1| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

MATH 27 BASIC CALCULUS Preparatory Modules

Module I. DERIVATIVES

Sections 1.1 Basic differentiation

1.2 Chain rule
1.3 Higher-order derivatives
1.4 Implicit differentiation
1.5 Related rates
1.6 Basic optimization

For Week 1. Exercise 1A. Sections 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3

For Week 2. Exercise 1B. Sections 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6

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1.1 BASIC DIFFERENTIATION

Derivative of a function is defined in terms of limit of a function.

The concept of limit is discussed in Module 3.

REMEMBER THIS! Definition of Derivative

The derivative of the function f , denoted by f ' , is defined by

f  x  h  f  x 
f '  x   lim
h0 h
if this limit exists.

Further, if x 0 is a particular number in the domain of f , then the derivative of f at x 0 may also be defined
as
f  x   f  x0 
f '  x0   lim
x  x0 x  x0
if this limit exists.

Alternative notations:
dy
For a function y  f  x  , the derivative f ' is also denoted by Dx f fx .
dx

The process of computing the derivative is called differentiation.

Moreover, if f '  x0  exists, then we say that f is differentiable at x 0 .

Remark: Derivative as slope of tangent line

Consider a function y  f  x  at x  x 0 with y0  f  x0  so that P0  x0 , y0  is on the graph of f . The
derivative of f at x  x 0 , given by f '  x0  , is the slope of the tangent line to the graph of f at the point P0 .

We will compute for derivatives using the following rules of differentiation.

REMEMBER THESE! Basic Rules on Differentiation

1. If c is a given constant, then [ ] .

2. Power Rule If n is a given real number, then Dx  x n   nx n 1 .

 

3. If c is a given constant and f is a given function, then Dx c  f  x   c  Dx  f  x  .

 2| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

4. Sum/Difference Rule
If f and g are given functions, then Dx  f  x   g  x   Dx  f  x   Dx  g  x  .
In general, if f1 , f2 , ..., fn are given functions, then
Dx  f1  x   f2  x     fn  x   Dx  f1  x   Dx  f2  x     Dx  fn  x 

5. Product Rule If f and g are given functions, then

Dx  f  x   g  x   f  x  Dx  g  x   g  x  Dx  f  x  .
Mnemonic: left de-right plus right de-left

6. Quotient Rule If f and g are given functions, then

 f  x   g  x   Dx  f  x   f  x  Dx  g  x 
Dx  
 g  x  
2
 g  x 

Mnemonic: low de-high minus high de-low all over low-squared

Examples.

1. To obtain the derivative of f  x   x 3  3 x 2  5x  2 ,

implement the Power Rule to each term of the expression on the right side.
So, the derivative is f '  x   3 x 2  6 x  5 .

1 3
1 
2. For the function g  x   x  x , express it in the form g  x   x 3
4 3
x 2  x4 .
x3
Then, implement the Power Rule to each term.
1 1
1 2 3 4
Hence, the derivative is given by g '  x   3 x 4  x  x .
2 4

 
3. To obtain the derivative of h  x   2 x 2  5  4 x  1 , implement the Product Rule.

 
So, h'  x   2 x 2  5  Dx  4 x  1   4 x  1  Dx 2 x 2  5 .  
 
Hence, h'  x   2 x 2  5  4   4 x  1  4 x  24 x 2  4 x  20 .

x3  x2  8
4. To obtain the derivative of y  , implement the Quotient Rule.
3x4  2

So,
dy

    
3 x 4  2  Dx x 3  x 2  8  x 3  x 2  8  D x 3 x 4  2
.
  
 
dx 2
3x4  2

Hence,
dy

   
3 x 4  2  3 x 2  2 x  x 3  x 2  8  12 x 3


3 x 6  6 x 5  96 x 3  6 x 2  4 x
.
   
dx 2 2
3x4  2 4
3x  2

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 3| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

1.2 CHAIN RULE

Chain Rule is a very tool in differentiating composition of functions.

A composition is of the form h  g f given by h  x   g  f  x   .

