Chapter Three

DERIVATIVES

Derivatives: are the functions which are used to measure rates at which things
change. We define derivatives as limiting values of average change, just we
define slope of curves as limiting values of slopes of
secants.
If y = f(x)
 y  f ( x  x)  f ( x)

y f ( x  x)  f ( x)
So, slope of secant PQ  
x x
As Q→P then slope of secant PQ will equal to slope of
tangent of the curve f(x) at P and x→0
y f ( x  x)  f ( x)
 lim slope of secant PQ   lim  slope of tangent of the
QP x x 0 x
curve f(x) at P.
And this is called the definition of derivative of the function f(x) and this
dy d
denoted by y ` , , f (x) , Dx f (x ) and f`(x).
dx dx
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x)
 f `( x)   lim
dx x0 x
We consider that the derivative is found if the limit exists and finite at a
certain point.
Example1: Find the derivative of the function f ( x)  x 2 using the definition of
derivative.
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x) ( x  x) 2  x 2
Sol.:  f `( x)  lim  lim
dx x  0 x x  0 x

x 2  2 x.x  x 2  x 2 x(2 x  x)

 lim  lim  lim (2 x  x)  2 x
x0 x x 0 x x0

Example2: Find the derivative of the function f ( x)  x using the definition of

derivative.

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Chapter Three
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x) x  x  x x  x  x
Sol.:  f `( x)  lim  lim *
dx x  0 x x  0 x x  x  x
x  x  x x 1
 lim  lim  lim
x( x  x  x )
x0 x 0 x( x  x  x ) x 0 ( x  x  x )
1 1
 
( x  x) 2 x

Homework:
1. Using the definition of derivative, find the derivative of the following
functions:
x2 1
(a) y  x x  2 2
(b) y  (c) y 
( x  1) 2 2 x

2. Using the definition of derivative, prove the following:

1
(a) f `( x)  3
if f ( x)  3 x
3 x

(b) y` sec2 x if y  tan x

Laws of Derivatives:
d
1. c0 where c is constant.
dx
d n
2. x  n.x n1
dx
3. If U and V are two functions of x then:
d dU
(a) (c *U )  c * where c is constant.
dx dx
d dU dV
(b) (U  V )  
dx dx dx
d dV dU
(c) (U *V )  U V
dx dx dx
d dU
(d) (U n )  nU n1 *
dx dx
dU dV
V U
d U dx dx
(e) ( )  2
dx V V
dy
Example1: If y  x3  7 x 2  5x  4 , find ?
dx

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Chapter Three
dy d 3 d d d
Sol.:  ( x )  (7 x 2 )  (5 x)  (4)
dx dx dx dx dx
 3x 2  2 * 7 x  5  0  3x 2  14 x  5

Example2: Does the curve y  x4  2 x2  2 have any horizontal tangent? If so,

where?
Sol.: The horizontal tangents, if any, occur y

3
where the slope dy dx is zero. To find
these points, we should (0,2)
2

1. Calculate dy dx :
dy 1
 4 x3  2(2 x)  4 x3  4 x (-1,1) (1,1)
dx
dy 0 x
2. Put 0  4 x3  4 x  0 -2 -1 0 1 2
dx
dy -1
3. Solve the equation  0 for x.:
dx

4 x3  4 x  0  4 x( x 2  1)  0

either 4x  0  x0
or x2 1  0  x  1
So the curve has horizontal tangents at x=0, x=-1 and x=1
The corresponding points on the curve (calculated from the equation
y  x 4  2 x 2  2 ) are (0,2), (-1,1) and (1,1).

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Chapter Three

When does a Function not Have a Derivative at a Point?

A function has a derivative at a point xo if the slopes of the secant lines through
P(xo,f(xo)) and a nearby point Q on the graph approach a limit as Q approaches P.

Whenever the secants fail to take up a limiting position or become vertical as Q

approaches P, the derivative does not exist. Thus differentiability is a
“smoothness” condition on the graph of ƒ. A function whose graph is otherwise
smooth will fail to have a derivative at a point for several reasons, such as at
points where the graph has

1. a corner, where the one-sided 2. a cusp, where the slope of PQ

derivatives differ. approaches ∞ from one side and -∞
from the other.

3. a vertical tangent, where the

4. a discontinuity.
slope of PQ approaches ∞ from
both sides or approaches - ∞
from both sides (here, -∞ ).

