DIFFERENTIATION

Derivative

If f is a function of an independent variable, say x, then the deriva-

tive of f at x0 , denoted by f 0 (x0 ), is given by

f (x0 + h) − f (x0 )
f 0 (x0 ) = lim ,
h→0 h
if this limit exists. If f0 (x0 ) exists, then f is said to be differentiable at x0 .
The function f is said to be differentiable if it is differentiable at each point
in the domain of f .

The Three-Step Rule:

1. Simplify f (x + h) − f (x).
f (x + h) − f (x)
2. Solve .
h
f (x + h) − f (x)
3. Evaluate lim .
h→0 h

Example 0.1. Using the Three-Step Rule, find the derivative of f (x) = 2x2 + 1.

Solution:
Since f (x + h) = 2(x + h)2 + 1 = 2x2 + 4xh + 2h2 + 1 and f (x) = 2x2 + 1,
using three-step rule
(1) f (x + h) − f (x) = (2x2 + 4xh + 2h2 + 1) − (2x2 + 1) = 4xh + 2h2 .
f (x + h) − f (x) 4xh + 2h2 h(4x + 2h)
(2) = = = 4x + 2h.
h h h
f (x + h) − f (x)
(3) lim = lim (4x + 2h) = 4x.
h→0 h h→0

Therefore, f 0 (x) = 4x .

1
Differentiation The process of finding the derivative of a given function is
called differentiation.

Notations For y = f (x), the following can be used to denote the derivative
of f :

dy d
f 0 (x), , Dx f, Dx ( f (x)), Dx y, [ f (x)], y0 .
dx dx

Theorem (Theorems on Differentiation)

1. If c is a constant, then Dx (c) = 0.

2. If r is a rational number, then Dx (xr ) = rxr−1 .

3. If f is a differentiable function at x and c is a constant, then

Dx (c · f (x)) = c · Dx ( f (x)).

Rules of Differentiation:

1. (Addition Rule) If f and g are differentiable at x, then

Dx ( f (x) + g(x)) = Dx ( f (x)) + Dx (g(x)).

2. (Product Rule) If f and g are differentiable at x, then

Dx ( f (x) · g(x)) = f (x) · Dx (g(x)) + g(x) · Dx ( f (x)).

3. (Quotient Rule) If f and g are differentiable at x with g(x) , 0, then

" #
f (x) g(x) · Dx ( f (x)) − f (x) · Dx (g(x))
Dx = .
g(x) [g(x)]2

4. (Chain Rule) Suppose that f and g such that f is differentiable at x

and g is differentiable at f (x), then

Dx [(g ◦ f )(x)] = g0 ( f (x)) · f 0 (x).

Special Case Let r be any rational number and f is a differentiable function

at x. Then Dx [ f (x)]r = r[ f (x)]r−1 · Dx ( f (x)).

Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions

2
(a) Dx (sin x) = cos x (d) Dx (cot x) = − csc 2x
(b) Dx (cos x) = − sin x (e) Dx (sec x) = sec x · tan x
(c) Dx (tan x) = sec2 x (f) Dx (csc x) = − csc x · cot x

Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions (Chain Rule) If u is a differentiable

function of x, then
(a) Dx (sinu) = cosu · Dx u (d) Dx (cotu) = −csc2 u · Dx u
(b) Dx (cosu) = −sinu · Dx u (e) Dx (secu) = secu · tanu · Dx u
(c) Dx (tanu) = sec2 u · Dx u (f) Dx (cscu) = −cscu · cotu · Dx u

Differentiation of Exponential Functions; Logarithmic Differentiation

1
(a) Dx (loga |x|) = if x , 0
x
(b) Dx (ex ) = ex

(c) Dx (ax ) = ax loga a

Differentiation of Exponential Functions; Logarithmic Differentiation

(Chain Rule) If u is a differentiable function of x, then
1
(a) Dx (loga |u|) = · Dx u
u
(b) Dx (eu ) = eu · Dx u

