INCREMENT, DERIVATIVE

INCREMENTS: An increment of a variable quantity is any addition to its value, and is

denoted by the symbol ∆ written before this quantity. Say ∆x denotes an increment of x;
∆y denotes increment in y.

2
Ex: 𝑦 = 𝑥

When x = 10, y = 100, when we increase the value of x by 2., the value of y increases
from 100 to 144 or by 44. So if we assume the increment of x to be ∆𝑥 = 2, we will find
the increment of y to be ∆𝑦 = 44.

DERIVATIVE: Derivative of a function is the limiting value of the ratio of the increment of
the function to the increment of the variable, as the latter increment approaches zero.

𝑑𝑦 , ,
Notation:
𝑑𝑥
; 𝑦 ; 𝑓 (𝑥)

4-Step Rule:
2
Given 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) Ex: 𝑦 = 𝑥

1.) Change x to 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 and y to 𝑦 + ∆𝑦.

2
𝑦 + ∆𝑦.= ( 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 )

2.) Subtract the given function y from the answer in step 1.

2
𝑦 + ∆𝑦.= ( 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 )
2
−𝑦 = −𝑥

2 2
∆𝑦 = (𝑥 + ∆𝑥) −𝑥
2 2 2
∆𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 −𝑥
2
∆𝑦 = 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥

3.) Divide both sides of the equation by ∆𝑥.

2
∆𝑦 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥
∆𝑥
= ∆𝑥
∆𝑦
∆𝑥
= 2𝑥 + ∆𝑥
 ∆𝑦
4.) Get the limit of ∆𝑥
as ∆𝑥 approaches 0.
∆𝑦
lim ∆𝑥
= 2𝑥 + ∆𝑥
∆𝑥 → 0
= 2𝑥 + 0
= 2𝑥
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= 2𝑥

Examples:
1.) 𝑦 = 1 − 𝑥
Solution:
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 1 − (𝑥 + ∆𝑥)

𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥
−𝑦 = − 1−𝑥

∆𝑦 = 1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 − 1 − 𝑥

∆𝑦 1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 − 1−𝑥
∆𝑥
= ∆𝑥

Rationalize the numerator.

1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 − 1−𝑥 1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 + 1−𝑥 (1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥) − (1 − 𝑥)

∆𝑥
• =
1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 + 1 − 𝑥 ∆𝑥 ( 1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 + 1 − 𝑥)
1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 − 1 + 𝑥
=
∆𝑥 ( 1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 + 1−𝑥
− ∆𝑥
=
∆𝑥 ( 1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 + 1−𝑥

∆𝑦 −1
∆𝑥
=
1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 + 1−𝑥

∆𝑦 −1
lim ∆𝑥
=
1 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 + 1−𝑥
∆𝑥 → 0
−1
=
1 −𝑥 − 0 + 1−𝑥
−1
=
1−𝑥 + 1 −𝑥
−1
=
2 1−𝑥

𝑑𝑦 −1
𝑑𝑥
=
2 1−𝑥
 2
2.) 𝑦 = 𝑥 − 𝑥 − 1
Solution:
2
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = (𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − (𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − 1

2 2
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑥 − ∆𝑥 − 1
2
−𝑦 = − (𝑥 − 𝑥 − 1)

2
∆𝑦 = 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − ∆𝑥

2
∆𝑦 2𝑥∆𝑥 +∆𝑥 − ∆𝑥
∆𝑥
= ∆𝑥

∆𝑦
∆𝑥
= 2𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 1

∆𝑦
lim ∆𝑥
= 2𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 1
∆𝑥 → 0
= 2𝑥 + 0 − 1
= 2𝑥 − 1

𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= 2𝑥 − 1

1
3.) 𝑦 = 2
(𝑥+1)
Solution:
1
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1)
1
−𝑦 = − 2
(𝑥+1)

1 1
∆𝑦 = 2 − 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1) (𝑥+1)

2 2
(𝑥+1) − (𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1)
∆𝑦 = 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1) (𝑥 + 1)
2 2 2
𝑥 + 2𝑥 + 1 − (𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + 2𝑥 + 2∆𝑥)
∆𝑦 = 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1) (𝑥 + 1)
2
−∆𝑥 − 2𝑥∆𝑥 − 2∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1) (𝑥 + 1)

