Differentiation (Edexcel IGCSE Maths)

Exam Questions

3 hours31 questions
1a
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1 mark

Use differentiation to find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction for the following:

y equals x to the power of 4

1b
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1 mark

y equals 2 x to the power of negative 3 end exponent

1c
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1 mark

y equals 4 over x

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2a
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1 mark

Use differentiation to find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction for the following:

y equals 4 x cubed plus 2 x

2b
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1 mark

y equals negative 5 x to the power of negative 2 end exponent

2c
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1 mark

y equals fraction numerator 1 over denominator 3 x end fraction

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3a
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1 mark

Use differentiation to find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction for the following:

y equals 2 x cubed minus 6 x squared plus 3 x minus 4

3b
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2 marks

negative fraction numerator 5 over denominator 3 x to the power of 4 end fraction

3c
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2 marks

2 over 3 x squared plus 1 fifth x minus fraction numerator 3 over denominator 2 x end fraction

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4a
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2 marks

For the curve with equation y equals 2 x squared minus 6 x minus 11:

find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction

4b
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2 marks

Find the coordinates of the point on the curve where the gradient is 2.

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5a
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2 marks

A curve has equation y equals x cubed plus 7 over 2 x squared minus 2 x plus 9

Find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction

5b
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4 marks

Find the gradient of the curve at the point where:

(i)
x equals negative 3
[2]

(ii)
x equals 2 over 3
[2]
5c
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1 mark

What can you say about the tangents to the curves at these two points?

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6a
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4 marks

A particle P passes the fixed point O whilst moving along a straight line.

The displacement of P, from O, at time t seconds is s metres where

s equals 6 t cubed minus 12 t squared plus 7 t

Find expressions for the velocity, v space m divided by s, and the acceleration, a space m divided by s squared of the particle at time t seconds.

6b
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2 marks

Find the time at which the acceleration is 3 m divided by s squared.

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7a
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2 marks

The curve bold C has equation space y space equals space 5 x cubed – space x to the power of 2 space end exponent – space 6 x space plus space 4.

Find  fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction.

   fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction = ..............................................

7b
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4 marks

There are two points on the curve bold C at which the gradient of the curve is 2.

Find the x coordinate of each of these two points.
Show clear algebraic working.

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8a
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2 marks

y space equals space x cubed space – space 6 x squared space – space 15 x.

Find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction.

fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction space equals....................................

8b
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4 marks

The curve with equation y space equals space x cubed space – space 6 x squared space – space 15 x has two stationary points.

Work out the coordinates of these two stationary points.

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9a
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2 marks

The curve C has equation y space equals 1 third x cubed space minus space 9 x space plus space 1.

Find  fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction.

9b
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3 marks

Find the range of values of x for which C has a negative gradient.

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10
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3 marks

Calculate the gradient of  y space equals space 24 space plus space 5 x space minus space x to the power of 2 space end exponent at space x space equals negative 1.5.

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11a
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2 marks

Differentiate space 6 space plus space 4 x space minus space x squared

11b
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2 marks

Find the coordinates of the turning point of the graph of y space equals space 6 space plus space 4 x space minus space x squared .

( ...................... , ...................... )

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1a
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2 marks

A curve has equation y equals 2 x squared plus x minus 3. Find:
the coordinates where the curve crosses the x-axis,

1b
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1 mark

the coordinates where the curve crosses the y-axis,

1c
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3 marks

the coordinates of the turning point on the curve,

1d
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2 marks

Sketch the curve showing the points you have found.

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2a
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2 marks

A particle is moving along a straight line.

The fixed point O lies on this line.

The displacement of the particle from O at time t seconds is s metres where

s equals 2 t cubed minus 9 t squared minus 60 t

Find an expression for the velocity, v m divided by s of the particle at time t seconds.

2b
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2 marks

Find the time at which the velocity is instantaneously zero.

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3a
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2 marks

For the curve with equation y equals x cubed minus 7 x squared minus 5 x:

find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction

3b
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2 marks

find the x-coordinates of the two turning points on the curve.

