Chapter 2: Differentiation

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Find the derivative of a function using:

The constant rule;
 The power rule;
 The constant multiple rule;
 The sum and difference rules;
 The multiplication and division rules;
 The Chain Rule.
INTRODUCTION
The derivative is a limit measures the rate at which a function change. It is one of the most important ideas in
calculus.
Derivatives are used in science, economics, medicine and computer science to calculate velocity and
acceleration, to explain the behavior of machinery, to estimate the drop in water levels as water is pumped out of
a tank, and to predict the consequences of making errors in measurements.
Finding derivatives by evaluating limits can be lengthy and difficult.
We develop techniques to make calculating derivatives easier.
DEFINITION
f ( x )−f (a)
Derivative at a point x=a: f ' ( a )=lim
x→ a x−a

 This gives the slope of the tangent line to the graph of f at the point (x, f(x)) provided that the graph has a
tangent line at this point.
 The process of finding the derivative of a function is the differentiation.
 A function is differentiable at x if its derivative exists at x and is differentiable on an open interval (a, b)
if it is differentiable at every point in the interval.
 In addition to f’(x) (f prime of x), other notations are used to denote the derivative of f.

NOTATION
There are many ways to denote the derivative of a function y=f(x) where the independent variable is x and the
dependent variable is y. Some common alternative notations for the derivative are:
dy df d
f ' ( x )= y ' =
= = f (x )
dx dx dx
d
- The symbols indicates the operation of differentiation and is called differentiation operators or the
dx
notation of Leibniz.
dy df
- We read as the derivative of y with respect to x, and as the derivative of f with respect to x.
dx dx
- The prime notations y’ and f’ come from notations that Newton used for derivatives.
THE DIFFERENTIATION RULES
We’ve used the limit definition to find derivatives. Here’s now the several “differentiation rules” to find
derivatives without the direct use of the limit definition.
The Constant Rule
The derivative of a constant function is 0. If c is a real number, then:
 d
[ c ] =0.
dx

 Notice that the Constant Rule is equivalent to saying that the slope of a horizontal line is 0. This
demonstrates the relationship between slope and derivative.
The Power Rule
d n
If n is a rational number, then the function f ( x )=x n is differentiable and [ x ]=n x n−1.
dx
For f to be differentiable at x=0, n must be a number such that x n−1 is defined on an interval containing 0.
 When using the Power rule, the case for which n=1 is best thought of as a separate differentiation rule.
d 1
 Power Rule when n=1: [ x ]=1.
dx
 This rule is consistent with the fact that the slope of the line y=x is 1.

The power rule: example

1. f ( x )=x 3 ⇒f ' ( x )=3 x 2
1
3 ' 1
2. g ( x )=x ⇒ g ( x ) = 2
3 x3
1 ' −2
3. h ( x )= 2 ⇒ h ( x )= 3
x x

The Constant Multiple Rule

If f is a differentiable function and c is a real number, then cf is also differentiable and
d
[ cf ( x ) ]=cf '(x ).
dx
 The Constant multiple rule states that constants can be factored out of the differentiation process,
even when the constants appear in the denominator.
 The Constant multiple rules and the Power rule can be combined into one rule. The combination rule
d
is: [ c x n ]=cn x n−1.
dx

The Sum and Difference Rules

The sum (or difference) of two differentiable functions f and g is itself differentiable. Moreover, the
derivative of f+g (or f-g) is the sum (or difference) of the derivatives of f and g.
d
[ f ( x ) + g ( x ) ] =f ' ( x ) + g' ( x )
dx
d
[ f ( x )−g ( x ) ]=f ' ( x )−g' ( x )
dx
The Product and Quotient Rules
o Product Rule
Consider the product of two functions: f ( x )=u ( x ) . v (x).
' '
It can be shown that: f ( x )=u ( x ) v ( x )+ u ( x ) v ' ( x ).
Example: f ( x )=(5 x2 −1)( 4 x +3) and g ( x )=(2 x−3)( √ x−1)
o Quotient Rule
u(x )
When the function is the quotient of two other functions: f ( x )= .
v( x)
' u' ( x ) v ( x ) −u ( x ) v ' (x )
The quotient rule specifies the derivative: f ( x )= .
v 2 (x )
The Chain Rule
The Chain Rule is a technique for differentiating composite functions.
Composite functions are made up of layers of functions inside of functions.
It turns out that the derivative of the composite function fog is the product of the derivatives of f and g. this
fact is one of the most important of the differentiation rules and is called the Chain Rule.
 If g is differentiable at x and f is differentiable at g(x), then the composite function F ( x )=fοg defined
by F ( x )=f ( g ( x )) is differentiable at x and F’ is given by the product:
F ( x )=f ' ( g ( x ) ) . g ' (x )
'

dy dy du
In Leibniz notation, if y=f (u) and u=g ( x) are both differentiable functions, then: = .
dx du dx
We have to:
1. Identify inner and outer functions.
2. Derive other function, leaving the inner function alone.
3. Derive the inner function.
3 2
Example: y=( x2 +1 ) and x + 1 is the inside function.
If the inside function contains something other than plain old “x”, you must use the Chain Rule to find the
derivative.

Example: Find F’(x) if F ( x )= √ x 2+ 1. We have expressed F as:

F ( x )=( fοg )( x )=f ( g ( x ) ) where f ( u )=√ u and g ( x )=x 2+1.
−1
1 1
Since f ' ( u )= u 2 = ' '
and g' ( x )=2 x . We have: F ( x )=f ( g ( x ) ) . g ' (x )
2 2√ u
Exercise: Find the derivative of each function.

1.
√x
x2 −1
2 x +1
2.
√1−x 2
3. √ ( x−2 ) ( x +1)
1+ x 3
4.
( )
√x