Section Summary:

  1. Definitions

  2. Theorems

    none that I noted.

  3. Properties/Tricks/Hints/Etc.

    The best interpretation of the second and third derivatives comes in the context of the position function s(t) of a particle. Then the velocity is the first derivative of s, while the acceleration of the particle is the first derivative of the velocity, and the second derivative of the position.

    displaymath122

    The third derivative is the derivative of the acceleration, and is perhaps best known as the jerk.

  4. Summary

    This section introduces the concept of higher derivatives, and in particular the second and third derivatives. The second derivative is just the derivative of the derivative, so everything we've learned about derivatives applies to it. The same is true for higher derivatives, although they just get farther removed from the original function f in general.

    You should pay special attention to the graphical relationship between successive derivatives. For example, tex2html_wrap_inline154 when the function tex2html_wrap_inline156 has a horizontal slope. Knowing things about higher derivatives gives us more information about the shape of f (as the roots of the derivative function indicate points of horizonal slope on the graph of f).

Problems to consider: pp. 196-198, #1-4, 9, 14, 22, 42, 46, 51, 57. Good problems at seats: #1, 3; at the board: #5, 17, 21, 41.



LONG ANDREW E
Wed Feb 12 10:48:05 EST 2003