DERIVATIVES

Department of Mathematics, FPT University

Hanoi
2022
Table of Contents

1 Defining the Derivative

2 The Derivative as a Function

3 Differentiation Rules

4 Derivatives as Rates of Change

5 Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions

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Defining the Derivative

Recap
The tangent line to the curve y = f (x) at the point P (a, f (a)) is the line through
P with slope
f (x) − f (a)
m = lim .
x→a x−a
We define the velocity (or instantaneous velocity) v(a) at the time t = a to be the
limit of average velocities

f (a + h) − f (a)
v(a) = lim .
h→0 h

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Defining the Derivative

Definition (The Derivative of a Function at a Point)

Let f (x) be a function defined in an open interval containing a. The derivative
of f (x) at a denoted by f ′ (a), is defined by

f (x) − f (a)
f ′ (a) = lim (1)
x→a x−a

provided this limit exists.

Remarks
Put x = a + h. Then, the formula (1) is rewritten as

f (a + h) − f (a)
f ′ (a) = lim .
h→0 h

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The Derivative as a Function

Definition (Derivative Functions)

Let f be a function. The derivative function, denoted by f ′ , is the function
whose domain consists of those values of x such that the following limit exists

f (x + h) − f (x)
f ′ (x) = lim .
h→0 h

Example
√
Find the derivative of f (x) = x by using the above definition.
Solution. We have
√ √ √ √ √ √
′ x+h− x x+h− x x+h+ x
f (x) = lim = lim ·√ √
h→0 h h→0 h x+h+ x
h 1 1
= lim √ √ = lim √ √ = √ .
h→0 h( x + h + x) h→0 x+h+ x 2 x

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The Derivative as a Function
Example
The derivative f ′ (x) is positive
everywhere because the function f (x)
is increasing.

Note
A function f is said to be
differentiable at a if f ′ (a) exists.
differentiable on S if it is differentiable at every point in an open set S.
A differentiable function is one in which f ′ (x) exists on its domain.
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The Derivative as a Function

Theorem (Differentiability Implies Continuity)

Let f (x) be a function and a be in its domain. If f (x) is differentiable at a, then
f is continuous at a.

Note
The converse in the above theorem may not be true.

Example
Consider the function f (x) = |x| which is continuous everywhere; however,
f ′ (0) is undefined. Indeed,

f (x) − f (0) |x| − |0| |x|

f ′ (0) = lim = lim = lim .
x→0 x−0 x→0 x − 0 x→0 x

|x| |x|
This limit does not exist since lim− = −1 and lim+ = 1.
x→0 x x→0 x

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The Derivative as a Function

Quiz question
Choose on correct answer (TRUE or FALSE) for the following statements.
1 If a function is not continuous, it may be differentiable.
x sin 1 if x ̸= 0

2 The function f (x) = x is differentiable at 0.
0 if x = 0

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The Derivative as a Function

Definition (Higher-Order Derivatives)

The higher-order derivatives of the function y = f (x) can be expressed in
any of the following forms

f ′′ (x), f ′′′ (x), f (4) (x), . . . , f (n) (x)

y ′′ (x), y ′′′ (x), y (4) (x), . . . , y (n) (x)
d2 y d3 y d4 y dn y
, , , . . . ,
dx2 dx3 dx4 dxn

Example
For f (x) = x2 , find f ′′ (x).
Hint. First, we find f ′ (x). Next, find f ′′ (x) by taking the derivative of f ′ (x).

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Differentiation Rules

Theorem (The Constant Rule)

Let c be a constant. If f (x) = c then

f ′ (c) = 0.

Theorem (The Power Rule)

Let n be a positive integer. If f (x) = xn then

f ′ (x) = nxn−1 .

Theorem (Extended Power Rule)

Let k be a negative integer. If f (x) = xk then

f ′ (x) = kxk−1 .

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Differentiation Rules

Theorem (Sum, Difference, and Constant Multiple Rules)

Let f (x) and g(x) be differentiable functions and k be a constant. Then

[f (x) ± g(x)]′ = f ′ (x) ± g ′ (x).

[kf (x)]′ = kf ′ (x).

Theorem (Product Rule)

Let f (x) and g(x) be differentiable functions. Then

[f (x)g(x)]′ = f ′ (x)g(x) + f (x)g ′ (x).

