Differentiation

• Basic Rules of Differentiation

• The Product and Quotient Rules
• Marginal Functions in Economics
• Higher-Order Derivatives
Basic Differentiation Rules
d
1.  c  0  c is a constant 
dx
Ex. f ( x)  5
f ( x)  0

2.
d n
dx
 
x  nx n 1  n is a real number 

Ex. f ( x)  x 7
f ( x)  7 x 6
 Basic Differentiation Rules
d d
3.  cf ( x)   c  f ( x)   c is a constant 
dx dx
8
Ex. f ( x)  3 x
 
f ( x)  3 8 x 7  24 x 7

d d d
4. dx  f  x   g  x    dx  f ( x )   dx  g ( x ) 

Ex. f ( x)  7  x12
f ( x)  0  12 x11  12 x11
 More Differentiation Rules
5. Product Rule
d d d
 f  x   g  x     f ( x ) g ( x )   g ( x )  f ( x )
dx dx dx

3
 7

2
Ex. f ( x)  x  2 x  5 3x  8 x  1 
 
f ( x)  3 x 2  2 3 x 7  8 x 2  1   x  2 x  5   21x
3 6
 16 x 
Derivative Derivative of
of the first the second
function function

 9 7 6 4 2
f ( x)  30 x  48 x  105 x  40 x  45 x  80 x  2
More Differentiation Rules
6. Quotient Rule
d d
d  f  x   g ( x) dx  f ( x)   f ( x) dx  g ( x) 
 
dx  g ( x)   
g ( x )
2

Sometimes remembered as:

d  hi  lo d  hi   hi d  lo 
  
dx  lo  lo lo
 More Differentiation Rules
6. Quotient Rule (cont.)
3x  5
Ex. f ( x)  2
x 2 Derivative of
Derivative of the denominator
the numerator
f ( x) 
 
3 x 2  2  2 x  3x  5

x 
2
2
2

3x 2  10 x  6

x 
2
2
2
More Differentiation Rules
The General Power Rule:
If h( x)   f ( x)   n, real 
n
then

h( x)  n  f ( x) 
n 1
 f ( x)

 
12
2 2
Ex. f ( x)  3 x  4 x  3 x  4 x
1
 
1 2
 2
f ( x)  3x  4 x  6x  4
2
3x  2

3x 2  4 x
 7

Ex. G ( x)  
2 x  1 

 3x  5 
 2x 1 
6   3 x  5  2   2 x  1 3 
G( x)  7    
 3x  5    3 x  5 
2 
 
91 2 x  1
6 6
 2x 1  13
G( x)  7   
 3x  5   3x  5  3x  5
2 8
 Marginal Functions
The Marginal Cost Function approximates the change in
the actual cost of producing an additional unit.

The Marginal Average Cost Function measures the rate

of change of the average cost function with respect to the
number of units produced.

The Marginal Revenue Function measures the rate of

change of the revenue function. It approximates the revenue
from the sale of an additional unit.

The Marginal Profit Function measures the rate of change

of the profit function. It approximates the profit from the sale
of an additional unit.
 Example
The monthly demand for T-shirts is given by
p  0.05 x  25  0  x  400 
where p denotes the wholesale unit price in dollars
and x denotes the quantity demanded. The monthly
cost function for these T-shirts is
2
C ( x)  0.001x  2 x  200
1. Find the revenue and profit functions.
2. Find the marginal cost, marginal revenue, and
marginal profit functions.
 Solution
1. Find the revenue and profit functions.
Revenue = xp
 x  0.05 x  25   0.05 x  25 x
2

Profit = revenue – cost

2
 2
 0.05 x  25 x  0.001x  2 x  200 
 0.049 x 2  23 x  200
2. Find the marginal cost, marginal revenue, and
marginal profit functions.
Marginal Cost = C ( x )
 0.002 x  2 ......
 Solution
2. (cont.) Find the marginal revenue and marginal
profit functions.
Marginal revenue = R( x)
 0.1x  25
Marginal profit = P( x)
 0.098 x  23
 Higher Derivatives
The second derivative of a function f is the derivative
of the derivative of f at a point x in the domain of the
first derivative.

Derivative Notations
d2y
Second f  dx 2
d3y
Third f  dx3
(4) d4y
Fourth f dx 4
 n dny
nth f
dx n
Example of Higher Derivatives
Given f ( x)  3x 5  2 x3  14 find f ( x).

f ( x)  15 x 4  6 x 2

f ( x)  60 x  12 x
3

f ( x)  180 x 2  12
Example of Higher Derivatives
2x 1
Given f ( x)  find f (2).
3x  2

2  3 x  2   3  2 x  1 7 2
f ( x)    7  3 x  2 
 3x  2   3x  2 
2 2

3 42
f ( x)  14  3x  2   3 
 3x  2  3

42 42 21
f (2)   3 
 3(2)  2 
3
4 32