CHAPTER 4

THE DERIVATIVES

In this chapter we begin our study of differential calculus, which is concerned with
how one quantity changes in relation to another quantity. Consider a function f (x). The rate
of change of the slope of the curve of the given function is called the derivative of the
function. The method of finding the derivative of a given function is called differentiation
and the reverse process is called antidifferentiation.

Definition of Derivative
The derivative of the function y = f(x) with respect to the independent variables x is
the function

𝑓(𝑥+ℎ)− 𝑓(𝑥)
y’ = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

provided the limit exist. If it exists, we say that f(x) is differentiable at x.

The alternate notations for y’ are

f ‘(x) = dy/dx = Dxy

Example 1. Find the derivative of the function y = 5x + 3 using definition.

𝑓(𝑥+ℎ)− 𝑓(𝑥)
Solution: y’ = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

(5(𝑥+ℎ)+ 3) –(5𝑥+3)
= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

(5𝑥+5ℎ+3−5𝑥−3)
= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

5ℎ
= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

= lim 5 (Recall the limit of a constant is a constant)

ℎ→0

y’ = 5

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Example 2. Find the derivative of the function f(x) = 7x – x2 using definition.

𝑓(𝑥+ℎ)− 𝑓(𝑥)
Solution: f ’(x) = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

(7(𝑥+ℎ)− (𝑥+ℎ)2 ) –(7𝑥− 𝑥 2 )

= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

(7𝑥+7ℎ− 𝑥 2 − 2ℎ𝑥− ℎ2 − 7𝑥+ 𝑥 2 )

= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

(7ℎ− 2ℎ𝑥− ℎ2 )
= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

ℎ(7−2𝑥−ℎ)
= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

= lim (7 − 2𝑥 − ℎ)
ℎ→0

f’(x) = 7 – 2x

Theorems on Differentiation
Because the process of finding the derivative of a function using the definition is
usually rather lengthy, let us now present some theorems on differentiation that enable us to
find the derivatives more easily.

1. Derivative of a constant
If f(x) = c, where c is any constant, then f ’(x) = 0.

2. Derivative of a power
If f(x) = xn, where n is any real number, then f ‘(x) = n xn – 1.

3. Derivative of a sum
If f(x) = g(x) ± h(x), then f ‘(x) = g‘(x) ± h’(x).

4. Derivative of a product
If f(x) = g(x) • h(x), then f ‘(x) = g(x)• h’(x) + h(x) • g’(x).

5. Derivative of a quotient
𝑔(𝑥) ℎ(𝑥) .𝑔′ (𝑥)− 𝑔(𝑥).ℎ′ (𝑥)
If f(x) = , then f ‘(x) =
ℎ(𝑥) [ℎ(𝑥)]2

6. Chain Rule
If f(x) =[ g(x) ] n, then f ‘(x) = n [g(x)] n – 1• g’(x)

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SOLVED PROBLEMS

1. The derivative of each of the following functions is zero(0).

a) f(x) = 143 d) k(x) = 3e2 + 5

b) h(x) = – 5254 e) m(x) = cos 5/2
c) g(x) = 2 f) f(x) = Arcsin ½

2. Find the derivative of the following functions.

a) f(x) = 5x e) h(k) = 5√𝑘
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b) y = 2x3 f) m(x) =
2x
c) k(x) = –5x3 + 3x2 – 7 g) y = (2x + 3) ( x2 – x + 7)
d) f(m) = 3m–2 h) s(x) = (–x2 + 5x – 2)3
Solutions:

a) f(x) = 5x
f ’(x) = (1)(5) x1 – 1 (Derivative of a power)

= 5x0
f’ (x) = 5

b) y = 2x3
dy/dx = (3)(2) x3 – 1 (Derivative of a power)

dy/dx = 6x2

c) k(x) = –5x3 + 3x2 – 7

k’(x) = 3(–5)x3 – 1 +2(3)x2 –1 – 0 (Derivative of a sum & power)

k’(x) = –15x2 + 6x

d) f(m) = 3m–2
f’(m) = (–2)(3) m–2 – 1 (Derivative of a power)

= –6 m–3
−6
f’(m) =
m3

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 e) h(k) = 5√𝑘 = 5. K1/2
h’(k) = (1/2)(5) k1/2 – 1 (Derivative of a power)
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= k −1/2
2
5
h’(k) =
2√k

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f) m(x) =
2x

2𝑥(0)− 3(2)
m’(x) = (Derivative of a quotient)
(2𝑥)2
−6
m’(x) =
4𝑥 2

g) y = (2x +3) (x2 – x +7)

dy/dx = (2x +3) (2x – 1) + (x2 – x + 7)(2) (Derivative of a product)

= 4x2 – 2x + 6x – 3 + 2x2 – 2x + 14
dy/dx = 6x2 + 2x + 11

h) s(x) = (–x2 + 5x – 2)3

s’(x) = 3(–x2 + 5x – 2)3 – 1 (–2x + 5 – 0) (Chain Rule)

= 3(–2x + 5) (–x2 + 5x – 2)2

s’(x) = (–6x + 15) (–x2 + 5x – 2)2

3. Given the function m(x) = 4x(x–2) + 2x–3 , find m’(–2).

Solution:
m(x) = 4x(x–2) + 2x–3 = 4x–1 + 2x–3
m’(x) = (–1)(4)x–1–1 + (–3)(2)x–3–1
−4 6 −4x2 − 6
= − =
x2 x4 x4

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 −4(−2)2 − 6 −16−6 −22
m’(–2) = = =
(−2)4 16 16
m’(–2) = –11/8

4. If f(x) = 4x – 1 and k(x) = x2 + 2x + 3 and h(x) = f(k(x)) find h’(x).

h(x) = f(x2 + 2x + 3)
= 4(x2 + 2x + 3) – 1
= 4x2 + 8x + 12 – 1
h(x) = 4x2 + 8x + 11

h’(x) = (2)(4)x2 – 1 + 8
h’(x) = 8x + 8

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IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
In mathematics, some equations in x and y do not explicitly define y as a function x and
cannot be easily manipulated to solve for y in terms of x, even though such a function may
exist. The technique of implicit differentiation is used to find the derivative of y with respect
to x(dy/dx) or y’ without having to solve the given equation for y. The chain rule must be used
whenever the function y is being differentiated because of our assumption that y may be
expressed as a function of x.

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4. Find y’ by implicit differentiation for 2y3 + 4x2 – y = x6.
First, we just need to take the derivative of both sides with respect to x and we’ll need
to use the Chain Rule when taking the derivative of terms involving y.

Differentiating with respect to x gives,

6y2 y’ + 8x – y’ = 6x5

Finally, all we need to do is solve this for y′.

6y2 y’ – y’ = 6x5 – 8x

y’(6y2 – 1) = 6x5 – 8x

6x5 −8x
y’ =
6y2 −1