ABSTRACT
Tangents and normals to curves and errors and approximations complete the initial look at some applications of differentiation. In general, with these applications, the differentiation tends to be straightforward. This chapter aims to determine rates of change using differentiation and solve velocity and acceleration problems. It explains practical problems involving maximum and minimum values. It can be seen that the second differential method of determining the nature of the turning points is, in this case, quicker when investigating the gradient. There are many practical problems involving maximum and minimum values which occur in science and engineering. The normal at any point on a curve is the line that passes through the point and is at right angles to the tangent. Maximum and minimum points and points of inflexion are given the general term of stationary points.
