TOPIC 2

DIFFERENTIATION
DM025
 2.1 DERIVATIVE OF A FUNCTION
a) Relate the concept of derivative of a
function to the gradient of a tangent.
COURSE b) Find the derivative of a function, using first
FRAMEWORK principles.
(linear, quadratic and reciprocal functions)
Given P is on a curve. The straight line touching the curve at P is called
the tangent to the curve at P.

The gradient of a curve is a measure of its slope and the value of the
gradient changes at different points on the curve. Therefore, we define
the gradient at a point P as the gradient of the tangent at that point.

Tangent

P
Derivative from the First Principle
The purpose of getting the tangent line or gradient at the point A on the
graph is called differentiation from the First Principles or differentiation using
definition. Thus
′
𝑑𝑦 𝑓 𝑥+ℎ −𝑓 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 = = lim
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ
𝑑𝑦
Note: Though we choose to use a fractional of representation, 𝑑𝑥 is a limit
𝑑𝑦
and is not a fraction, i.e. 𝑑𝑥 does not mean 𝑑𝑦 ÷ 𝑑𝑥.

𝑑𝑦 𝑑
𝑑𝑥
means y differentiated with respect to x. The 𝑑𝑥
is the ‘operator’,
operating on same function of x.
 Find the derivative of the following functions
with respect to x using the First Principle.
a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥
EXAMPLE 1 b) 𝑓 𝑥 = 5𝑥 + 4
c) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2
1
d) 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥
SOLUTION:
a)
SOLUTION:
b)
SOLUTION:
c)
SOLUTION:
d)
Derivative of a Function at Any Point 𝑥 = 0
The derivative (or differentiation) of a function 𝑓(𝑥) at a point 𝑥 = 𝑎,
written as 𝑓(𝑥 ′ ) is defined as
′
𝑓 𝑎+ℎ −𝑓 𝑎
𝑓 𝑎 = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
If we write ℎ = 𝑥 − 𝑎, then
′
𝑓 𝑥 −𝑓 𝑎
𝑓 𝑎 = lim
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥−𝑎
 Find the derivative of f(x) at the given point.
a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 2 + 12, 𝑎=2
EXAMPLE 2 b) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 2, 𝑎=1
SOLUTION:
a)
SOLUTION:
b)
 Determine whether the function
𝑥 2, 𝑥 ≤ 1
EXAMPLE 3 𝑓 𝑥 =ቊ
𝑥 + 1, 𝑥 > 1
is differentiable at 𝑥 = 1.
SOLUTION:
 2.2 TECHNIQUES OF DIFFERENTIATION
a) Use the basic rules of differentiation.
b) Use the sum, product and quotient rules.
COURSE c) Use the chain rule.
FRAMEWORK d) Find the derivatives of the combinations of
the functions using sum, product, quotient
rules and chain rules.
e) Find the second derivative.
Basic Rules of Differentiation
The Derivative of a Constant

If k is a real number, the derivative of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑘 is

𝑓′ 𝑥 = 0
 Find the derivatives of
(a) 𝑓 𝑥 = ln 8
EXAMPLE 4 (b) 𝑓 𝑥 = 0.73
(c) 𝑓 𝑥 = 3
(d) 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑒
SOLUTION:
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
Basic Rules of Differentiation
The Derivative of a Function of the Form 𝑥 𝑛

If k is a real number, the derivative of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 𝑛 is

𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1
 Find the derivatives of
(a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 5
1
EXAMPLE 5 (b) 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥2
(c) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥
1
(d) 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥
SOLUTION:
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
Basic Rules of Differentiation
The Derivative of a Function of the Form 𝑘𝑥 𝑛

If k is a real number, the derivative of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑘𝑥 𝑛 is

𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑛𝑘𝑥 𝑛−1
 Find the derivatives of
(a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 5𝑥
(b) 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 2
(c) 𝑓 𝑥 = −𝑥 12
EXAMPLE 6 (d) 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝜋𝑥 3
5𝑥 4
(e) g 𝑥 =
3
12
(f) ℎ 𝑥 =
𝑥
SOLUTION:
(a)

(b)

(c)
SOLUTION:
(d)

(e)

(f)
Sum, Product and Quotient Rules
The Derivative of a Sum or Difference

If 𝑓 𝑥 and 𝑔(𝑥) are differentiable functions, the derivative of

ℎ 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 ± 𝑔(𝑥)

ℎ′ 𝑥 = 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 ± 𝑔′(𝑥)
 Find the derivatives of
(a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 4 + 𝑥 2
EXAMPLE 7 (b) 𝑓 𝑥 = 6𝑥 11 − 3𝜋
(c) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 5 2
2
(d) 𝑓 𝑥 = 3 𝑥 + + 2
𝑥
SOLUTION:
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
Sum, Product and Quotient Rules
The Derivative of a Product