REMEMBER THESE! Chain Rule

If h  g f given by h  x   g  f  x   , then h'  x   D  g  f  x    g '  f  x    f '  x  .

dy dy du
If y  f  u  and u  f  x  , then   .
dx du dx

Examples.

 
5
1. The function h  x   3 x 2  2 x  4 is a composition h  x   g  f  x  

where g  x   x 5 and f  x   3 x 2  2 x  4 .

Applying Chain Rule, the derivative of h is given by

 
4
h'  x   g '  f  x    f '  x   5 3 x 2  2 x  4  6x  2  .

Another way of doing the process,

     
4 4
h'  x   5 3 x 2  2 x  4  Dx 3 x 2  2 x  4  5 3 x 2  2 x  4  6x  2  .

1
2. Let y  u 2  2u and u  .
x1
dy du 1
So,  2u  2 and  .
dx dx  x  1 2
dy dy du     2 2
    2u  2  .  
1    2  2  .  1   
Hence,
 
  x1   
.
dx du dx
  x  1
2


  x  1
2
  x  1   x  1 2
3

3
 2x  7 
3. To compute for Dx   , apply the Power Rule.
 3x 
Then, by Chain Rule, apply the Quotient Rule to the inner expression. Hence,
3 2
 2x  7   2x  7   2x  7 
Dx    3   Dx  
 3x   3x   3x 
 2 x  7   3  x  2    2 x  7  1 
2
 3  
 3x   3  x 2 .

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 4| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

1.3 HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES

Consider y  f  x  .
dy
The derivative y   f ( x)  is the first order derivative of f .
dx
d2 y
The second order derivative of f is the derivative of f ' : y   f ''  x   .
dx 2
d3 y
The third order derivative of f is the derivative of f '' : y'''  f '''  x   .
dx 3
d4 y
y   f    x  
4 4
The fourth order derivative of f is the derivative of f ''' : .
dx 4
Let .
dn y
The n  th order derivative of f is the derivative of f  y   f    x  
n 1  n n
: .
dx n

Examples.

1. Consider the function f  x   x 5  x 4  3 x 2  10 .

To solve fourth order derivative f   , we compute first for f ' , f '' and f ''' .
4

So, f '  x   5x 4  4 x 3  6 x
f ''  x   20 x 3  12 x 2  6
f '''  x   60 x 2  24 x

Hence, f    x   120 x  24 .
4

k
2. Let k be a constant and y  .
x

To solve for the fifth order derivative y   , we compute first for y ' , y '' , y ''' and y   .
5 4

So, y  kx 1
y'   kx 2
y ''  2kx 3
y'''  6kx 4
y    24kx 5
4

 5 120k
Hence, y   120kx 6 or y  
5
.
x6

d2  3x  2 
3. To compute   , we first solve for the first order derivative.
dx 2  x 2  3 

d  3x  2   
x2  3  3  3x  2   2x 3 x 2  4 x  9
So,  2    .
   
dx  x  3  2 2
x2  3 x2  3

d2  3x  2  d  3x  2 
2  2  is the derivative of  2 .
Note
dx  x  3  dx x 3
 5| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

 x2  3    
 
4 4
2  Dx 3 x 2  4 x  9  3 x 2  4 x  9  Dx  x 2  3 
 3x  2 
d  
Hence,
2  2  
 x2  3
4
dx  x  3 

 x2  3    
4 3
  6 x  4   3 x 2  4 x  9  4 x 2  3  2x
 .
 x2  3
4

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1.4 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

In the form y  f  x  , the function f is defined explicitly in terms of x . However, some functions are not
written as such. In this case when a function is not explicitly defined, we implement implicit differentiation.

REMEMBER THIS! How to do implicit differentiation

Suppose y is a function of x but is defined explicitly an equation in terms of x and y .

dy
To solve for or y ' , take the derivative with respect to x term-by-term of both sides of the equation.
dx
dy
For terms with factors of y , differentiate the term with respect to x and affix a factor of or y ' .
dx
dy
Then, solve the equation for or y ' .
dx

Examples.

