Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 1

Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 2

The History of Differentiation

Differentiation is part of the science of Calculus, and was first

developed in the 17th century by two different Mathematicians.

Gottfried Leibniz Differentiation, or finding the

(1646-1716) instantaneous rate of change, is
an essential part of:
Germany
• Mathematics and Physics
• Chemistry
Sir Isaac Newton • Biology
(1642-1727) • Computer Science
• Engineering
England
• Navigation and Astronomy
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 3

Calculating Speed C
10
÷ D ÷

Distance (m)
S×T 8
Example B
6
Calculate the speed for each 4
A
section of the journey opposite. 2
0
4 0 2 4 6 8
speed in A = ≈ 1.33 m/s Time (seconds)
3
5 Notice the following things:
speed in B = = 5 m/s
1
• the speed at each instant is
2
speed in C = = 0.4 m/s not the same as the average
5
11 • speed is the same as gradient
average speed = ≈ 1.22 m/s y
9 D
S = = = m
T x
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 4

D y
Instantaneous Speed S = = = m
T x
Distance (m)

Time (seconds) Distance (m) Time (seconds)

In reality speed does not often change instantly. The graph on the
right is more realistic as it shows a gradually changing curve.

The journey has the same average speed, but the instantaneous
speed is different at each point because the gradient of the curve is
constantly changing. How can we find the instantaneous speed?
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 5

Introduction to Differentiation

Differentiate means

‘find out how fast something is changing in comparison

with something else at any one instant’.

D ‘rate of change of
speed =
T distance with respect to time’

S ‘rate of change of
acceleration =
T speed with respect to time’

y ‘rate of change of
gradient =
x y-coordinate with respect to x -coordinate’
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 6

Estimating the Instantaneous Rate of Change

The diagrams below show attempts to estimate the instantaneous

gradient (the rate of change of y with respect to x ) at the point A.

y A y
A A
x x y
x

Notice that the accuracy improves as x gets closer to zero.

The instantaneous rate of
dy y
change is written as:
dx
= x as x approaches 0.
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 7

Basic Differentiation
dy
The instant rate of change of y with respect to x is written as .
dx
By long experimentation, it is possible
to prove the following:

If y = xn How to Differentiate:

then
dy
= nx n –1 • multiply by the power
dx • reduce the power by one

dy
Note that describes both the rate of change and the gradient.
dx
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 8

Differentiation of Expressions with Multiple Terms

The basic process of differentiation can be applied to every x-term

in an algebraic expession.

Important
y = ax m + bx n + …
Expressions must be
dy
= m –1 n –1 written as the sum of
dx amx + bnx +…
individual terms before
differentiating.
How to Differentiate:
• multiply every x-term by the power
• reduce the power of every x-term by one
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 9

Examples of Basic Differentiation

Example 1

dy 7
Find for y = 3x4 – 5x3 +
x2 + 9
dx

y = 3 x 4 – 5 x 3 + 7 x -2 + 9
this disappears
dy because
= 12 x 3 – 15 x 2 – 14 x -3 9 = 9x0
dx
(multiply by zero)
14
= 12 x 3 – 15 x 2 –
x3
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 10

Examples of Basic Differentiation

Example 2
( x + 3)(x – 5)
Find the gradient of the curve y=
x2
at the point (5,0).
dy
= 2 x - 2 + 30 x - 3
y =
x ² – 2 x – 15 dx
x2 2 30
= +
2 15 x 2
x3
= 1– –
x x2 dy 2 30
At x = 5, = +
= 1 – 2 x -1 – 15 x - 2 dx 25 125
8
=
disappears (multiply by zero) 25
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 11

The Derived Function

It is also possible to express differentiation using function

notation.
Newton
Leibniz
dy
If f (x) = xn f ′(x) and dx
then f ′(x) = nx n –1 mean exactly the same thing
written in different ways.

The word ‘derived’ means ‘produced from’, for example orange

juice is derived from oranges.