If u = 𝑓 𝑥 and v = 𝑔(𝑥) are differentiable functions, the derivative of

y 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑦 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′ 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 𝑓′(𝑥)
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑣
=𝑉 +𝑈
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑣𝑢′ + 𝑢𝑣′
𝑑𝑥
 Differentiate each of the following functions
EXAMPLE 8 (a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 2 − 1 7 + 2𝑥 3
(b) 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 2 5𝑥 + 1
SOLUTION:
(a)
SOLUTION:
(b)
Sum, Product and Quotient Rules
The Derivative of a Quotient

If u = 𝑓 𝑥 and v = 𝑔(𝑥) are differentiable functions, the derivative of

𝑓(𝑥)
y 𝑥 =
𝑔(𝑥) ′
′
𝑔 𝑥 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′(𝑥)
𝑦 𝑥 =
[𝑔 𝑥 ]2
𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑣
𝑑𝑦 𝑉 𝑑𝑥 − 𝑈 𝑑𝑥
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑉2
𝑑𝑦 𝑣𝑢′ − 𝑢𝑣′
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑣2
 Differentiate each of the following functions
6𝑥 2 +1
(a) 𝑓 𝑥 =
EXAMPLE 9 2𝑥
1
3−
𝑥
(b) 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥+5
SOLUTION:
(a)
SOLUTION:
(b)
Chain Rule
Some functions 𝑓 𝑥 raised to a rational power n, is called the General
Power Rule, and it is a special case of the Chain Rule.

Let 𝑦 = 𝑢𝑛 where 𝑢 = 𝑓 𝑥 ,
𝑑𝑦 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑢
Then = 𝑛𝑢 and = 𝑓′ 𝑥
𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
Using the Chain Rule, = ×
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑛𝑢𝑛−1 𝑓′ 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑑
𝑓 𝑥 𝑛 = 𝑛 𝑓 𝑥 𝑛−1 𝑓′ 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
 10 𝑑𝑦
(i)Given 𝑦 = 𝑢 and 𝑢 = 5 + 2𝑥 , find .
𝑑𝑥

(ii)Find the derivatives of

EXAMPLE 10 (a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 5 + 1 3
(b) 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 4 − 9𝑥 + 6 4
1
(c) 𝑓 𝑥 =
3𝑥 2 +2 4
2
(d) 𝑓 𝑥 = 1 −
𝑥+1 2
SOLUTION:
(i)
SOLUTION:
(ii) (a)

(b)
SOLUTION:
(c)

(d)
Combination of Derivatives
The derivatives of the combinations of the functions using sum,
product, quotient rules and chain rule.
For example,

𝑑𝑦
Find if 𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 + 1 2
3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥
𝑑𝑥
SOLUTION:
𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 + 1 2 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥
𝑢 = 2𝑥 2 + 1 2 𝑣 = 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥
𝑢′ = 8𝑥 2𝑥 2 + 1 𝑣 ′ = 9𝑥 2 + 2

𝑑𝑦
= 2𝑥 2 + 1 2 9𝑥 2 + 2 + 8𝑥 2𝑥 2 + 1 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥
𝑑𝑥
= 2𝑥 2 + 1 2𝑥 2 + 1 9𝑥 2 + 4 + 8𝑥 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥
= 2𝑥 2 + 1 42𝑥 4 + 33𝑥 2 + 4
 Differentiate the following functions with
respect to 𝑥.
(a) 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 𝑥 2 + 2
2 3
𝑥 +4
EXAMPLE 11 (b) 𝑦 =
3𝑥 3 +4
3𝑥+2 2
(c) 𝑦 =
2−𝑥
𝑥
(d) 𝑦 =
1−𝑥
SOLUTION:
(a)
SOLUTION:
(b)
SOLUTION:
(c)
SOLUTION:
(d)
Second Derivative
𝑓 ′ is the first derivative of f and the second derivative by 𝑓′ ′ or we
write 𝑓 ′ ′.

First Derivative y' f '( x) dy

or
d
 f ( x ) 
dx dx

Second Derivative y '' f '' ( x ) d  dy  d 2 y d2

2  ( )
  = 2 or f x 
dx  dx  dx dx
 𝑑2 𝑦
(a) Find if
𝑑𝑥 2
(i) 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 2

𝑥2
EXAMPLE 12 (ii) 𝑦 =
2𝑥+1

(b) If 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 3 + 4𝑥, find 𝑓 ′′ 1 .

SOLUTION:
(a) (i)
SOLUTION:
(a)(ii)
SOLUTION:
(b)
 2
If 𝑦 = 3𝑥 + ,
𝑥
EXAMPLE 13 2 𝑑 2𝑦 𝑑𝑦
prove that 𝑥 +𝑥 −𝑦 =0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
SOLUTION:
THE END