Lecture Notes by Dr.

Abdul Rauf Nizami

Subject: Calculus and Analytic Geometry

Lect 10: The Rules/Techniques of Differentiation

Instructor: M. Zeeshan

Spring 2019
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The process of finding a derivative is called differentiation. The following are

differentiation rules which help finding derivatives more efficiently.

The Constant Rule. The derivative of a constant function f (x) = c is 0.

That is, f 0 (x) = 0. This can also be written as
df d
= (c) = 0.
dx dx
Examples.
1. If f (x) = 21 , then f 0 (x) = 0.
√ df d
√
2. If f (x) = 5, then dx = dx ( 5) = 0.
dy d
3. If y = −π, then dx = dx (−π) = 0.

d
4. dx (3) =0

d
5. dx (−2) =0

The Power Rule. If n is any number, then

d n
(x ) = nxn−1 .
dx
Examples.
1. If f (x) = x4 , then f 0 (x) = 4x3 .

2. If f (x) = x−3 , then f 0 (x) = −3x−4 .

√ dy d √ d 1 −1
3. If y = x, then dx = dx ( x) = dx (x )
2 = 12 x 2 = 1
√
2 x
.

d
4. dx (x) =1

d 3 1
5. dx (x )
2 = 32 x 2

The Constant Multiple Rule. If c is any constant, then

d
(cf (x)) = cf 0 (x).
dx
Examples.
d 4 d
1. dx (3x ) = 3 dx (x4 ) = 3(4x3 ) = 12x3

d 2 d
2. dx (−2x ) = −2 dx (x2 ) = −2(2x) = −4x

3. If f (x) = 12 x3 , then f 0 (x) = 32 x2 .

 Rules of Differentiation 3
√ √
4. If f (x) = 5 cos x, then f 0 (x) = − 5 sin x.
dy d d
5. If y = 2x, then dx = dx (2x) = 2 dx (x) = 2(1) = 2.

The Sum Rule. If f and g are differentiable functions, then

d df dg
(f + g) = + .
dx dx dx
Examples.
d d d
1. dx (x3 + sin x) = 3
dx (x ) + dx (sin x) = 3x2 + cos x

2. If f (x) = 31 x3 − 52 x2 + 6x, then f 0 (x) = d 1 3 d 5 2 d

dx ( 3 x ) + dx (− 2 x ) + dx (6x) =
x2 − 5x + 6.
dy d d
3. If y = cos x − tan x, then dx = dx (cos x) − dx (tan x) = − sin x − sec2 x.

The Product Rule. If f and g are differentiable functions, then

d dg df
(f × g) = f × +g× .
dx dx dx
Examples.
d d d
1. dx (x3 × sin x) = x3 × dx (sin x) + sin x × 3
dx (x ) = x3 × (cos x) + sin x ×
(3x2 ) = x3 cos x + 3x2 sin x

2. If f (x) = x2 ex , then f 0 (x) = x2 dx

d d
(ex ) + ex dx (x2 ) = x2 (ex ) + ex (2x).
dy d d
3. If y = x ln x, then dx = x dx (ln x) + ln x dx (x) = x( x1 ) + ln x dx
d
(1) =
1 + ln x.

The Quotient Rule. If f and g are differentiable functions, then

df dg
d h f i g dx − f dx
= .
dx g (g)2
Examples.
1.
d d
d x2 (3x + 1) dx (x2 ) − (x2 ) dx (3x + 1)
( ) = 2
dx 3x + 1 (3x + 1)
(3x + 1)(2x) − (x2 )(3)
=
(3x + 1)2
6x2 + 2x − 3x2
=
(3x + 1)2
3x2 + 2x
=
(3x + 1)2
4 Rules of Differentiation

e2x
2. If f (x) = cos x , then

d d
d e2x (cos x) dx (e2x ) − (e2x ) dx (cos x)
( ) = 2
dx cos x (cos x)
(cos x)(2e2x ) − (e2x )(− sin x)
=
cos2 x
2e cos x + e2x sin x
2x
=
cos2 x
2x
e (2 cos x + sin x)
= .
cos2 x

ln x
3. If y = x2 −3x , then

d d
d ln x (x2 − 3x) dx (ln x) − (ln x) dx (x2 − 3x)
( 2 ) =
dx x − 3x (x2 − 3x)2
2 1
(x − 3x)( x ) − (ln x)(2x − 3)
=
(x2 − 3x)2
x − 3 − (ln x)(2x − 3)
= .
(x2 − 3x)2

The Chain Rule. If f (u) is differentiable at the point u = g(x) and g(x)
is differentiable at x, then the composite function (f ◦ g)(x) = f (g(x)) is
differentiable at x, and

(f ◦ g)0 (x) = f 0 g(x) × g 0 (x).

Second Notation: If y = f (u) and u = g(x), then

dy dy du
= × .
dx du dx

How to recognize a Composite Function? All functions involving powers

and nontrivial trigonometric arguments are all composite functions. For in-
−3x
stance y = (−3x2 + 1)5 , y = (xx−2 2
3 +1)2 , f (x) = tan x, f (x) = e , and
3
f (x) = cos(2x ).

Examples.
 Rules of Differentiation 5

1. Consider the function y = (3x2 + 2x − 4)2 . If we take u = 3x2 + 2x − 4,

then y = u2 . Now, we get
dy d d
= (y) × (u)
dx du dx
d 2 d
= (u ) × (3x2 + 2x − 4)
du dx
= (2u) × (6x + 2)
= 2(3x2 + 2x − 4) × (6x + 2)
= 36x3 + 36x2 − 40x − 16.

2. Consider the function y = cos(x3 ). If we take u = x3 , then y = cos(u).

Now, we get
dy d d
= (y) × (u)
dx du dx
d d 3
= (cos(u)) × (x )
du dx
= (− sin u) × (3x2 )
= (− sin x3 ) × (3x2 )
= −3x2 sin x3

3. Consider the function y = 2e−3x . If we take u = −3x, then y = 2eu .

Now, we get
dy d d
= (y) × (u)
dx du dx
d d
= (2eu ) × (−3x)
du dx
u
= (2e ) × (−3)
= (2e−3x ) × (−3) (∵ u = −3x)
−3x
= −6e .

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Some Useful Derivative Formulas.

d
1. dx (sin x) = cos x
d
2. dx (cos x) = − sin x
d 2
3. dx (tan x) = sec x
d
4. dx (sec x) = sec x tan x
d 1
5. dx (ln x) = x
d x x
6. dx (e ) = e
6 Rules of Differentiation

Practice Problems.
Find derivatives of the following functions.
1. f (x) = −1 3 2
3 x + 2x + 3
−1 1
2. f (x) = x 3 + 2x 2
3. f (x) = x2 ln x
4. y = ex (1 − 2x3 )
5. y = x5 tan x
ex
6. f (x) = cos x
x2
7. y = 1−x
8. y = sin2 (3x)
9. y = (3x4 − 3x2 + 3)3

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(I shall welcome your suggestions to improve these notes.)