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Chapter Three
Example 1: Show that the function y=| x | is differentiable on (-∞,0) and (0, ∞) but
has no derivative at x = 0.
Sol. To the right of the origin (x > 0),
d
 x   d x   1
dx dx
To the left of the origin (x < 0),
d
 x   d  x   1
dx dx
There can be no derivative at the origin because the one-sided derivatives differ
there:
Or another solution: Right-hand derivative of | x | at zero
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x) x  x  x
 lim  lim
dx x0 x x0 x
dy ( x  x)  ( x)
 lim (|x|=+x when x ≥ 0)
dx x 0 x
dy x
 lim  lim 1  1
dx x0 x x0
And left-hand derivative of | x | at zero
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x) x  x  x
 lim  lim
dx x0 x x0 x
dy  ( x  x)  ( x)
 lim (|x|=-x when x < 0)
dx x 0 x
dy  x  x  x  x
 lim  lim  1
dx x 0 x x 0 x
The function y=|x| is not differentiable at the origin where the graph has a
“corner”.
Example 2: Show that the function y  x is not differentiable at x = 0.
Sol. We apply the definition to examine if the derivative exists at x = 0.
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x) x  x  x
 lim  lim
dx x0 x x0 x
dy x  x  x x  x  x
 lim *
dx x0 x x  x  x

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Chapter Three
dy x  x  x x
 lim   lim 
dx x0 x( x  x  x ) x0 x( x  x  x )
dy 1 1 1
 lim  
dx x 0 x  x  x x0  x 2 x
And at x = 0
dy 1
 
dx 2 0

Since the (right-hand) limit is not finite, there is no derivative at x = 0. Since the
slopes of the secant lines joining the origin to the points ( x, x ) on a graph of
y  x approach ∞ the graph has a vertical tangent at the origin.

Second and Higher Order Derivative:

dy
The derivative: y` is the first derivative of y with respect to x.
dx
The first derivative may also be a differentiable function of x. If so its
derivative:
d dy d2y
y`` ( ) 2 is the second derivative of y with respect to x.
dx dx dx
If y`` is also a differentiable function of x, its derivative:
d d d2y d3y
y``` ( y``)  ( 2 )  3 is the third derivative of y with respect to x.
dx dx dx dx
The names continue as you imagine with
d n 1 d d n 1 y dny th
yn  ( y )  ( n 1 )  n is the n derivative of y with respect to x for
dx dx dx dx
any positive integer n.
Example: The first four derivatives of y  x3  3x 2  2 are:
First derivative: y` 3x 2  6 x ,
Second derivative: y"  6 x  6 ,
Third derivative: y' ' '  6
and Fourth derivative: y ' ' ' '  0
The function has derivatives of all orders, but the fifth and subsequent order
derivatives are all zero.

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Chapter Three
dy d2y
Homework: Find (y` or ) and (y`` or 2 ) for the following functions:
dx dx

x2
1. y  x x 2  2 2. y  3. y  ( x2  1)( x3  3)
( x  1) 2

2x 1 
3

4. y  ( x  3x  1)
2 5
5. y  ( x  1) ( x  1)
2 3 3 2
6. y   
 x7 

Implicit Differentiation:
dy
In some cases, it is difficult to solve y=f(x), so to find for such cases,
dx
implicit differentiation will be use.
dy
Examples: Find of the following:
dx

1. x 2  y 2  1
dy dy dy  2 x dy  x
Sol.: 2 x  2 y * 0  2y *  2 x    
dx dx dx 2 y dx y

2. 2 y  x 2  3xy 2
dy dy dy dy
Sol.: 2  2 x  3 x(2 y )  3 y 2 2  6 xy  2x  3y2 
dx dx dx dx

dy dy 2 x  3 y 2
(2  6 xy )  2 x  3 y 2  
dx dx 2  6 xy

Tangent and Normal Lines:

Example: Find the tangent and normal to the curve x 2  xy  y 2  7 at the point
(-1,2).
dy
Sol.: We first use the implicit differentiation to find .
dx

x 2  xy  y 2  7
dy dy dy
2x  ( x  y)  2 y 0  (2 y  x)  y  2 x
dx dx dx
dy y  2 x
 
dx 2 y  x

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Chapter Three
We then evaluate the derivative (slope of the curve) at x=-1 and y=2 to
obtain:
dy y  2x 2  2(1) 22 4
   
dx ( 1, 2) 2 y  x 2(2)  (1) 4  1 5

So the tangent to the curve at the point (-1, 2) is:

4
y  y1  m( x  x1 )  y  2  ( x  (1))
5
4 4 4 14
 y x 2  y  x
5 5 5 5
And the normal to the curve at the point (-1, 2) is (slope of normal is
(-1/m)):
5
y  y1  m( x  x1 )  y  2   ( x  (1))
4
5 5 5 3
 y  x 2  y  x
4 4 4 4
d2y
Example: Find 2
if 2 x3  3 y 2  7 .
dx
dy
Sol.: to find :
dx
dy
2 x3  3 y 2  7  6x2  6 y 0
dx

dy dy 6 x 2 x 2
 6 y  6x2     y` where y ≠ 0
dx dx 6 y y

d2y
We now apply the Quotient Rule to find or (y").
dx 2
2
dy 2 x
2 y (2 x)  x ( ) 2 xy  x ( )
2
d dy d x dx  y
So y`` ( )  ( )  2 2
dx dx dx y y y

