Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2.1 Differentiation of Common Functions
2.1 Differentiation of Common Functions
The standard derivatives summarized below were derived in Chapter 1 and are true for all real
values of x.
𝒚 or 𝒇(𝒙) 𝒅𝒚
of 𝒇′(𝒙)
𝒅𝒙
𝑎𝑥 𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑥 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑥
𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑎𝑥 −𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑥
𝑒 𝑎𝑥 𝑎𝑒 𝑎𝑥
1
𝑙𝑛 𝑎𝑥
𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
The differential coefficient of a sum or difference is the sum or difference of the differential
coefficients of the separate terms.
Thus, if
then
𝑓’(𝑥) = 𝑝’(𝑥) + 𝑞’(𝑥) – 𝑟’(𝑥)
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
SAMPLE PROBLEM
PROBLEM (1).
SOLUTION (1).
Since 𝑦 = 12 𝑥 3 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑛
𝑑𝑦
𝑎 = 12 = 𝑎𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑥
𝑛 = 3
𝑑𝑦
= (12) (3) 𝑥 3−1
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 Answer.
= 36𝑥 2
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (2).
12
Find the differential coefficient of 𝑦 =
𝑥3
SOLUTION (2).
12
𝑦 = 𝑥3 rewriting in the standard form 𝑎𝑥 𝑛
𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑛 𝑎 = 12, 𝑛 = −3
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑥
Thus
𝑑𝑦
= (12) (−3) 𝑥 −3−1
𝑑𝑥
= −36𝑥 −4
𝑑𝑦 36 Answer.
= − 𝑥4
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (3).
Differentiate 𝑦 = 6
SOLUTION (3).
𝑦 = 6𝑥0
𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑛 𝑎 = 6, 𝑛 = 0
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑥
Hence
𝑑𝑦
= (6) (0) 𝑥 0−1
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 Answer.
= 0
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (4).
Differentiate 𝑦 = 6𝑥
SOLUTION (4).
𝑦 = 6 𝑥1
𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑛 𝑎 = 6, 𝑛 = 1
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑥
Hence
𝑑𝑦
= (6) (1) 𝑥 1−1
𝑑𝑥
= 6𝑥 0
𝑑𝑦 Answer.
= 6
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (5).
SOLUTION (5).
1
𝑦 = 3𝑥 2
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑥
Thus
1
𝑑𝑦 1 −1
= (3) ( ) 𝑥 2
𝑑𝑥 2
1
3 −2
= 𝑥
2
3
= 1 changing the denominator to radical form we have
2𝑥 2
𝑑𝑦 3 Answer.
=
𝑑𝑥 2√𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (6).
5
Find the derivative of 𝑦 = 3
√𝑥 4
SOLUTION (6).
5
𝑦 = 3
√𝑥 4
5
= 𝑥 4/3
= 5 𝑥 −4/3
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑥
Thus
4
𝑑𝑦 4
= (5) ( − 3) 𝑥 −3−1
𝑑𝑥
20
= − 𝑥 −7/3
3
20
= − 3𝑥 7/3
𝑑𝑦 20 Answer.
= − 3
𝑑𝑥 3 √𝑥 7
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (7).
1 1
Differentiate: 𝑦 = 5𝑥 4 + 4𝑥 − + − 3 with respect to x
2𝑥 2 √𝑥
SOLUTION (7).
1 1
𝑦 = 5𝑥 4 + 4𝑥 − 2𝑥2 + − 3 is rewritten as:
√𝑥
1
1
𝑦 = 5𝑥 4 + 4𝑥 − 2 𝑥 −2 + 𝑥 −2 − 3 When differentiating a sum, each term is
differentiated in turn. Thus,
1 𝑎=1
𝑎=5 𝑎=4 𝑎= 𝑎=3
2 1
𝑛=4 𝑛=1 𝑛=− 𝑛=0
𝑛 = −2 2
1
𝑑𝑦 1 1
= (5)(4)𝑥 4−1 + (4)(1)𝑥 1−1 − (−2)𝑥 −2−1 + (1) (− ) 𝑥 −2−1 − 0
𝑑𝑥 2 2
3
1
= 20𝑥 3 + 4 + 𝑥 −3 − 2 𝑥 −2 i.e.
𝑑𝑦 1 1 Answer.
= 20𝑥 3 + 4 − 𝑥3 − 2
𝑑𝑥 √𝑥3
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (8).
SOLUTION (8).
𝑦 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑥 ; 𝑎=4
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= (3)( 4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 4 𝑥)
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 Answer.
= 12 𝑐𝑜𝑠 4𝑥
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (9).
Find the differential coefficient of 𝑓’(𝑡) = 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 3𝑡 with respect to the variable
SOLUTION (9).
𝑦 = cos 𝑎𝑥 ; 𝑎=3
𝑑𝑦
= −𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑥
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (10).
SOLUTION (10).
𝑦 = 𝒆𝒂𝒙 ; 𝑎=5
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎𝑒 𝑎𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= (3) (5) 𝑒 5 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 Answer.
= 15𝑒 5𝑥
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (11).
2
Determine the derivative of 𝑓(𝜃) =
𝑒 3𝜃
SOLUTION (11).
2
𝑓(𝜃) = 𝑒 3𝜃
𝑦 = 𝒆𝒂𝒙 ; 𝑎 = −3
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑎𝑒 𝑎𝑥
𝑑𝑥
= −6𝑒 −3𝜃
−6 Answer.
𝑓 ′(𝜃) = 𝑒 3𝜃
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (12).
SOLUTION (12).
𝑦 = ln 𝑎𝑥
𝑑𝑦 1
=𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 1
𝑑𝑥
= 6 (𝑥)
𝑑𝑦 6 Answer.
=𝑥
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (13).
Find the gradient of the curve 𝑦 = 3𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 2 at the points (0, −2) and (1, 4)
SOLUTION (13).
The gradient of a curve at a given point is given by the corresponding value of the derivative.
Thus, since
𝑑𝑦
= (3)(4)𝑥 4−1 − (2)(2)𝑥 2−1 + 5 + 0
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= 12𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 + 5
𝑑𝑥
Engineering Department
Calculus 1 Methods of Differentiation
PROBLEM (14).
Determine the co-ordinates of the point on the graph 𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 + 2 where the gradient is
−1
SOLUTION (14).
𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 + 2
𝑑𝑦
= (3)(2)𝑥 2−1 − 7 + 0
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= 6𝑥 − 7
𝑑𝑥
6𝑥 − 7 = −1
𝑥 = 1
When 𝑥 = 1
𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 + 2
= 3(1)2 – 7(1) + 2
𝑦 = −2
Engineering Department