3c
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1 mark

By considering the shape of the curve determine which of your answers to (b) is the x-coordinate of a maximum point.

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4a
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1 mark

The curve G has equation y equals 1 minus x cubed minus 6 x squared minus 9 x.

Part of the graph of G is shown below.

differentiation-h4

Write the coordinates of A.

4b
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5 marks

Points B and C are stationary points on G.

Find the coordinates of points B and C, stating the nature of the stationary point in each case. 

4c
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2 marks

For which values of x is the gradient of the curve G negative?

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5a
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2 marks

For the curve with equation y equals 4 x plus 64 over x plus 7

find fraction numerator straight d y over denominator straight d x end fraction

5b
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3 marks

find the coordinates of the stationary points on the curve.

5c
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2 marks

find the exact distance between the two stationary points.

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6a
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1 mark

A particle is moving along a straight line and passes a fixed point O.

The displacement of the particle, from point O, at time t seconds is

s equals 1 third t cubed minus 5 over 2 t squared plus 20 t minus 15

where s is measured in metres.

Initially how far is the particle from O?

6b
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2 marks

Find, in terms of t, the velocity of the particle.

6c
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2 marks

Find the time at which the particle’s velocity is at its minimum.

6d
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2 marks

For how long is the particle decelerating?

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7a
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1 mark

A homeowner wishes to enclose a rectangular part of their garden by building a fence, using an existing wall as one side of the rectangle as shown in the diagram below.

q7-hard-diff

The width of the enclosed rectangle is w metres and its length l metres.
The homeowner has 40 metres of fence to use and would like to use it all in order to maximise the area of the garden to be enclosed.

Show that l equals 40 minus 2 w

7b
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2 marks

Show that the area of the garden to be enclosed, A, is given by A= 40w − 2w squared

7c
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2 marks

Find fraction numerator straight d A over denominator straight d W end fraction

7d
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2 marks

Find the value of w that maximises A

7e
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2 marks

Find the dimensions of the rectangle that produce the maximum area that can be enclosed using all of the fence. Also find the maximum area.

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8a
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3 marks

q15-4ma1-1h-qp-jan20-paper1-igcse-maths
The diagram shows a cuboid of volume V cm cubed

Show that V space equals space 15 space plus space 16 x space minus space x to the power of 2 space end exponent minus space 2 x cubed

8b
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5 marks

There is a value of x for which the volume of the cuboid is a maximum.

Find this value of x.
Show your working clearly.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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9
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5 marks

A particle P is moving along a straight line.
The fixed point O lies on this line.
At time t seconds where t space greater-than or slanted equal to space 0, the displacement, s metres, of P from O is given by

s space equals space t cubed space plus space 5 t squared space – space 8 t space plus space 10


Find the displacement of P from O when P is instantaneously at rest.


Give your answer in the form a over b where a and b are integers.

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10a
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2 marks

A cuboid with a square cross section is to be made from rods as shown in the diagram. The shorter rods making the square are of length xx cm and the longer rods

q10-hard-diff

are of length y cm.

Explain why 12 rods in total will be needed to make the cuboid, and state how many of each length will be required. 

The total length of the rods is to be fixed at 36 cm.

10b
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2 marks

The total length of the rods is to be fixed at 36 cm.

Find y in terms of x

10c
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2 marks

Show that the volume of the cuboid, V cm3 is V = 9x squared − 2x cubed.

10d
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3 marks

Find the value of x that maximises the volume.

10e
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2 marks

Find the maximum volume.

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1a
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2 marks

A curve, C, has equation y equals 2 x squared plus 8 k squared x minus 3 where k is a constant.

Show that when k = 0, the turning point on C has coordinates (0, -3).

1b
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4 marks

Show that when bold italic k ≠ 0, the turning point on C must have a negative bold italic x-coordinate.

1c
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2 marks

When k≠ 0 determine whether or not the y-coordinate of the turning point is negative.

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2
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7 marks

Part of the graph with equation y equals 2 x to the power of 4 minus 16 x squared plus 3is shown below.

q2-very-hard-diff

The graph has three stationary points, indicated on the graph by points P, Q andR.
Find the area of the triangle PQ R.

