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Exercise 12.2 · Q3

Q.Find the derivative of 99x99x at x=100x = 100.

Telangana TsbieTextbookSubjective· 2mImportance★★★★★est
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✓ Free question

The derivative of a linear function f(x)=99xf(x) = 99x is constant — it's the slope 9999 everywhere. So at x=100x = 100, the derivative is simply 9999.

The key idea here is that the derivative of a function at a point measures the instantaneous rate of change — the slope of the tangent line. For a linear function like f(x)=99xf(x) = 99x, the graph is a straight line with constant slope. That means the derivative is the same number at every point: it's just the coefficient of xx.

Let's walk through it formally.

  1. Recall the definition of the derivative at a point. For a function f(x)f(x), the derivative at x=ax = a is defined as:

f′(a)=lim⁡h→0f(a+h)−f(a)hf'(a) = \lim_{h \to 0} \frac{f(a+h) - f(a)}{h}

This limit gives the slope of the tangent line at x=ax = a.

  1. Plug in our function and the point. Here f(x)=99xf(x) = 99x and a=100a = 100. So:

f′(100)=lim⁡h→099(100+h)−99(100)hf'(100) = \lim_{h \to 0} \frac{99(100 + h) - 99(100)}{h}

  1. Simplify the numerator. Expand: 99(100+h)=9900+99h99(100 + h) = 9900 + 99h. Subtract 99(100)=990099(100) = 9900:

(9900+99h)−9900h=99hh\frac{(9900 + 99h) - 9900}{h} = \frac{99h}{h}

  1. Cancel hh (since h≠0h \neq 0 in the limit). This gives:

99hh=99\frac{99h}{h} = 99

The expression simplifies to the constant 9999, independent of hh.

  1. Take the limit. As h→0h \to 0, the value stays 9999. So:

f′(100)=99f'(100) = 99

Tip

For any linear function f(x)=mx+cf(x) = mx + c, the derivative is mm everywhere. You never need the limit definition — just read the slope. Here m=99m = 99, so f′(100)=99f'(100) = 99 instantly.

Watch out

A common mistake is to think the derivative depends on xx because the function has xx in it. But for a straight line, the slope is constant — the derivative is the same at x=100x = 100, x=0x = 0, or x=−50x = -50. Don't overcomplicate.

✓Final answer

The derivative of 99x99x at x=100x = 100 is 99\boxed{99}.

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