The derived function f ′(x) is the rate of change of the function f (x)
with respect to x .
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 12

Tangents to Functions

A tangent to a function is a straight line which intersects the function

in only one place, with the same gradient as the function.

f (x)
B

A mAB = f ′(x)

The gradient of any tangent to the function f (x) can be found by

substituting the x-coordinate of intersection into f ′(x) .
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 13

Equations of Tangents
y – b = m( x – a)
To find the equation of a tangent:
• differentiate Straight Line Equation

• substitute x -coordinate to find gradient at point of intersection

• substitute gradient and point of intersection into y – b = m ( x – a )

Example 3
f ′(x) =
2
x2
Find the equation of the
3
tangent to the function m = f ′(2) =
2
× (2) 2 = 6
1
f (x) =
2
x3 substitute: y– 4 = 6 (x – 2)

at the point (2,4). 6x – y – 8 = 0

Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 14

Increasing and Decreasing Curves Gradient

The gradient at any point on a curve Positive
can be found by differentiating. uphill slope
dy Negative
If > 0 then y is increasing.
dx downhill slope
dy
If < 0 then y is decreasing.
dx Alternatively,
dy dy
dx
>0 <0 If f ′(x) > 0 then f (x)
dx
is increasing.

dy If f ′(x) < 0 then f (x)

<0 is decreasing.
dx
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 15

Stationary Points

If a function is neither increasing or decreasing, the gradient is

zero and the function can be described as stationary.

There are two main types of stationary point.

Turning Points Points of Inflection

Maximum
Falling

Minimum Rising

dy
At any stationary point, = 0 or alternatively f ′(x) = 0
dx
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 16

Investigating Stationary Points

Use a nature table to
Example reduce the amount
Find the stationary point of of working.

f (x) = x 2 – 8 x + 3 ‘slightly less

and determine its nature. than four’ ‘slightly more’

Stationary point given by x 4– 4 4+

f ′(x) = 0
f ′(x) – 0 + gradient
is positive
f ′(x) = 2 x – 8 slope
2x – 8 = 0
The stationary point at = x 4
x =4 is a minimum turning point.
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 17

stationary point at (0,0):

Investigating Stationary Points
Example 2
x 0– 0 0+
dy
Investigate the stationary points of dx
+ 0 +
y = 4 x3 – x4 slope

dy rising point of inflection

= 12 x 2 – 4 x 3 = 0
dx
stationary point at (3, 27):
4 x 2 (3 – x ) = 0
x 3– 3 3+
4x2 = 0 or 3–x = 0 dy
+ 0 –
dx
x = 0 x= 3
slope
y = 0 y= 27 maximum turning point
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 18

Positive and Negative Infinity The symbol ∞

used for infinity.
is
Example

y = 5 x3 + 7x2 + ∞ ‘positive infinity’

– ∞ ‘negative infinity’
For very large ± x , the value of 7 x 2
becomes insignificant compared ∞ +1 = ∞
with the value of 5 x 3 .

The symbol
as x ∞, y 5x 3
means approaches’.

5×(+ ∞) 3
= + ∞
as x +∞ and as x –∞
5×(– ∞) 3 = –∞
y +∞ y –∞
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 19

Curve Sketching
Example
To sketch the graph of any function, the
following basic information is required: yx = x7 –3 – 27x 4 7+
dy
• the stationary points and their nature
dy
dx
as –x ∞+
0
solve for
dx
= 0 and use nature table
slope
y -2 x 4

• the x-intercept(s) and y-intercept as x +∞

solve for y=0 and x=0 y –∞

and as x –∞
• the value of y as x approaches
positive and negative infinity y +∞
Higher Maths 1 3 Differentiation 20

Graph of the Derived Function

The graph of f ′(x) can be thought of as the

Gradient
graph of the gradient of f (x) .
Positive
Example f ′(x) > 0
y = f ′(x)
f ′(x) = 0 Negative
f ′(x) < 0

The roots of f ′(x) are

y = f (x) given by the stationary

f ′(x) = 0 points of f (x) .