Math Problem Statement
Suppose a function f x( ) satisfies the following conditions:
• f a b f a f b ab ( ) () () 2 += + + for all numbers a and b
• 0
( ) lim 7
h
f h
→ h =
Use the definition of the derivative to find f x ′( ).
Solution
We are given that a function satisfies two conditions:
- for all real numbers and .
- .
We are asked to find using the definition of the derivative. Let's proceed step-by-step.
Step 1: Use the derivative definition
The derivative of at a point is defined as:
To apply this, we first need to evaluate . Using the given functional equation:
Thus, we can express as:
Step 2: Substitute into the derivative formula
Now we substitute this expression for into the derivative formula:
We can separate the terms in the numerator:
Step 3: Use the given limit
We are given that . So, applying this in the above expression:
Final Answer:
Thus, the derivative of is:
Would you like further details on this solution, or do you have any questions?
Here are five related questions for further exploration:
- How does the functional equation lead to as a possible solution?
- How can we verify that the function satisfies the given functional equation?
- What is the significance of the limit condition ?
- How would the derivative change if the functional equation was instead?
- Can we generalize the solution to find derivatives for other similar functions?
Tip: When using the derivative definition, always look for ways to manipulate the functional equation into a form where you can apply the given limits or other properties.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Calculus
Derivatives
Functional Equations
Formulas
f'(x) = lim (h -> 0) [f(x + h) - f(x)] / h
f(a + b) = f(a) + f(b) + ab
Theorems
Definition of the Derivative
Functional Equation Theorem
Suitable Grade Level
College Calculus or Advanced High School