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Worked solution

A cubic determined by two points and two stationary inputs

The graph of y=f(x)y=f(x), where f(x)f(x) is a cubic polynomial, passes through the points (1,6)(1,6), (−2,15)(-2,15) and has two stationary points at x=1/3x=1/3 and x=−2x=-2.

Find the equation of the curve and hence find its xx-intercept. marks

[2013/CJC/Promo/3]

CJC · Review Problems · Question 7

Answer

y=2x3+5x2−4x+3y=2x^3+5x^2-4x+3; xx-intercept −3.26-3.26 (3 s.f.).

Four equations for four coefficients

Let y=Ax3+Bx2+Cx+Dy=Ax^3+Bx^2+Cx+D. The points give A+B+C+D=6A+B+C+D=6 and −8A+4B−2C+D=15-8A+4B-2C+D=15. Its derivative is 3Ax2+2Bx+C3Ax^2+2Bx+C. Stationarity at 1/31/3 gives 13A+23B+C=0\tfrac13A+\tfrac23B+C=0, equivalently A+2B+3C=0A+2B+3C=0; at −2-2 it gives 12A−4B+C=012A-4B+C=0.

How did this part go?

Solve and find the intercept

The source GC solution is A=2,B=5,C=−4,D=3A=2,B=5,C=-4,D=3, so y=2x3+5x2−4x+3y=2x^3+5x^2-4x+3. Solving y=0y=0 gives x=−3.26x=-3.26 to 3 significant figures, the printed answer. As an authored uniqueness check, f′(x)=2(3x−1)(x+2)f^\prime(x)=2(3x-1)(x+2), with f(−2)=15f(-2)=15 and f(1/3)=62/27>0f(1/3)=62/27>0, so both stationary values are positive and only the leftmost increasing section crosses the axis. The intercept coordinate is approximately (−3.26,0)(-3.26,0).

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Common mistakes

A stationary point at x=−2 supplies both a point condition and a zero-derivative condition; they are distinct equations.

Solution notes

Also printed as Review 7 in both CJC Linear Equations lecture copies: question PDF page 14 / printed 174; answer PDF 15 / Student printed 175, Teacher visible footer 15 (extracted 175). Compared in evidence/review-cjc-linear-equations-lecture.md; the repeated asks, tables and marks retain this existing identity.

Read the hint