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Ch. 4 - Applications of the Derivative
Briggs - Calculus: Early Transcendentals 3rd Edition
Briggs3rd EditionCalculus: Early TranscendentalsISBN: 9780136847243Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 4, Problem 4.4.78a

{Use of Tech} Elliptic curves The equation y² = x³ - ax + 3, where a is a parameter, defines a well-known family of elliptic curves.


a. Plot a graph of the curve when a = 3.

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1
Understand the equation of the elliptic curve: The given equation is y² = x³ - ax + 3, where 'a' is a parameter. For this problem, we need to consider the case when a = 3.
Substitute the value of 'a' into the equation: Replace 'a' with 3 in the equation to get y² = x³ - 3x + 3.
Choose a range of x-values: To plot the graph, select a range of x-values. A common choice might be from -5 to 5, but you can adjust this range based on the desired detail of the graph.
Calculate corresponding y-values: For each x-value in your chosen range, calculate the corresponding y-values using the equation y² = x³ - 3x + 3. Remember that y can be positive or negative since y² is involved.
Plot the points and sketch the curve: Using the calculated (x, y) pairs, plot these points on a graph. Connect the points smoothly to visualize the elliptic curve. Ensure to consider both positive and negative y-values for each x to capture the full curve.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Elliptic Curves

Elliptic curves are smooth, projective algebraic curves of genus one, equipped with a specified point at infinity. They are defined by equations of the form y² = x³ + ax + b, where the coefficients a and b satisfy certain conditions to ensure the curve has no singular points. These curves have important applications in number theory, cryptography, and complex analysis.
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Summary of Curve Sketching

Graphing Functions

Graphing functions involves plotting points on a coordinate plane to visualize the relationship between variables. For the elliptic curve defined by y² = x³ - ax + 3, one must compute y for various x values, taking care to consider both positive and negative roots of y². This process helps in understanding the shape and properties of the curve.
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Graph of Sine and Cosine Function

Parameter Variation

Parameter variation refers to how changing a parameter in an equation affects the graph of the function. In the case of the elliptic curve y² = x³ - ax + 3, varying the parameter 'a' alters the curve's shape and position. Analyzing these changes is crucial for understanding the family of curves defined by different values of 'a'.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

{Use of Tech} A damped oscillator The displacement of an object as it bounces vertically up and down on a spring is given by y(t) = 2.5e⁻ᵗ cos 2t, where the initial displacement is y(0) = 2.5 and y = 0 corresponds to the rest position (see figure). <IMAGE>

a. Find the time at which the object first passes the rest position, y = 0. 

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Textbook Question

Explain why or why not Determine whether the following statements are true and give an explanation or counterexample.


a. The function f(x) = √x has a local maximum on the interval [0,∞).

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Textbook Question

Do dogs know calculus? A mathematician stands on a beach with his dog at point A. He throws a tennis ball so that it hits the water at point B. The dog, wanting to get to the tennis ball as quickly as possible, runs along the straight beach line to point D and then swims from point D to point B to retrieve his ball. Assume C is the point on the edge of the beach closest to the tennis ball (see figure). <IMAGE>



a. Assume the dog runs at speed r and swims at speed s, where r > s and both are measured in meters per second. Also assume the lengths of BC, CD, and AC are x, y, and z, respectively. Find a function T(y) representing the total time it takes for the dog to get to the ball. 

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Textbook Question

{Use of Tech} Investment problem A one-time investment of \(2500 is deposited in a 5-year savings account paying a fixed annual interest rate r, with monthly compounding. The amount of money in the account after 5 years is a(r) = 2500(1 + r/12)⁶⁰. 


a. Use Newton’s method to find the value of r if the goal is to have \)3200 in the account after 5 years.

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Textbook Question

{Use of Tech} Every second counts You must get from a point P on the straight shore of a lake to a stranded swimmer who is 50 from a point Q on the shore that is 50 m from you (see figure). Assuming that you can swim at a speed of 2 m/s and run at a speed of 4 m/s, the goal of this exercise is to determine the point along the shore, x meters from Q, where you should stop running and start swimming to reach the swimmer in the minimum time. <IMAGE>


a. Find the function T that gives the travel time as a function of x, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 50.

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Textbook Question

{Use of Tech} Fixed points of quadratics and quartics Let f(x) = ax(1 -x), where a is a real number and 0 ≤ a ≤ 1. Recall that the fixed point of a function is a value of x such that f(x) = x (Exercises 48–51). 


a. Without using a calculator, find the values of a, with 0 ≤ a ≤ 4, such that f  has a fixed point. Give the fixed point in terms of a. 

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