Differentiation

and
The Derivative

Casiano DC. Jaurigue

 Higher-Order Derivatives
» A function 𝑓 is said to be differentiable if the derivative of the
function exists at all points in its domain (i.e., 𝑓′(𝑥0 ) exists for all
𝑥0 in the domain of 𝑓)
» If a function 𝑓 is differentiable, then its derivative 𝑓′ is called the
first derivative of 𝑓
» If the function 𝑓′ is again differentiable, its derivative denoted by
𝑓′′ is called the second derivative of 𝑓
» In general, the nth derivative of a function 𝑓, denoted by 𝑓 (𝑛) , is
the derivative of 𝑓 𝑛−1 , where𝑓 𝑛−1 is the 𝑛 − 1 th derivative
of 𝑓
Higher-Order Derivative Notations
» Given 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥),
𝑑𝑦
1st derivative: 𝑦′ 𝑦ሶ 𝑓′(𝑥)
𝑑𝑥
𝑑2𝑦
2nd derivative: 𝑦′′ 𝑦ሷ 𝑓′′(𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 2
𝑑3𝑦
3rd derivative: 𝑦′′′ 𝑦ഺ 𝑓′′′(𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 3
𝑑4𝑦
4th derivative: 𝑦 (4) 𝑦ሷሷ 𝑓 (4) (𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 4
⋮
𝑑𝑛𝑦
𝑛th derivative: 𝑦 (𝑛) 𝑓 (𝑛) (𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 𝑛
Example 1. Given 𝑦 = −5𝑥4 + 4𝑥2 + 9, find
Solution:
a. 𝑦′′
𝑦 ′ = −20𝑥 3 + 8𝑥
𝑦 ′′ = −60𝑥 2 + 8
𝑦 ′′ = −60𝑥 2 + 8
𝑑4 𝑦 𝑦 ′′′ = −120𝑥
b. 𝑑𝑥 4
𝑦 (4) = −120
𝑦 (4) = −120 𝑦 (5) = 0
c. 𝑦 (100) 𝑦 (6) = 0
⋮ 𝑦 (𝑛) = 0, 𝑛 ≥ 5
𝑦 (100) = 0
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Example 2. Given 𝑓 𝑥 = sin 𝑥 , find 𝑓 (𝑥).
Observation: A cycle after every 4 derivatives
Solution:
▪ ′
𝑓 𝑥 = cos 𝑥 ▪ 1st , 5th , 9th ,… derivatives are cos 𝑥
▪ 𝑓 ′′ 𝑥 = −sin 𝑥 ▪ 2nd , 6th , 10th ,… derivatives are −sin 𝑥
▪ 𝑓 ′′′ 𝑥 = −cos 𝑥 ▪ 3rd , 7th , 11th ,… derivatives are −cos 𝑥
4
▪ 𝑓 𝑥 = sin 𝑥
▪ 4th , 8th , 12th ,… derivatives are sin 𝑥
5
▪ 𝑓 𝑥 = cos 𝑥
6 33rd derivative = ?
▪ 𝑓 𝑥 = −sin 𝑥
33 1 9 33
⋮ = 8 → 9th 𝑓 𝑥 =𝑓 𝑥 = cos 𝑥
4 4
 𝟏
Example 3. Given 𝑦 = , find 𝑦′′.
2𝑥3−7
Solution:
▪ 𝑦 = (2𝑥 3 − 7)−1/2
3
1 −
▪ 𝑦′ = − 2𝑥 3 − 7 2 ∙ 6𝑥 2
2
3
−
= −3𝑥 2 ∙ 2𝑥 3 − 7 2

′′ 2 3 −
5
−
3
▪ 𝑦 = −3𝑥 ∙ − 2𝑥 3 − 7 2∙ 6𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 3 − 7 2∙ −6𝑥
2
27𝑥 4 6𝑥
=− −
2𝑥 3 −7 5/2 2𝑥 3 −7 3/2
Example 4. Given 𝑦 = coth 𝑥 − 2𝑥 + ln 7𝑥 , find 𝑦′′.

Solution:
′ 2 𝑥 1
▪ 𝑦 = −csch 𝑥 − 2 ∙ ln 2 + ∙7
7𝑥
= −csch2 𝑥 − (ln 2)2𝑥 + 𝑥 −1

▪ 𝑦 ′′ = −2 csch 𝑥 ∙ (− csch 𝑥 coth 𝑥) − (ln 2) 2𝑥 ∙ ln 2 − 𝑥 −2

2 2 𝑥 1
= 2csch 𝑥 coth 𝑥 − ln 2 2 −
𝑥2
 Example 5. Given 𝑦 = 3𝑥10 + 5𝑥6 − 𝑥 + 7, find 𝑦(10) and 𝑦(11) .
Solution: ▪ The 𝑛th derivative of a polynomial
▪ 𝑦 (11) = 0 function of degree 𝑚 is zero (i.e.,
𝑦 (𝑛) = 0) for 𝑛 ≥ 𝑚 + 1
• 𝑦 ′ = 3 ∙ 10𝑥 9 + ⋯
′′ 8 ▪ The 𝑛 th derivative of a polynomial
• 𝑦 = 3 ∙ 10 ∙ 9𝑥 + ⋯
𝑛
• ′′′
𝑦 = 3 ∙ 10 ∙ 9 ∙ 8𝑥 + ⋯ 7 function of degree 𝑛 and having 𝑎 𝑛 𝑥
(𝑛)
⋮ as leading term is 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑛 ∙ 𝑛!
• 𝑦 (9) = 3 ∙ 10 ∙ 9 ∙ 8 ∙ 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2𝑥

▪ 𝑦 (10) = 3 ∙ 10 ∙ 9 ∙ 8 ∙ 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1 = 3 ∙ 10!
- Sir Choy