(c) Dx (au ) = au loga a · Dx u

Derivative of the Inverse Trigonometric Functions

1 1
(a) Dx (arcsinx) = √ if −1 < x < 1 (d) Dx (arccotx) = −
1 − x2 1 + x2
1 1
(b) Dx (arccosx) = − √ if −1 < x < 1 (e) Dx (arcsecx) = √ if |x| > 1
1 − x2 x x2 − 1
1 1
(c) Dx (arctanx) = (f) Dx (arcsecx) = − √ if |x| > 1
1 + x2 x x2 − 1

Derivative of the Inverse Trigonometric Functions (Chain Rule) If u is a

differentiable function of x, then

3
 1 1
(a) Dx (arcsinu) = √ · Dx u (d) Dx (arccotu) = − · Dx u
1 − u2 1 + u2
1 1
(b) Dx (arccosu) = − √ · Dx u (e) Dx (arcsecu) = √ · Dx u
1 − u2 u u2 − 1
1 1
(c) Dx (arctanu) = · Dx u (f) Dx (arcsc) = − √ · Dx u
1 + u2 u u2 − 1

Examples: Find the derivatives of the following.

1 1 − x2
1. f (x) = − 6. h(x) = 10. g(x) = sin 3x cos 3x
21 √ −5
3x √
2. f (x) = x− 5 7. f (x) = 3x2 − 11 11. h(x) = cot x
2x + 1 4 sec x
 
3. y = −5x−3 8. g(x) = 12. f (x) =
3−x  − sinx 3
1
1 + sin x
4. f (x) = 7x5 − 11x + 4 9. f (x) = cos(1 − 5x2 ) 13. g(x) =
cos x
5. f (x) = (3x2 + 1)(3x − 7)

Differentiation
1
1. f (x) = −
2
Solution: By Theorem on differentiation no. 1
1
 
f 0 (x) = 0 or Dx − = 0
2
1
2. f (x) = x− 5
Solution: By Theorem on differentiation no. 2,
1 1 1 6 1
f 0 (x) = − x− 5 −1 = − x− 5 = √ or
5 5 5x 5 x
 1 1 1 1 6 1
Dx x− 5 = − x− 5 −1 = − x− 5 = − √
5 5 5x 5 x
3. y = −5x−3
Solution: By Theorem on differentiation no. 1 and 2,
dy 15
= −5(−3)x−3−1 = 15x−4 = 4
dx x
4. f (x) = 7x5 − 11x + 4
Solution: By addition rule,
f 0 (x) = 7(5)x5−1 − 11 + 0 = 35x4 − 11

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 5. f (x) = (3x2 + 1)(3x − 7)
Solution: By product rule,

f 0 (x) = Dx (3x2 + 1)(3x − 7) + (3x2 + 1)Dx (3x − 7)

= 6x(3x − 7) + (3x2 + 1)3 = 18x2 − 42x + 9x2 + 3
= 27x2 − 42x + 3

1 − x2
6. h(x) =
3x − 5
Solution: By quotient rule,

(3x − 5)Dx (1 − x2 ) − (1 − x2 )Dx (3x − 5)

h0 (x) =
(3x − 5)2
(3x − 5)(−2x) − (1 − x2 )3
=
(3x − 5)2
−6x2 + 10x − 3 + 3x2
=
(3x − 5)2
−3x2 + 10x − 3
=
(3x − 5)2
√
7. f (x) = 3x2 − 11 √ 1
Solution: By chain rule, Note that f (x) = 3x2 − 11 = (3x2 − 11) 2 .

1 1
f 0 (x) = (3x2 − 11) 2 −1 Dx (3x2 − 11)
2
1 1
= (3x2 − 11)− 2 6x
2
3x
= √
3x2 − 11

2x + 1 4
 
8. g(x) =
3−x
Solution: By chain rule and quotient rule,

5
 2x + 1 4−1 2x + 1
   
g0 (x) = 4 Dx
3−x 3−x
2x + 1 3 (3 − x)Dx (2x + 1) − (2x + 1)Dx (3 − x)
 
=4
3−x (3 − x)2
2x + 1 (3 − x)2 − (2x + 1)(−1) 2x + 1 3 6 − 2x + 2x + 1
 3  
=4 = 4
3−x (3 − x)2 3−x (3 − x)2
2x + 1 3 7 28(2x + 1)3
 
