3.

1 Derivative of a Function
f a  h  f a 
lim
h 0
is called the derivative of f at a.
h

f a  h  f a 
We write: f   x   lim
h 0 h
“The derivative of f with respect to x is …”

There are many ways to write the derivative of y  f  x

 3.1 Derivative of a Function
f  x “f prime x” or “the derivative of f with respect
to x”
y “y prime”
dy
“dee why dee ecks” or “the derivative of y with
dx respect to x”
df
“dee eff dee ecks” or “the derivative of f with
dx respect to x”
d
f  x  “dee dee ecks uv eff uv ecks” or “the derivative
dx
( d dx of f of x ) of f of x”

3.1 Derivative of a Function

dx does not mean d times x !

dy does not mean d times y !

 3.1 Derivative of a Function

dy
does not mean dy  dx !
dx
(except when it is convenient to think of it as division.)
df
does not mean df  dx !
dx
(except when it is convenient to think of it as division.)
3.1 Derivative of a Function

d
f  x  does not mean d
times f  x  !
dx dx
(except when it is convenient to treat it that way.)
 3.1 Derivative of a Function
4

The derivative is 2
the slope of the
1
y  f  x
original function.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
3

1
The derivative is defined
at the end points of a 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
function on a closed -1
interval. y  f  x
-2
3.1 Derivative of a Function
6

y  x 3
5
4
2
3
2
1

 x  h
2

 3  x2  3 
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
x
-1

y  lim
-2
-3
6 h 0 h
5
4

y  lim 2 x  h
3
2
h 0
1

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
-1 x
-2
-3 y  2 x
-4
-5
-6
3.1 Derivative of a Function

A function is differentiable if it has a

derivative everywhere in its domain. It
must be continuous and smooth.
Functions on closed intervals must have
one-sided derivatives defined at the end
points.
 3.2 Differentiability
To be differentiable, a function must be continuous
and smooth.
Derivatives will fail to exist at:

f  x  x 2
f  x  x 3

corner cusp

 1, x  0
f  x  3
x f  x  
 1, x  0
vertical tangent discontinuity
 3.2 Differentiability

Most of the functions we study in calculus will be differentiable.

 3.2 Differentiability
There are two theorems :

If f has a derivative at x = a, then f is continuous at x = a.

Since a function must be continuous to have a derivative,

if it has a derivative then it is continuous.
 3.2 Differentiability
Intermediate Value Theorem for Derivatives

If a and b are any two points in an interval on which f is

differentiable, then f  takes on every value between f   a 
and f   b  .
f  b  3

1 Between a and b, f  must take

f a  1
2
on every value between 2 and 3.
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation

If the derivative of a function is its slope, then for a

constant function, the derivative must be zero.

d example: y 3
c  0
dx y  0

The derivative of a constant is zero.

 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
We saw that if y  x 2 , y  2 x .

This is part of a pattern.

examples:
d n
dx
 x   nx n 1

f  x  x 4 y  x8

f   x   4x 3 y  8 x 7

power rule
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
Proof:
d n
 x   nx n 1
d n ( x  h) n  x n
dx x  lim
dx h0 h
d n x n  nxn1h  ...  hn  x n
x  lim
dx h0 h
d n nxn1h  ...  hn
x  lim
dx h0 h
d n
x  lim nx n1
dx h0
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation

constant multiple rule:

examples:
d du
 cu   c d n
cx  cnx n 1
dx dx
dx
d
7 x5  7  5 x 4  35 x 4
dx
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
d du
constant multiple rule:  cu   c
dx dx
sum and difference rules:

d du dv d du dv
u  v    u  v   
dx dx dx dx dx dx

y  x  12 x
4 y  x 4
 2 x 2
2
(Each term
dyis treated separately)
y  4 x  12
3
 4x  4x
3

dx
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
Find the horizontal tangents of:
dy
y  x  2x  2
4 2
 4 x3  4 x
dx
Horizontal tangents occur when slope = zero.
4 x3  4 x  0 Substituting the x values into the
x3  x  0 original equation, we get:
y  2, y  1, y  1
x  x  1  0
2

(The function is even, so we

x  x  1 x  1  0 only get two horizontal
x  0, 1, 1 tangents.)
3.3 Rules for Differentiation
4
y  x4  2 x2  2
3

2 y2

1 y 1

-2 -1 0 1 2

-1

-2
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
4
y  x4  2 x2  2
3

dy
1  4 x3  4 x
dx
-2 -1 0 1 2

-1

First derivative -2
(slope) is zero at:
x  0, 1, 1
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
product rule:
d dv du
 uv   u v Notice that this is not just the
dx dx dx
product of two derivatives.
This is sometimes memorized as: d  uv   u dv  v du
d  2
dx  
x 3  
2 x3  5 x 

 x 2  3   6 x 2  5    2 x 3  5 x   2x 

d
dx

2 x 5  5 x 3  6 x 3  15 x 
d
dx

2 x 5  11x 3  15 x  6 x 4  5 x 2  18 x 2  15  4 x 4  10 x 2

10 x 4  33 x 2  15 10 x 4  33 x 2  15
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
product rule:
d u ( x  h )v ( x  h)  u ( x )v ( x )
d
 uv   u
dv
v
du (uv )  lim
dx h0 h
dx dx dx
add and subtract u(x+h)v(x)
Proof
in the denominator
d u ( x  h )v ( x  h )  u ( x )v ( x )  u ( x  h )v ( x )  u ( x  h )v ( x )
(uv)  lim
dx h0 h
d  u ( x  h)v( x  h)  v( x)   v( x)u ( x  h)  u ( x)  
(uv)  lim  
dx h 0
 h 
d dv du
(uv)  u  v
dx dx dx
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
quotient rule:

du dv
v u  u  v du  u dv
d u dx dx d 
   or
 
2
dx  v  v2 v v

d 2 x  5x
3


    
x 2  3 6 x 2  5  2 x3  5 x  2 x 
dx x  3
 x  3
2 2
2
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
Higher Order Derivatives:
dy
y  is the first derivative of y with respect to x.
dx
dy d dy d 2 y is the second derivative.
y   
dx dx dx dx 2 (y double prime)
dy
y  is the third derivative.
dx We will learn
 4 d later what these
y  y is the fourth derivative. higher order
dx
derivatives are
used for.
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation
Suppose u and v are functions that are differentiable at
x = 3, and that u(3) = 5, u’(3) = -7, v(3) = 1, and v’(3)= 4.
Find the following at x = 3 :
d d
1. (uv ) (uv )  uv 'vu ' 5(3)  (1)(7)  8
dx dx
d u d  u  vu'uv' (1)(7)  (5)(4)
2.      27
dx  v  dx  v  v2 1 2

d v d  v  uv'vu' (5)(4)  (1)(7) 27

3.     
dx  u  dx  u  u2 52 25
 3.3 Rules for Differentiation

d  ho 
 
dx  hi 

(hi)d (ho)  (ho)d (hi)

(ho)(ho)
3.3 Rules for Differentiation