Theorem (Extended Product Rule)

Let f (x), g(x) and h(x) be differentiable functions. Then

[f (x)g(x)h(x)]′ = f ′ (x)g(x)h(x) + f (x)g ′ (x)h(x) + f (x)g(x)h′ (x).

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Differentiation Rules

Theorem (Quotient Rule)

Let f (x) and g(x) be differentiable functions. Then
′
f ′ (x)g(x) − f (x)g ′ (x)

f (x)
= .
g(x) [g(x)]2

Quiz question
1 For k(x) = 3h(x) + x2 g(x), find k ′ (x).
d −4
2 Find (x ).
dx
6
3 For f (x) = 2 , find f ′ (x).
x

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Derivatives as Rates of Change

We known that the instantaneous rate of change of f (x) at a is its derivative, i.e.,

f (a + h) − f (a)
f ′ (a) = lim .
h→0 h
For small enough values h,

f (a + h) − f (a)
f ′ (a) ≈ .
h
Thus, we can then solve for f (a + h) to get the amount of change formula

f (a + h) ≈ f (a) + f ′ (a)h.

We can use this formula if we know only f (a) and f ′ (a) and wish to estimate the
value of f (a + h).

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Derivatives as Rates of Change

Recall that
f (a + h) ≈ f (a) + f ′ (a)h.

Example
If f (3) = 2 and f ′ (3) = 5, estimate f (3.2).

Solution. First, we find

h = 3.2 − 3 = 0.2

Then
f (3.2) = f (3 + 0.2) ≈ f (3) + 0.2f ′ (3) = 2 + 0.2 · 5 = 3.

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Derivatives as Rates of Change

Definition (Population change)

If P (t) is the number of entities present in a population, then the population
growth rate of P (t) is defined to be P ′ (t).

Example
The population of a city is tripling every 5 years. If its current population is
10,000, what will be its approximate population 2 years from now?

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Derivatives as Rates of Change

Example
The population of a city is tripling every 5 years. If its current population is
10,000, what will be its approximate population 2 years from now?

Solution. Let P (t) be the population (in thousands) t years from now. Then

P (0) = 10 and P (5) = 30.

Now estimate P ′ (0), the current growth rate, using

P (5) − P (0) 30 − 10
P ′ (0) ≈ = = 4.
5−0 5
Using f (a + h) ≈ f (a) + f ′ (a)h, we can estimate the population 2 years from
now
P (2) ≈ P (0) + 2P ′ (0) ≈ 10 + 2 · 4 = 18.

We conclude that, in 2 years the population will be 18,000.

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Derivatives as Rates of Change

Definition (Motion along a line)

Let s(t) be a function giving the position of an object at time t.
The velocity of the object at time t is given by

v(t) = s′ (t).

The speed of the object at time t is given by

|v(t)|.

The acceleration of the object at t is given by

a(t) = v ′ (t) = s′′ (t).

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Derivatives as Rates of Change

Definition (Changes in Cost and Revenue)

If C(x) is the cost of producing x items, then the marginal cost M C(x) is

M C(x) = C ′ (x).

If R(x) is the revenue obtained from selling x items, then the marginal
revenue M R(x) is
M R(x) = R′ (x).

If P (x) = R(x) − C(x) is the profit obtained from selling x items, then the
marginal profit M P (x) is defined to be

M P (x) = P ′ (x) = M R(x) − M C(x) = R′ (x) − C ′ (x).

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Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions

Theorem (The Derivatives of sin x and cos x)

(sin x)′ = cos x, (cos x)′ = − sin x.

Theorem (The Derivatives of tan x, cot x, sec x and csc x)

1
(tan x)′ = = sec2 x.
cos2 x
1
(cot x)′ = − = − csc x.
sin2 x
(sec x)′ = sec x tan x.

(csc x)′ = − csc x cot x.

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Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions

Theorem (Higher-Order Derivatives of sin x and cos x)

Let n be a positive integer. Then

(sin x)(4n) = sin x, (sin x)4n+1 = cos x

(cos x)(4n) = cos x, (cos x)(4n+1) = − sin x

Quiz question
d74
Find sin x.
dx74

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 THANK YOU!

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