Higher Order Derivatives

f (x) = 2x5 − 6x4 + 2x − 1

d
f (x) = f 0(x) = 10x4 − 24x3 + 2
dx
d2 00 3 2
2
f (x) = f (x) = 40x − 72x
dx
Notation: y = f (x)
d dy
y = = f 0(x)
dx dx
d2 d2 y
2
y = = f 00(x)
dx dx2
d3 d3 y
3
y = = f (3)(x)
dx dx3
Example:
y = xn
dy
= nxn−1
dx
d2 y
= n(n − 1)xn−2
dx2
d3 y
= n(n − 1)(n − 2)xn−3
dx3
d4 y
= n(n − 1)(n − 2)(n − 3)xn−4
dx4
dk y
= n(n − 1)(n − 2) . . . (n − k + 1)xn−k
dxk
n!
= xn−k for k ≤ n, for integer n.
(n − k)!
Example:
xn
y = , for integer n ≥ 0,
n!
dy nxn−1 xn−1
= =
dx n! (n − 1)!
d2 y (n − 1)xn−2 xn−2
= =
dx2 (n − 1)! (n − 2)!
d3 y (n − 2)xn−3 xn−3
= =
dx3 (n − 2)! (n − 3)!
d4 y (n − 3)xn−4 xn−4
= =
dx4 (n − 3)! (n − 4)!
d5 y (n − 4)xn−5 xn−5
= =
dx5 (n − 4)! (n − 5)!
dk y xn−k
= for k ≤ n.
dxk (n − k)!
Example:
−1 1
y = x , =
x
dy 1
= (−1)x−2 = −
dx x2
d2 y 2!
= (−2)(−1)x−3 =
dx2 x3
d3 y 3!
= (−3)(−2)(−1)x−4 = −
dx3 x4
d4 y 4!
= (−4)(−3)(−2)(−1)x−5 =
dx4 x5
d5 y 5!
= (−5)(−4)(−3)(−2)(−1)x−6 = −
dx5 x6
dk y k k!
= (−1) .
dxk xk+1
 0
 
f (x)g(x) = f (0)(x)g (0)(x)
0
 0
f (x)g(x) = f 0(x)g(x) + f (x)g 0(x)
1 (1) 1 (0)
   
(0)
= f (x)g (x) + f (x)g (1)(x)
0 1
 (2)
f (x)g(x) = f (2)(x)g(x) + 2f 0(x)g 0(x) + f (x)g (2)(x)

2 2
   
= f (2)(x)g (0)(x) + f (1)(x)g (1)(x)
0 1
2 (0)
 
+ f (x)g (2)(x)
2
 (3)
f (x)g(x) = f (3)(x)g(x) + 3f (2)(x)g 0(x)
+ 3f 0(x)g (2)(x) + f (x)g (3)(x)
3 (3) 3 (2)
   
(0)
= f (x)g (x) + f (x)g (1)(x)
0   1 
3 (1) (2) 3 (0)
+ f (x)g (x) + f (x)g (3)(x)
2 3

Leibnitz’ Formula:
n  
 (n) X n (k)
f (x)g(x) = f (x)g (n−k)(x)
k
k=0  
X n
= f (k)(x)g (n−k)(x)
all k
k
To complete the proof for higher n’s, assume that
 (n) X  n
f (x)g(x) = f (k)(x)g (n−k)(x) for any n :
all k
k
 
 (n+1) d X n (k)
f (x)g(x) = f (x)g (n−k)(x)
dx all k k
X  n
= f (k+1)(x)g (n−k)(x)
all k
k
X n
+ f (k)g (n−k+1)(x)
all k
k
X  n
= f (j+1)(x)g (n−j)(x)
all j
j
X n 
+ f (j+1)(x)g (n−j)(x)
all j
j+1
substituting k = j in ↑ and, in ↑, k = j + 1, k − 1 = j,
Assuming
 (n) X  n
f (x)g(x) = f (k)g (n−k)(x) for any n, we have :
all k
k
    !
 (n+1) X n n
f (x)g(x) = + f (j+1)(x)g (n−j)(x)
all j
j j+1
X  n + 1
= f (j+1)(x)g (n−j)(x)
all j
j+1
X  n + 1
= f (j+1)(x)g ((n+1)−(j+1))(x)
all j
j+1

If we let j + 1 equal k, we now have

n 
n + 1 (k)
 (n+1) X 
f (x)g(x) = f (x)g ((n+1)−k)(x).
k=0
k