Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Derivative
The derivative of a function at a point provides the slope of the tangent line to the function's graph at that point. It is calculated as the limit of the average rate of change of the function as the interval approaches zero. For the function h(t) = t³ + 3t, the derivative h'(t) is found using the power rule, resulting in h'(t) = 3t² + 3.
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Tangent Line
A tangent line to a curve at a given point is a straight line that just 'touches' the curve at that point. It has the same slope as the curve at that point, which is given by the derivative. For the function h(t) at the point (1, 4), the slope of the tangent line is h'(1) = 6, and the equation of the tangent line can be found using the point-slope form.
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Point-Slope Form
The point-slope form of a line's equation is useful for writing the equation of a line when you know a point on the line and its slope. It is expressed as y - y₁ = m(x - x₁), where m is the slope and (x₁, y₁) is the point. For the tangent line at (1, 4) with slope 6, the equation is y - 4 = 6(x - 1).
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