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3a
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4 marks

The diagram shows a cuboid with a square cross-section.

q3-very-hard-diff

The sides of the square face are xcm and the length of the cuboid is ycm.
The cuboid is to have a fixed surface area, A, of 25 cm2.
Show that the volume of the cuboid, V cm3 is given by

V equals 25 over 4 x minus 1 half x cubed

3b
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4 marks

Show that the value of x that maximises the volume of the cuboid is fraction numerator 5 square root of 6 over denominator 6 end fraction

3c
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2 marks

Find the maximum volume of the cuboid, correct to 3 significant figures.

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4
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5 marks

A particle P moves along a straight line that passes through the fixed point O
The displacement, x metres, ofspace P spacefrom O at time t seconds, where t greater-than or slanted equal to space 0, is given by

x space equals space 4 t cubed minus space 27 t space plus space 8

The direction of motion of  P reverses when P is at the point A on the line.
The acceleration of P at the instant when P is at A is a space straight m divided by straight s squared.
Find the value of  a.


a = ..................................... 

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5
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6 marks

Two particles, P and Q, move along a straight line.
The fixed point O lies on this line.

The displacement of P from O at time t seconds is s metres, where

s space equals space t cubed space – space 4 t to the power of 2 space end exponent plus space 5 t space space space space space space space space f o r space t space greater than space 1

The displacement of Q from O at time t seconds is x metres, where

x space equals space t squared space – space 4 t space plus space 4 space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space f o r space t space greater than space 1

Find the range of values of t where t space greater than space 1 for which both particles are moving in the same direction along the straight line.

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6
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5 marks

The point A is the only stationary point on the curve with equation y equals k x squared plus 16 over x  where space k spaceis a constant.

Given that the coordinates of A are open parentheses 2 over 3 comma space a close parentheses

find the value of a.
Show your working clearly.

a space equals ................................................. 

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7
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6 marks

The curve bold C has equation y space equals space a x cubed space plus space b x squared space – space 12 x space plus space 6 where a and b are constants.

The point A with coordinates (2, –6) lies on bold C.
The gradient of the curve at A is 16.

Find the y coordinate of the point on the curve whose x coordinate is 3.
Show clear algebraic working.

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8
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5 marks

A particle P is moving along a straight line.
The fixed point O lies on the line.

At time t seconds left parenthesis t space greater-than or slanted equal to space 0 right parenthesis, the displacement of P from O is s metres where

s space equals space t cubed – space 9 t squared plus space 33 t space – space 6

Find the minimum speed of P.

...................................................... m/s

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9a
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3 marks

A B C E D is a five-sided shape.

q19-4ma1-1h-qp-nov21-paper1-igcse-maths

A B C D is a rectangle.
C E D is an equilateral triangle.

A B space equals space x space cm space space space space space B C space equals space y space cm

The perimeter of space A B C E D spaceis 100 cm.
The area of space A B C E D spaceis R cm2

Show that R equals x over 4 open parentheses 200 minus open square brackets 6 minus square root of 3 close square brackets x close parentheses

9b
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3 marks
(i)
Find the value of x for which R has its maximum value.
Give your answer in the form fraction numerator p over denominator q minus square root of 3 end fraction where p and q are integers.

x space equals ....................................................... [2]

(ii)
Explain why the maximum value of R is given by this value of x.
[1]

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10
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6 marks

A particle moves along a straight line.
The fixed point O lies on this line.
The displacement of the particle from O at time t seconds , t space greater-than or slanted equal to space 0 , is s metres where

s space equals space t cubed space plus space 4 t squared space minus space 5 t space plus space 7

At time T seconds the velocity of P is V space straight m divided by straight s where V space greater-than or slanted equal to space minus 5

Find an expression for T in terms of space V.

Give your expression in the form fraction numerator negative 4 space plus space square root of k space plus space m V end root over denominator 3 end fraction where space k spacem and  are integers to be found.

T space equals space...............

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