Differentiation - A Review

Rate of Change and the Derivative

Suppose two variables x and y are related to each other by the

function y = f (x).
For instance, f (x) = 5 + x2 . Then,
f (0) = 5 + (0)2 = 5, f (2) = 5 + 22 = 9.
Suppose the variable x changes from the value x0 to a new value
x1 . Denote the change in x by ∆x = x1 − x0 .
Since y depends on x, any change in x will result in a change in y.
We denote this by ∆y = f (x0 + ∆x) − f (x0 ).
The change in y per unit of change in x is given by the difference
quotient
∆y f (x0 + ∆x) − f (x0 )
= (1)
∆x ∆x
Rate of Change and the Derivative

As an example, suppose y = f (x) = 3x2 − 4.

f (x0 + ∆x) = 3(x0 + ∆x)2 − 4 (2)

The difference quotient is

∆y 3(x + ∆x)2 − 4 − (3x20 − 4)

= = 6x0 + 3∆x (3)
∆x ∆x
This can be evaluated if we know the value of x0 and ∆x, e.g. if
∆y
x0 = 3 and ∆x = 4, then ∆x = 6(3) + 3(4) = 30, i.e. for each unit
change in x, y increases by 30 units.
Rate of Change and the Derivative

We are often interested in the rate of change in y when the change

in x is small.
As ∆x approaches zero, i.e. it gets closer and closer to zero but
∆y
never actually equals zero, ∆x = 6x0 + 3∆x will approach the value
6x0 .
This is written as
∆y
lim = lim 6x0 + 3∆x = 6x0 (4)
∆x→0 ∆x ∆x→0
This limit is the derivative of the function y = f (x).
Thus, we write
0 dy ∆y
f (x) = = lim (5)
dx ∆x→0 ∆x
dy
The derivative of y w.r.t. x, i.e. dx is calculated by following certain
rules of differentiation.
Rate of Change and the Derivative:
Graphical Representation

The derivative of y w.r.t. x at the two points x1 and x2, given by the
slope of the tangent lines at x1 and x2, differs with the values of x.
Rules of Differentiation for a function of
one variable

To begin with, let us look at functions of a single independent

variable, such as y = k (a constant function) and y = cxn (power
function).
Differentiation of a function of one variable
- derivative of a constant function

The derivative of a constant function y = f (x) = k equals zero for

all values of x.
Symbolically, this is written as
dy 0
=0 or f (x) = 0 (6)
dx
For example, if y = f (x) = 5, the derivative of y with respect to x is
0.
Intuitively, if the variable y is a fixed number k, it does not change
as the variable x changes, i.e. the change in y or the derivative of y
with respect to x equals 0.
Differentiation of a function of one variable
- derivative of a power function

The derivative of a power function y = cxn , where c is a constant, is

given by
dy
= cnxn−1 (7)
dx
The derivative of y = 5x4 is 5(4)x4−1 , i.e. 20x3 .
Note that this includes the special case where c = 1 and/ or n=1.
Differentiation of a function of one variable
- Sum Difference rule

The derivative of the sum (difference) of two functions is the sum

(difference) of the derivatives of the two functions.
Symbolically,
d d d 0 0
{f (x) ± g(x)} = f (x) ± g(x) = f (x) ± g (x) (8)
dx dx dx
dy
For example, if y = 3x3 + 2x, then dx = 9x2 + 2.
Differentiation of a function of one variable
- Product rule

The derivative of the product of two functions equals the first

function times the derivative of the second function plus the second
function times the derivative of the first function.
d 0 0
{f (x).g(x)} = f (x)g (x) + g(x)f (x) (9)
dx
As an example, suppose y = (4x + 9)(4x2 ). Then,

dy
= (4x + 9)(8x) + 4x2 (4) = 48x2 + 72x (10)
dx
Differentiation of a function of one variable
- Quotient rule

f (x)
The derivative of the quotient/ ratio of two functions, g(x) is given
by
0 0
d f (x) f (x)g(x) − g (x)f (x)
{ }= (11)
dx g(x) (g(x))2
2x−3
As an example, if y = x+1 , then the derivative is given by

dy 2(x + 1) − (2x − 3)(1) 5

= 2
= (12)
dx (x + 1) (x + 1)2
Differentiation involving functions of
different variable - Chain rule

If we have a function z = f (y) where y is, in turn, a function of a

different variable x, i.e. y = g(x), then the derivative of z as a
function of x is
dz dz dy 0 0
= = f (y)g (x) (13)
dx dy dx
Intuitively, a change in x brings about a change in y via the function
g(x) but a change in y, in turn, brings about a change in z via the
function f (y).
As an example, suppose z = 3y 2 , where y = 2x + 5, then
dz dz dy
= = (6y)(2) = 12y = 12(2x + 5) (14)
dx dy dx