1.

8 • Higher-Order Derivatives 177

Higher-Order Derivatives
1.8 Consider the function given by
y = f1x2 = x 5 - 3x 4 + x.
OBJECTIVES Its derivative f ¿ is given by
• Find derivatives of higher
y¿ = f ¿1x2 = 5x 4 - 12x 3 + 1.
order.
• Given a formula for The derivative function f ¿ can also be differentiated. We can think of the derivative of
distance, find velocity and f ¿ as the rate of change of the slope of the tangent lines of f. It can also be regarded as
acceleration. the rate at which f ¿1x2 is changing. We use the notation f – for the derivative 1 f ¿2¿.
That is,
d
f –1x2 = f ¿1x2.
dx
We call f – the second derivative of f. For f1x2 = x 5 - 3x 4 + x, the second derivative is
given by
y – = f –1x2 = 20x 3 - 36x 2.
Continuing in this manner, we have
f ‡1x2 = 60x 2 - 72x, The third derivative of f
f 1x2 = 120x - 72, The fourth derivative of f
f ¿1x2 = 120. The fifth derivative of f
When notation like f ‡1x2 gets lengthy, we abbreviate it using a number or n in paren-
theses. Thus, f 1n21x2 is the nth derivative. For the function above,
f 1421x2 = 120x - 72,
f 1521x2 = 120,
f 1621x2 = 0, and
f 1n21x2 = 0, for any integer n Ú 6.
Leibniz notation for the second derivative of a function given by y = f1x2 is
d 2y d dy
2
, or a b,
dx dx dx
read “the second derivative of y with respect to x.” The 2’s in this notation are not ex-
ponents. If y = x 5 - 3x 4 + x, then
d 2y
= 20x 3 - 36x 2.
dx 2
Leibniz notation for the third derivative is d 3y>dx 3; for the fourth derivative,
d y>dx 4; and so on:
4

d 3y
= 60x 2 - 72x,
dx 3
d 4y
= 120x - 72,
dx 4
d 5y
= 120.
dx 5
178 CHAPTER 1 • Differentiation

■ EXAMPLE 1 For y = 1>x, find d 2y>dx 2.

Solution We have y = x -1, so
dy 1
= - 1 # x -1 - 1 = - x -2, or - .
dx x2
Then
d 2y
= 1- 22 1- 12x -2 - 1 = 2x -3, or
2
.
dx 2 x3

■ EXAMPLE 2 For y = 1x 2 + 10x220, find y¿ and y–.

Solution To find y¿, we use the Extended Power Rule:
y¿ = 201x 2 + 10x21912x + 102
= 201x 2 + 10x219 # 21x + 52 Factor out a 2.
= 401x 2 + 10x2191x + 52. 20 * 2 = 40
To find y–, we use the Product Rule and the Extended Power Rule:
10x219112 + 1x + 5219 # 401x 2 + 10x21812x + 102
O
Quick Check 1 y– = 401x 2 +
a) Find y–: = 401x 2 + 10x219 + 7601x + 52 1x 2 + 10x218 21x + 52 19 * 40 = 760
(i) y = - 6x 4 + 3x 2; = 401x 2 + 10x219 + 15201x + 5221x 2 + 10x218 760 * 2 = 1520
2
(ii) y = 3 ; = 401x 2 + 10x218 31x 2 + 10x2 + 381x + 5224 Factoring
x 401x 2 10x2 3x + 10x + 381x + 10x + 2524
18 2 2
(iii) y = 13x 2 + 122.
= +
= 401x 2 + 10x218139x 2 + 390x + 9502.
d4 1
b) Find c d.
dx 4 x O Quick Check 1

Velocity and Acceleration

We have already seen that a function’s derivative represents its instantaneous rate of
change. When the function relates a change in distance to a change in time, the instan-
taneous rate of change is called speed, or velocity.*
.* The letter v is generally used to
stand for velocity.

DEFINITION
The velocity of an object that is s1t2 units from a starting point at time t is
given by
s1t + h2 - s1t2
s¿¿ 1t2 = lim
Velocity = v1t2 = s¿1t2 .
h:0 h

*In this text, the words “speed” and “velocity” are used interchangeably. In physics and engineering, this is
not done, since velocity requires direction and speed does not.