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A price–demand function tells us the relationship between the quantity of a product demanded and the price of the product. In general, price decreases as quantity demanded increases. The marginal price–demand function is the derivative of the price–demand function and it tells us how fast the price changes at a given level of production. These functions are used in business to determine the price–elasticity of demand, and to help companies determine whether changing production levels would be profitable.

Finding a price–demand equation

Find the price–demand equation for a particular brand of toothpaste at a supermarket chain when the demand is 50 tubes per week at $2.35 per tube, given that the marginal price—demand function, p ( x ) , for x number of tubes per week, is given as

p ' ( x ) = −0.015 e −0.01 x .

If the supermarket chain sells 100 tubes per week, what price should it set?

To find the price–demand equation, integrate the marginal price–demand function. First find the antiderivative, then look at the particulars. Thus,

p ( x ) = −0.015 e −0.01 x d x = −0.015 e −0.01 x d x .

Using substitution, let u = −0.01 x and d u = −0.01 d x . Then, divide both sides of the du equation by −0.01. This gives

−0.015 −0.01 e u d u = 1.5 e u d u = 1.5 e u + C = 1.5 e −0.01 x + C .

The next step is to solve for C . We know that when the price is $2.35 per tube, the demand is 50 tubes per week. This means

p ( 50 ) = 1.5 e −0.01 ( 50 ) + C = 2.35 .

Now, just solve for C :

C = 2.35 1.5 e −0.5 = 2.35 0.91 = 1.44 .

Thus,

p ( x ) = 1.5 e −0.01 x + 1.44 .

If the supermarket sells 100 tubes of toothpaste per week, the price would be

p ( 100 ) = 1.5 e −0.01 ( 100 ) + 1.44 = 1.5 e −1 + 1.44 1.99 .

The supermarket should charge $1.99 per tube if it is selling 100 tubes per week.

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Evaluating a definite integral involving an exponential function

Evaluate the definite integral 1 2 e 1 x d x .

Again, substitution is the method to use. Let u = 1 x , so d u = −1 d x or d u = d x . Then e 1 x d x = e u d u . Next, change the limits of integration. Using the equation u = 1 x , we have

u = 1 ( 1 ) = 0 u = 1 ( 2 ) = −1 .

The integral then becomes

1 2 e 1 x d x = 0 −1 e u d u = −1 0 e u d u = e u | −1 0 = e 0 ( e −1 ) = e −1 + 1.

See [link] .

A graph of the function f(x) = e^(1-x) over [0, 3]. It crosses the y axis at (0, e) as a decreasing concave up curve and symptotically approaches 0 as x goes to infinity.
The indicated area can be calculated by evaluating a definite integral using substitution.
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Evaluate 0 2 e 2 x d x .

1 2 0 4 e u d u = 1 2 ( e 4 1 )

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Growth of bacteria in a culture

Suppose the rate of growth of bacteria in a Petri dish is given by q ( t ) = 3 t , where t is given in hours and q ( t ) is given in thousands of bacteria per hour. If a culture starts with 10,000 bacteria, find a function Q ( t ) that gives the number of bacteria in the Petri dish at any time t . How many bacteria are in the dish after 2 hours?

We have

Q ( t ) = 3 t d t = 3 t ln 3 + C .

Then, at t = 0 we have Q ( 0 ) = 10 = 1 ln 3 + C , so C 9.090 and we get

Q ( t ) = 3 t ln 3 + 9.090 .

At time t = 2 , we have

Q ( 2 ) = 3 2 ln 3 + 9.090
= 17.282 .

After 2 hours, there are 17,282 bacteria in the dish.

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From [link] , suppose the bacteria grow at a rate of q ( t ) = 2 t . Assume the culture still starts with 10,000 bacteria. Find Q ( t ) . How many bacteria are in the dish after 3 hours?

Q ( t ) = 2 t ln 2 + 8.557 . There are 20,099 bacteria in the dish after 3 hours.

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Fruit fly population growth

Suppose a population of fruit flies increases at a rate of g ( t ) = 2 e 0.02 t , in flies per day. If the initial population of fruit flies is 100 flies, how many flies are in the population after 10 days?

Let G ( t ) represent the number of flies in the population at time t . Applying the net change theorem, we have

G ( 10 ) = G ( 0 ) + 0 10 2 e 0.02 t d t = 100 + [ 2 0.02 e 0.02 t ] | 0 10 = 100 + [ 100 e 0.02 t ] | 0 10 = 100 + 100 e 0.2 100 122 .

There are 122 flies in the population after 10 days.

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Source:  OpenStax, Calculus volume 1. OpenStax CNX. Feb 05, 2016 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11964/1.2
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