2 xy 2  x 4

y3

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Chapter Three

Homework:
1. If x 2 y  xy 2  x 2  y 2  0 find y`.
2. If x 2  xy  y 2  3 find y` and y".
3. If x3 y  xy 3  2 find y` and y" at x=1.
4. Prove that the following curves are intersecting with a right angle:
5 y  2x  y2  x2 y  0

2 y  5x  x 4  x3 y 2  0 in the origin.

Hint: y1 `* y2 ` 1 in the origin (0, 0).

The Chain Rule:

dy du
If y  f (u ) ; u  g (x) , and the derivatives and both exist then the
du dx

composite function defined by f ( g ( x)) has a derivative given by:

dy dy du
 *
dx du dx

1 dy
Example 1: If y  u 2  1 ; u  x 2 , find .
x dx
dy dy du
Sol.:  *
dx du dx
dy 2u u du 1
  ;   2  2x
du 2 u  1
2
u2 1 dx x

1
(  x2 )
dy u 1 x 1
  * (2 x  2 )  * (2 x  2 )
dx u 1
2 x 1
(  x 2 )2  1
x
x

Another solution:
1
Find you  y (u ( x))  (  x 2 ) 2  1
x

Mathematics- Derivatives (54)

Chapter Three
1 1 1 1
2(  x 2 ) * ( 2  2 x) (  x 2 ) * (2 x  2 )
dy
  x x  x x
dx 1 1
2 (  x 2 )2  1 (  x2 )2  1
x x
dy
Example 2: If y  (3x 2  7 x  1)5 , use the chain rule to find .
dx
Sol.: We may express y as a composite function of x by letting:
y  u 5 and u  3x 2  7 x  1

dy dy du
So,  *  5u 4 * (6 x  7)  5(3x 2 7 x  1) 4 (6 x  7)
dx du dx
dy
Homework: Find at x = -1 if y  u 3  5u  4 and u  x 2  x .
dx

Derivative of Parametric Equations:

dy dx
If y  f (t ) and x  g (t ) , and the derivatives and both exist, then:
dt dt
dy dy dt
 y`
dx dx dt

d2y d d dy` dy` dt

and 2
 ( y)  
dx dx dx dx dx dt

dy
Example 1: Find , if y  t 2  1 and x  2t  3 .
dx
dy dy dt
Sol.: 
dx dx dt

dy dx dy 2t x 3
So  2t and 2    t 
dt dt dx 2 2

Another solution:
x 3
From x  2t  3 find t 
2

x 3
2

Then: y    1
 2 

Mathematics- Derivatives (55)

Chapter Three
dy  x 3 1 x 3
  2 * 
dx  2  2 2

d2y
Example 2: Find , if x  t  t 2 and y  t  t 3 .
dx 2
dx dy
Sol.:  1 2t and  1  3t 2
dt dt

dy dy dt 1  3t 2
  y ` 
dx dx dt 1  2t

d 2 y dy` dt
And 
dx 2 dx dt

dy` (1  2t )(6t )  (1  3t 2 )(2) 6t 2  6t  2

 
dt (1  2t ) 2 (1  2t ) 2

d 2 y dy` dt 6t 2  6t  2
 2  
dx dx dt (1  2t )3

Homework:
dr
1. Find if r  s  1 and s  16t 2  20t .
dt

d2y
2. Find 2 if
y  x 2  3x  7 and x  2t  1 .
dt

dy d2y t t2
3. Find and 2 if x  and y  .
dx dx 1 t 1 t

Derivative of Trigonometric Functions:

1. The derivative of y  sin x is the limit:
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x) sin( x  x)  sin x
 lim  lim
dx  x 0 x x 0 x
sin x cos x  cos x sin x  sin x sin x(cos x  1) cos x sin x
 lim  lim  lim
x 0 x x 0 x x 0 x
(cos x  1) sin x
 sin x lim  cos x lim  sin x(0)  cos x(1)  cos x
x0 x x0 x

d
 sin x  cos x
dx

Mathematics- Derivatives (56)

