rolle's Theorem applied to f(x)=x24 on [2,2], the guaranteed value c(2,2) with f(c)=0 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. c=1
  2. B. c=0✓ correct
  3. C. c=1
  4. D. c=2

f is a polynomial (continuous on [2,2], differentiable on (2,2)), and f(2)=0=f(2), so Rolle's hypotheses hold.

f(x)=2x, so f(c)=0    c=0.

Problem #0761 FR Spé

Problem 8 Differentiation

Let f be the function defined on R by f(x)=2x1x2+1. What is the value of f(1)?

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 12✓ correct
  2. B. 12
  3. C. 1
  4. D. 2

With u=2x1 and v=x2+1, we have u=2 and v=2x, so f(x)=2(x2+1)(2x1)(2x)(x2+1)2 At x=1 the numerator is 2(2)(1)(2)=42=2 and the denominator is (12+1)2=22=4 Therefore f(1)=24=12

Problem #0010 International

Problem 9 Differentiation

If f(x)=(x2+1)3, find f(1).

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 12
  2. B. 18
  3. C. 24✓ correct
  4. D. 48

f(x)=3(x2+1)22x=6x(x2+1)2. At x=1: 614=24.

Problem #0117 International

Problem 10 Differentiation

Compute f(x) for f(x)=x2lnx (with x>0).

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 2xlnx
  2. B. x(2lnx+1)✓ correct
  3. C. x21x
  4. D. 2xlnx+x2

f(x)=2xlnx+x21x=2xlnx+x=x(2lnx+1).

11 more Differentiation questions in the app

Also covered in Differentiation practice across every exam.

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