=4 =
3 − x (3 − x)2 (3 − x)5

9. f (x) = cos(1 − 5x2 )

Solution: By derivative of trigonometric functions and chain rule,
f 0 (x) = − sin(1 − 5x2 )Dx (1 − 5x2 ) = − sin(1 − 5x2 )(−10x) = 10x sin(1 − 5x2 )

10. g(x) = sin 3x cos 3x

Solution: By derivative of trigonometric functions and product rule,

g0 (x) = Dx (sin 3x) cos 3x + Dx (cos 3x)(sin 3x)

= 3 cos 3x cos 3x − 3 sin 3x sin 3x
= 3 cos2 3x − 3 sin2 3x
= 3(cos2 3x − sin2 3x)
√
11. h(x) = cot x
Solution: By derivative of trigonometric functions and chain rule,
1 1 1 1 −csc2 x
h0 (x) = (cot x)− 2 Dx (cot x) = (cot x)− 2 (−csc2 x) = √
2 2 2 cot x
sec x
12. f (x) =
1 − sinx
Solution: By derivative of trigonometric functions and quotient rule

(1 − sin x)Dx (sec x) − sec xDx (1 − sin x)

f 0 (x) =
(1 − sin x)2
(1 − sin x)(sec x tan x) − sec x(− cos x)
=
(1 − sin x)2
sec x tan x − sin x sec x tan x + sec x cos x
=
(1 − sin x)2

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 1 + sin x
 3
13. g(x) =
cos x
Solution:
1 + sin x 2 1 + sin x
   
g (x) = 3
0
Dx
cos x cos x
1 + sin x cos x(cos x) − (1 + sin x)(− sin x)
 2
=3
cos x cos2 x
1 + sin x cos2 x + sin x + sin2 x
 2
=3
cos x cos2 x
1 + sin x 1 + sin x 3(1 + sin x)3
 2
=3 =
cos x cos2 x cos4 x

Examples. Find the derivative of the following.

1. f (x) = e5x

2. g(x) = log5 |3x|

3. h(x) = 72x

4. f (x) = arctan 2x
√
5. f (x) = arccos x

6. f (x) = earcsin 2x

1. f (x) = e5x
Solution: By differentiation of exponential function and chain rule,
f 0 (x) = e5x Dx (5x) = 5e5x

2. g(x) = log5 |3x|

Solution: By differentiation of logarithmic function and chain rule,
1 1
g0 (x) = Dx (3x) = 3
3x 3x
3. h(x) = 72x
Solution: By differentiation of exponential function and chain rule,
h0 (x) = 72x log7 7Dx (2x) = 2 · 72x log7 7

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 4. f (x) = arctan 2x
Solution: By derivative of the inverse trigonometric functions and chain
rule,
1 1 2
f 0 (x) = · Dx (2x) = ·2=
1 + (2x) 2 1 + (2x) 2 1 + 4x2
√
5. f (x) = arccos x
Solution: By derivative of the inverse trigonometric functions and chain
rule,
1 √ 1 1 1 1 1
f 0 (x) = q ·Dx ( x) = √ · (x)− 2 = √ =
√ 2 2 1 p
1 − ( x) 1−x 2 2(x) 2 1− x2 2 x(1 − x2 )

6. f (x) = earcsin 2x
Solution:
1
f 0 (x) = earcsin 2x Dx (arcsin 2x) = earcsin 2x p Dx (2x)
1 − (2x)2
1 2earcsin 2x
= earcsin 2x p = p
1 − (2x)2 2 1 − (2x)2

Exercises: Find the derivative of the following.

1. f (x) = x3√− 12x

√+ 5 6. f (x) = 4 + x2 tan 3x
2. g(s) = 2 s + s 7. g(x) = x3 − x2 cos x + 2x sin x
cot2 2x
3. f (x) = (x2 − 1)(x3 + 3) 8. h(x) =
1 + x2
5 1 3
4. h(x) = 3 + 9. f (x) = (3x − 5)ex −2x+4
x x
x3 − 8
5. f (x) = 3 10. y = arccsc(e−3x )
x +8