Functions & Rates of Change (College Board AP® Precalculus): Exam Questions

11 mins8 questions
1
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1 mark

The figure shows the graph of a function g. The zero and extrema for g are labeled, and the point of inflection of the graph of g is labeled. Let A, B, C, D, and E represent the x-coordinates at those points.

Graph of cubic-looking  g on the xy-plane. The curve passes through point A (a zero near x=0), rises to a local maximum at B (2, 5), passes through point of inflection C (4, 3), decreases to a local minimum at D (6, 1), then rises to E  (8, 5).
Graph of g

Of the following, on which interval is g decreasing and the graph of g concave up?

  • the interval from A to B

  • the interval from B to C

  • the interval from C to D

  • the interval from D to E

2
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A water tank is being filled using a hose. The rate at which the volume of water in the tank increases is constant when the hose is running. During the first three hours, the hose runs at a reduced flow rate due to low water pressure. The hose is then turned off while a valve is adjusted. After the adjustment, the hose runs at its full flow rate until the tank is completely full. The entire process of filling the tank takes eight hours. Which of the following graphs could depict this situation, where time, t in hours, is the independent variable, and the volume of water in the tank, V in gallons, is the dependent variable?

  • Graph showing volume vs time: a line increasing slowly from t = 0 to t = 3, then a flat horizontal segment from t = 3 to about t = 4, then a steeper increasing line from t = 4 to t = 8 reaching full capacity.
  • Graph showing volume vs time: a steeply increasing line from t = 0 to t = 3, then a flat segment, then a slowly increasing line to t = 8.
  • Graph showing volume vs time: a smooth concave-up curve increasing continuously from t = 0 to t = 8 with no flat segment.
  • Graph showing volume vs time: a slowly increasing line from t = 0 to t = 3, then a steeply increasing line from t = 3 to t = 8 with no pause.