HIGH SCHOOL

DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
COURSE
3.3. SUPPORT 1 – HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES
3.3.1 Obtaining Higher-Order Derivatives

As seen before, we know that the derivative of a function is also a function. Therefore, we could think that
a derivative of a derivative can be found.
Because of this, there are second derivatives, third derivatives and so on. They are called Higher-Order
Derivatives.

Notation:

First y f ( x) dy Dx [ y ]
Derivative dx
Second y f ( x) d2y Dx2 [ y]
Derivative
dx 2
Third y  f ( x) d3y Dx3[ y]
Derivative
dx3
nth yn f n ( x) dny Dxn [ y]
Derivative
dx n

There is no change in the procedure. Once you find the derivative of a function, differentiate again and
you will find the second derivative, and so on if it is required. Also remember that CHAIN RULE may also
be needed.

Examples:

Example 1: Find the second derivative of y = 3x 2  6 x  2

First derivative : y = 6 x  6
Second derivative : y = 6  Derivative of the first
Example 2: For y = sec x , find y
y = sec x
y = sec x tan x
y = sec x(sec 2x)  tan x(sec x tan x)
y '' = sec3 x  sec x tan 2 x
Example 3: For f ( x) = 6 x find f ( 4)
x 
f ( x) = 6 x
1/2

6 3
f (4) ( x) = x 1/2 =
2 x
3.3.2 Solving problems involving position, velocity and acceleration

Derivatives can be related very easily to physics applications. We can relate it to the position function,
usually denoted as s(t) , the velocity function denoted v(t), and the acceleration function denoted a(t).
They are functions of time.

Make sure you understand the difference between average and instantaneous. The average velocity can
be described as the change between two points, thus giving you the slope of the line connecting these
two points (secant line). While the instantaneous velocity gives you the slope at a single point in time,
thus giving you the slope of the tangent line (which is the derivative).

S S2  S1
Average velocity: v 
t t2  t1
v v2  v1
Average acceleration: a 
t t2  t1

Instantaneous velocity v(t )  S´(t )

Instantaneous acceleration a(t )  v´(t )  S´´(t )

When
v(t)= 0 the object is not moving.

v(t)> 0 the object would be moving forward (positive direction)

v(t)< 0 the object would be moving backward (negative direction)

a(t)= 0 no change in the velocity

a(t)> 0 the object is going faster (positive)

a(t)< 0 the object is breaking down(negative)

In vertical motion we can use the information that at ground level the position function is zero and at the
maximum height the velocity function is zero.
Example 1:

Find the velocity and the acceleration functions for the function S (t )  t 3  4t 2  5 [m]. Calculate the
velocity after 2 seconds.

Using the instantaneous formulas:

S (t )  t 3  4t 2  5
v(t )  3t 2  8t
a(t )  6t  8
If a ball is thrown vertically upward from the ground, with an initial velocity of 64
ft/sec, calculate:

a) the position. velocity and acceleration at any time

S (t )  64t  16t 2
v(t )  64  32t
a (t )  32
The acceleration in vertical motion is always the gravity, in metric system
 g  9.8m / s 2 and in English system, g  32 ft / s .
2

b) the velocity at t=1.5 seconds?

v(1.5)  64  32 1.5  64  48  16
So, the velocity after 1.5 seconds is 16ft/s

c) the time when the velocity is 36 ft/sec?

64  32t  36 and from here the time is t=0.875s.
d) the time when the velocity is -16 ft/sec?
64  32t  16 and from here the time is t=2.5s.
e) when is the velocity zero?
64  32t  0 and from here the time is t=2s.
f) what is the height of the ball at the time the velocity is 0?
S (2)  64  2  16  4  64 so the height is 64 ft.
g) Is the answer to part "f" the maximum height?
Yes, because the first derivative is zero.

h) when does the ball hit the ground?

We will set the position function to zero and then we will solve it.
64t  16t 2  0 or 16t (4  t )  0 from where we can find that t  0 (when the ball
is starting its upward motion from the ground) and t  4s (when the ball is coming back
to the ground)
So, the answer is t=4s.

i) what is the velocity when the ball hits the ground?

v(4) = 64 - 32(4) = -64 ft/sec. It is negative because the ball is coming back down. Notice
it has the same velocity as when it was thrown upward.

j) what is the acceleration function after 2 seconds?

a(t) = -32 ft/sec2 Notice that the acceleration at any point in vertical motion is the gravity.

k) what is the position and velocity after 3 seconds?

S (3)  64  3  16  9  48 ft
v(3)  64  32  3  32 ft / s
From here we can conclude that the object is coming downwards, because the velocity is
negative.