1. Suppose y is a differentiable function of x and that it is implicitly defined by the equation

 
5
x3  y2  1 .
To solve for y ' , take the derivative of both sides of the equation with respect to x .
Remember that a factor of y ' should be included when we take the derivative of y .

  
 
5
So, Dx x 3  Dx  y 2  1 .
 

   Dx y2  1 .
4
This implies that 3 x 2  5 y2  1

3 x 2  5  y 2  1  2y  y' . Note of the Chain Rule implemented to y .

4
So,

3x2
Solving for y ' , y'  .
 
2 4
10y y  1

2. Suppose y is a differentiable function of x and that it is implicitly defined by the equation

x 6  2 x  3y 6  y 5  y 2 .
dy
To solve for , take the derivative of both sides of the equation with respect to x .
dx
 
So, Dx x 6  2 x  Dx 3y6  y 5  y 2 .  
dy dy dy
This implies that 6 x 5  2  18y 5  5y 4  2y
dx dx dx
5 5
 4
6 x  2  18y  5y  2 y
dy
dx

 6| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

dy dy 6x5  2
Solving for ,  .
dx dx 18y 5  5y 4  2 y

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1.5 RELATED RATES

Related rate problems involve two or more quantities related by some equations that both changes
accordingly with respect to time in such a way that the change in one quantity affects the change in the other
quantities. In such problems, we assume that the variables are functions of time . We use implicit
differentiation to compute for derivatives with respect to .

REMEMBER THESE! How to solve related rate problems

1. Identify the quantities (and variables) that are changing over time.
Assume these quantities (and variables) are functions of time .
2. Specify what is problem and the specific instances.
3. Write the numerical facts about the variables and their derivatives with respect to .
Note whether the quantities are increasing ( ) or decreasing ( ).
4. Identify an equation that relates the variables.
5. Differentiate both sides of the equation in Step 3 with respect to .
Remember to implement implicit differentiation. The variables are functions of .
6. Substitute the known values from Steps 2 and 3.
7. Compute for the desired quantity.
Conclude and interpret the derived answer.

Remember that the first and only step where substitution of values is done is in Step 6.

Examples.

1. A water tank is in the shape of a cylinder with inner radius of 2 meters and
height of 4 meters. Water drips from the tank at an unknown rate but it was
observed that the height of the water inside decreases at a rate of 0.1 m. per
minute.

Find the rate at which the water volume is decreasing.

Solution:

Step 1. Let be the time elapsed since water is being pumped into the tank.
be the volume of water in the tank.
be the height of water in the tank.
be the radius of water surface in the tank.

Step 2. Determine .

Step 3. m. per minute Negative because the height is decreasing.

Note that water in the tank is also in the shape of a cylinder with fixed radius of 2 meters but with
changing height depending on the outflowing water.

Step 4. The volume of the water in the tank is given by .

Since the radius of the water inside the tank is constant at 2 meters,
for this problem, .
 7| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

Step 5. Differentiating both sides with respect to , .

Step 6. Substituting values from Step 3, cu.m. per minute.

This is already the desired quantity.

Step 7. Thus, the water inside the tank decreases at the rate of about 1.26 cu. m. per minute

2. From the south, Boat A sails towards a port at the rate of 15

km per hour. At that time, Boat B had just left same port to
the west at the rate of 32 km per hour.

At the instance when Boat A is 25 km from the port and Boat

B is 15 km from the port, determine the rate at which the
distance between the two boats changes.

Solution:

Step 1. Let be the time.

be the distance between the two boats.
be the distance of Boat A from the port.
be the distance of Boat B from the port.

Step 2. Determine when and .

Step 3. km per hr Negative because the distance from the port is decreasing.
km per hr Positive because the distance from the port is increasing.

Step 4. Since Boat A sails from the south and Boat B sails to the west, .

Step 5. Differentiating both sides with respect to time , .

Step 6. Note that at the instance when and , the distance between the boats is √ .
Hence, ( ) [ ( ) ( )] km per hour.
√ √

Step 8. Thus, the distance between the boats is increasing at the rate of about 3.78 km per hour.