Chapter Three
2. The derivative of y  cos x is the limit:
dy f ( x  x)  f ( x) cos( x  x)  cos x
 lim  lim
dx x  0 x x  0 x
cos x cos x  sin x sin x  cos x cos x(cos x  1) sin x sin x
 lim  lim  lim
x0 x x 0 x x 0 x
(cos x  1) sin x
 cos x lim  sin x lim  cos x(0)  sin x(1)   sin x
x0 x x 0 x
d
 cos x   sin x
dx
dy
Example: Find if y  sec x
dx
1
Sol.: y  sec x 
cos x
dy cos x(0)  ( sin x) sin x 1 sin x
  2
 2
 .  sec x. tan x
dx cos x cos x cos x cos x
d
 sec x  sec x. tan x
dx
In general: u is function of x
d du d du
1. sin u  cos u * 2. cos u   sin u *
dx dx dx dx
d du d du
3. tan u  sec 2 u * 4. cot u   csc 2 u *
dx dx dx dx
d du d du
5. sec u  sec u. tan u * 6. csc u   csc u. cot u *
dx dx dx dx

dy
Example: Find of the following functions:
dx

1. y  x 2  sin x
dy
Sol.:  2 x  cos x
dx

2. y  x 2 sin x
dy
Sol.:  x 2 cos  2 x sin x
dx
sin x
3. y 
x

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Chapter Three
dy x cos x  sin x
Sol.: 
dx x2
4. y  sin x cos x
dy
Sol.:  sin x.( sin x)  cos x. cos x   sin 2 x  cos 2 x  cos 2 x  sin 2 x  cos 2 x
dx
sin 2 x
or y  sin x cos x 
2
dy cos 2 x
  * 2  cos 2 x
dx 2
cos x
5. y 
1  sin x

dy (1  sin x)( sin x)  cos x( cos x)  sin x  sin 2 x  cos 2 x

Sol.:  
dx (1  sin x) 2 (1  sin x) 2
 sin x  1 1  sin x 1
  
(1  sin x) 2
(1  sin x) 2
1  sin x

6. y  cos 2 3x
dy
Sol.:  2 cos 3x * ( sin 3x) * 3  3(2 cos 3x sin 3x)  3 sin 6 x
dx
7. y  sin(1  tan 2 x)
dy
Sol.:  cos(1  tan 2 x) sec 2 2 x * 2  2 sec 2 2 x cos(1  tan 2 x)
dx
1
8. y  tan( )
x
dy 1 1 1 1
Sol.:  sec 2 ( ) * ( 2 )   2 sec 2 ( )
dx x x x x
9. xy  sin y  5x
Sol.: xy ` y  cos y * y` 5  y`( x  cos y)  5  y

5 y
 y`
x  cos y

10. y  sec 2 5 x
dy
Sol.:  2 sec 5x. sec 5x. tan 5x * 5  10 sec 2 5x. tan 5x
dx

Mathematics- Derivatives (58)

Chapter Three
11. x  sin y  y

dx 1 2 y cos y  1
Sol.:  cos y  
dy 2 y 2 y

dy dx 2 y
 1 ( ) 
dx dy 2 y cos y  1

or by implicit differentiation:

1 2 y cos y. y` y`
1  cos y. y` y`  1
2 y 2 y

y`(2 y cos y  1) 2 y
 1  y`
2 y 2 y cos y  1

12. y  1 cos 2 x
1
dy 1  sin 2 x
Sol.:  (1  cos 2 x) 2 * ( sin 2 x) * 2 
dx 2 1  cos 2 x

13. y  x sin x  cos x

dy
Sol.:  x cos x  sin x  sin x  x cos x
dx

1  cos 2 x
3. y 
2

1  cos 2 x  cos x if cos x  0

Sol.: y   cos2 x  cos x  
2  cos x if cos x  0

dy  sin x if cos x  0
 
dx  sin x if cos x  0

Example: If y  sec x , prove that y`` y  2 y 3 .

Sol.: y  sec x
y` sec x. tan x

y`` sec x. sec 2 x  tan x. sec x. tan x

 sec 3 x  sec x. tan 2 x

 sec3 x  sec x.(sec2 x  1)

 sec3 x  sec3 x  sec x

Mathematics- Derivatives (59)

Chapter Three
 2 sec 3 x  sec x

 2 y3  y

 y`` y  2 y 3 o.k.

Homework:
1. If y  tan x , prove that y``` 2( y 2  1)(3 y 2  1) .

2. If x  sec t and y  tan t , evaluate at t  of the following:
4
dy d2y
(a) (b)
dx dx 2

3. Find y` for y  cos(sin 2 x)

dy
4. If x  y 1  y 2 , find .
dx
dy
5. If y  x 2  4 x and x  2t 2  1 ; find when t  2 .
dt
6. Find y` and y`` for y  sin( x  y) .
7. Find y` for sin x  sin y  1 .
8. Find y` for x cos y  sin( x  y) .

Mathematics- Derivatives (60)