2
∆𝑦 −∆𝑥 − 2𝑥∆𝑥 − 2∆𝑥
∆𝑥
= 2 2
∆𝑥 (𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1) (𝑥 + 1)
 ∆𝑦 −∆𝑥 −2𝑥 −2
∆𝑥
= 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1) (𝑥 + 1)

∆𝑦 −∆𝑥 −2𝑥 −2
lim ∆𝑥
= 2 2
∆𝑥 → 0 (𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 1) (𝑥 + 1)
−0 −2𝑥 −2
= 2 2
(𝑥 + 0 + 1) (𝑥 + 1)
−2𝑥 − 2
= 2 2
(𝑥+1) (𝑥+1)
−2(𝑥+1)
= 4
(𝑥 + 1)

𝑑𝑦 −2
𝑑𝑥
= 3
(𝑥+1)

Practice Exercises:
Use the 4-step rule to find the derivative of the following functions:

3
1.) 𝑦 = 𝑥 − 3𝑥
Solution:
3
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = (𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − 3(𝑥 + ∆𝑥)

3 2 2 3
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 𝑥 + 3𝑥 ∆𝑥 + 3𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 3𝑥 − 3∆𝑥
3
− 𝑦 = − (𝑥 − 3𝑥)

2 2 3
∆𝑦 = 3𝑥 ∆𝑥 + 3𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 3∆𝑥

2 2 3
∆𝑦 3𝑥 ∆𝑥 + 3𝑥∆𝑥 +∆𝑥 −3∆𝑥
∆𝑥
= ∆𝑥

∆𝑦 2 2
∆𝑥
= 3𝑥 + 3𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 3

∆𝑦 2 2
lim ∆𝑥
= 3𝑥 + 3𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 3
∆𝑥 → 0
2
= 3𝑥 + 3𝑥(0) + 0 − 3
2
= 3𝑥 −3

𝑑𝑦 2
𝑑𝑥
= 3𝑥 − 3
 1
2.) 𝑦 = 2
𝑥
Solution:
1
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥)
1
−𝑦 = − 2
𝑥

1 1
∆𝑦 = 2 − 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) 𝑥
2 2
𝑥 −(𝑥 + ∆𝑥)
∆𝑦 = 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) 𝑥
2 2 2
𝑥 −𝑥 − 2𝑥∆𝑥 − ∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) 𝑥
2
− 2𝑥∆𝑥 − ∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) 𝑥

2
∆𝑦 − 2𝑥∆𝑥 − ∆𝑥
∆𝑥
= 2 2
∆𝑥 (𝑥 + ∆𝑥) 𝑥
∆𝑦 − 2𝑥 − ∆𝑥
∆𝑥
= 2 2
(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) 𝑥

∆𝑦 − 2𝑥 − ∆𝑥
lim ∆𝑥
= 2 2
∆𝑥 → 0 (𝑥 + ∆𝑥) 𝑥
−2𝑥 − 0
= 2 2
(𝑥 + 0) 𝑥
−2𝑥
= 2 2
𝑥𝑥
−2𝑥
= 4
𝑥

𝑑𝑦 −2𝑥
𝑑𝑥
= 4
𝑥

3.) 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2
Solution:
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2
− 𝑦 = − 𝑥 +2

∆𝑦 = 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 − 𝑥 + 2

∆𝑦 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 − 𝑥 + 2
∆𝑥
= ∆𝑥

𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 − 𝑥 + 2 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 + 𝑥 + 2 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 −(𝑥 +2)
∆𝑥
• =
𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 + 𝑥 + 2 ∆𝑥 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 + 𝑥 + 2
𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 − 𝑥 − 2
=
∆𝑥 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 + 𝑥 + 2
 ∆𝑥
=
∆𝑥 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 + 𝑥 + 2

∆𝑦 1
∆𝑥
=
𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 + 𝑥 + 2

∆𝑦 1
lim ∆𝑥
=
𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 2 + 𝑥 + 2
∆𝑥 → 0
1
=
𝑥+0+2 + 𝑥+2
1
=
2 𝑥+2

𝑑𝑦 1
𝑑𝑥
=
2 𝑥+2