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1.6 BASIC OPTIMIZATION

To optimize means to find the most favorable solution given a set of constraint or conditions. In the
applications we consider here, we are looking for the solution that will yield either the minimum or maximum of
a function.

Definitions. (Relative extrema)

Consider a function ( ).
 The function has a relative maximum at if there exists an
open interval containing such that ( ) ( ) for all .
 The function has a relative minimum at if there exists an
open interval containing such that ( ) ( ) for all .

Definition. (Critical points)

A function ( ) has a critical number at if either ( ) or does not exist at .
 8| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

REMEMBER THIS! Second Derivative Test

Let be a critical number of a function ( ) such that ( ) .
 If ( ) , then has a relative minimum at .
The graph of is concave upward at .
 If ( ) , then has a relative maximum at .
The graph of is concave downward at .
 If ( ) , then has an inflection point at .
An inflection point is a part of the graph where concavity changes.

Illustration.
Consider the function ( )

The derivative is given by ( )

To solve for the critical numbers, equate the derivative to zero: ( ) .
So, ( )( ) Hence, the critical numbers of are and .

The second derivative of is ( ) .

By the Second Derivative Test,
( ) Hence, has a relative minimum at
( ) Hence, has a relative maximum at

_____________________

Definitions. (Absolute extrema)

Consider a function ( ) over a closed interval .
 The function has absolute maximum on at if ( ) ( )
for all . The number ( ) is then the absolute maximum value of
on the interval .
 The function has absolute minimum on at if ( ) ( )
for all . The number ( ) is then the absolute minimum value of
on the interval .

REMEMBER THIS! Finding absolute extrema of a function

To find the absolute extrema of a function ( ) on the closed interval [ ],
1. Identify the critical numbers of inside the interval [ ].
2. Solve for the function values of at each critical number in Step 1.
3. Solve for ( ) and ( ).
4. The largest value in Steps 2 and 3 is the absolute maximum value.
The lowest is the absolute minimum value.

Example.
Consider the function ( ) on the interval [ ].

To solve for the absolute extrema of the function on the given interval,

Step 1. The derivative is given by ( ) .

Hence, the critical numbers of are and . Both numbers are in the interval [ ].

Step 2. Computing the function values at the critical numbers, ( ) and ( )

Step 3. Computing the function values at the endpoints of the interval,

( ) and ( ) .
 9| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

Step 4. Comparing the function values in Steps 2 and 3,

the absolute minimum value of over the interval [ ] is at , and
the absolute maximum value of over the interval [ ] is at .

REMEMBER THIS! Solving an optimization problem

Given a problem that seeks to maximize or minimize a certain quantity with respect to another quantity,
here are general suggested steps to obtain the optimal values.
1. Understand the problem.
Read the problem carefully. Identify the information you need to solve the problem.
What is unknown? What is given? What is required?
2. Develop a mathematical model of the problem.
A mathematical model is a function that describes the desired quantity in relation to another.
Draw pictures and label the parts that are important to the problem.
Introduce a variable to represent the quantity to be maximized or minimized.
Write a function that relates the variable/s to the problem.
Note that the function must be a function of single variable.
3. Identify the interval where the function is considered.
Determine what values of the variable make sense in the problem.
Identify the critical points and endpoints.
4. Implement the method of solving absolute extrema of a function over an interval.
In cases where there is only one critical number and the interval is not specifically stated,
use the 2nd Derivative Test to verify whether a maximum or a minimum is obtained.
5. Interpret the obtained solution as needed in the given problem.

Examples.

1. Problem.
A farmer has 80 meters of fencing materials and wants to fence off
a rectangular field that borders a straight river.
He needs no fence along the river.
What are the dimensions of the field that has the largest area?

Solution:

In this problem, we need to maximize the area of the field

that can be enclosed by 80 meters of fencing materials given
that the border of the field do not need fence. This is a
problem of maximizing an area with a constraint on the
perimeter.

