Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2014 / Paper 1 / 7

Where the original expression is defined, multiplication by $\cos x$ givesThus the graph repeats with period $\pi$ and has vertical asymptotesBetween consecutive asymptotes the extended cotangent branch decreases from $+\infty$ to $-\infty$, since $y^{\prime }=-1/(\cos x+\sin x{)}^2<0$. It passes through $(k\pi ,1)$ and $(\pi /4+k\pi ,1/2)$.

It is essential to preserve the domain when simplifying a function. At $x=\pi /2+k\pi$, the original tangent is undefined. The finite limiting value is zero, so the graph has holes at $(\pi /2+k\pi ,0)$, rather than actual zeros. The simplified expression extends across those points, but the original one does not.

This exponential function is positive everywhere, with $y(0)=1$, $y\to \infty$ as $x\to -\infty$ and $y\to 0$ as $x\to \infty$. Its derivatives areIt is strictly decreasing overall, with a horizontal stationary inflection point at $(0,1)$. A second, nonstationary inflection point occurs at $x=(2/3{)}^{1/3}$, where $y=e^{-2/3}$. The only horizontal asymptote is $y=0$ toward positive infinity; the graph is not symmetric about the vertical axis.