Let be the length of the side of the rectangular field parallel to the river.
be the length of the side of the rectangular field perpendicular the river.

Hence, the area of the field is simply .

However, the perimeter constraint requires that or .

Note that the area of the enclosed field can be expressed as a function of .
Specifically, the area is given by ( ) ( ) or ( ) .

Notice that if or , then function value ( ) is less than zero.

Hence, to get an actual area which is nonnegative, the domain of the function should be [ ].

We now apply the steps in obtaining absolute extrema of a function over a closed interval.

The derivative is ( ) . So, is the only critical number of the function.

Testing its second derivative, ( ) . So, ( ) .
 10| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

The function has a relative maximum at .

Note that ( ) and ( ) .

Thus, the area of the enclosed field is at maximum when the length of the field along the river is 40
meters and the length of the other side is 20 meters Moreover, the maximum area that can be enclosed
is 1600 sq.m.

2. Problem.
Consider the parabola .
Determine the point of the parabola that is nearest to the point ( ).

Solution:

In this problem, we need to minimize the distance between the point ( ) and the parabola .
This is a problem of minimizing the distance from ( ) of the points on .

Let ( ) be a point on the parabola.

Its distance from ( ) is ( ) √( ) ( ) or ( ) √( ) ( ) .

Consider the function ( ) [ ( )] ( ) ( ) .

Simplifying, ( ) .
We consider this function which has a simpler derivative compared to ( ).
Note that the function is defined for any value .

We now apply the steps in obtaining absolute extrema of a function.

The derivative is ( ) .
Solving yields the critical number .
The other solutions of the equations are imaginary numbers which we do not consider.

Testing its second derivative, ( ) . So, ( ) .

The function has a relative minimum at .

Since it is the only relative minimum of the function, it must be the absolute minimum over the domain.

Thus, the absolute minimum of the function ( ) is at .

In turn, the point ( ) is the point on the parabola which minimizes the distances from ( ) with a
distance of √ units.

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~ End of Module I ~
 11| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

WEEKLY EXERCISE 1A. Rules of differentiation (for Sections 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3)

Name: _________________________________________ MATH 27 Section: _______

A. Compute for the derivatives of the following functions using rules for differentiation.
Properly implement the notations for derivatives.
DERIVATIVE

1. ( )

⁄
2. ( ) √ √

𝟏 𝟏
3. 𝒉(𝒙) 𝒙𝟐 𝒙
𝒙 𝒙𝟐

4. ( ) (√ )( √ )

𝒙𝟑 𝒙𝟐
5. 𝒉(𝒙)
𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝟏

_________________________
B. Compute the following derivatives. Properly implement Chain Rule.

1. (√ )

2. *( ) ( ) +

3. If √ and , then

_________________________

C. Compute for the indicated higher-order derivatives.

1. ( )

The fifth-order derivative is…

𝟏 𝟏
2. 𝒈(𝒙) √𝒙
𝒙𝟐 𝒙
The second-order derivative is…

~ end of Exercise 1A ~
 12| MATH 27 PREPARATORY MODULE I| IMSP, UPLB

WEEKLY EXERCISE 1B. Implicit differentiation & basic applications (for Sections 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6)
Name: _________________________________________ MATH 27 Section: _______
A. For each item, assume is a differentiable function of . Use implicit differentiation to solve for .
Show your solution in the provided boxes.

1. 2.

B. Solve the given related rate problem. Follow the prescribed procedure in the Module.
A stone is dropped into a still pond. Concentric circular ripples spread out and the radius of the disturbed
region increases at the rate of 10 cm/sec. At what rate does the area of the disturbed region increase
when the radius is 2 cm?

C. Determine the relative extrema of ( ) .

Moreover, determine the absolute extrema of the function over the interval [ ].

D. Use the backpage or an extra sheet for this item.

A cylindrical tin can with no top is to be constructed such that the total surface area is sq.m.
Determine the height and base radius of the cylinder that maximizes the enclosed volume.
Note: surface area volume

~ end of Exercise 1B ~