How do you find the derivative of y = tan(x) using first principle?

Calculus Derivative Rules for y=cos(x) and y=tan(x)

3 Answers

Shiva Prakash M V
Jul 6, 2018

dy
2
= sec x
dx

Explanation:
y = tan(x)

sin x
tan x =
cos x
y + Δy = tan(x + Δx)

sin(x + Δx)
tan(x + Δx) =
cos(x + Δx)

y + Δy − y = tan(x + Δx) − tan(x)

sin(A + B) = sin A cos B + cos A sin B

cos(A + B) = cos A cos B − sin A sin B

sin x cosΔx + cos x sinΔx

tan(x + Δx) =
cos x cosΔx − sin x sinΔx

sin x cosΔx + cos x sinΔx sin x

Δy = −
cos x cosΔx − sin x sinΔx cos x

Δy

(cos x(sin x cosΔx + cos x sinΔx)

⎛ ⎞

⎜ − sin x(cos x cosΔx − sin x sinΔx)) ⎟

= ⎜ ⎟
⎜ ⎟
⎜ cos x(cos x cosΔx − sin x sinΔx) ⎟

⎝ ⎠

2
cos x sin x cosΔx + cos x sinΔx

2
− sin x cos x cosΔx + sin x sinΔx
=
2
cos x cosΔx − cos x sin x sinΔx

2 2
cos x sinΔx + sin x sinΔx
=
2
cos x cosΔx − cos x sin x sinΔx

2 2
(cos x + sin x)sinΔx
=
2
cos x cosΔx − cos x sin x sinΔx

Dividing throughout by
2
cos x cosΔx

2
tanΔx + tan x tanΔx
=
1 − tan x tanΔx

tanΔx
2
Δy = (1 + tan x)
1 − tan x tanΔx
Δy 1 tanΔx
2
= × (1 + tan x)
Δx Δx 1 − tan x tanΔx

2 2
1 + tan x = sec x

Δy 1 tanΔx
2
= sec x × ×
Δx Δx 1 − tan x tanΔx

applying limits as Δx → 0

Δy 1
2
lim = lim (sec x ×
Δx Δx

tanΔx
× )
1 − tan x tanΔx

tanΔx
2
= sec x × lim
Δx

/ (1 − tan x × lim tanΔx)

tanΔx
lim = 1
Δx

lim (tanΔx) = 0

Thus,
dy 1
2
= sec x ×
dx 1 − tan x × 0

dy
2
= sec x
dx

Answer link

Andrea S.
Jul 6, 2018

d 2
tan x = sec x
dx

Explanation:
By definition:

d tan(x + h) − tan x
tan x = lim
dx h→0 h

Using the trigonometric formulas for the sum of two angles:

sin(x + h)
tan(x + h) =
cos(x + h)

sin x cos(h) + cos x sin(h)

tan(x + h) =
cos x cos(h) − sin x sin(h)

sin x cos ( h ) + cos x sin ( h )

cos x cos ( h )

tan(x + h) =
cos x cos ( h ) − sin x sin ( h )

cos x cos ( h )

tan x + tan(h)
tan(x + h) =
1 − tan x tan(h)

So:
 tan x + tan ( h )
− tan x
1 − tan x tan ( h )
d
tan x = lim
dx h→0 h

d
tan x =
dx
2
tan x + tan(h) − tan x + tan x tan(h)
lim
h→0 h(1 − tan x tan(h))

2
d tan(h)(1 + tan x)
tan x = lim
dx h→0 h(1 − tan x tan(h))

d 2
tan x = (1 + tan x)
dx

tan(h) 1
lim
h→0 h 1 − tan x tan(h)

and as:
tan(h)
lim = 1
h→0 h

1
lim = 1
h→0 1 − tan x tan(h)

d 2
tan x = 1 + tan x
dx

Or equivalently:
2 2 2
d sin x cos x + sin x
tan x = 1 + =
2 2
dx cos x cos x

1
2
= = sec x
cos2 x

Answer link

Ratnaker Mehta
Jul 6, 2018

Please go through The Explanation.

Explanation:
d f (t) − f (x)
By Definition, [f (x)] = lim .
dx t→x t − x

d tan t − tan x
∴ [tan x] = lim ,
dx t→x t − x

sin t sin x

cos t
− cos x

= lim ,
t − x

sin t cos x − cos t sin x

= lim ,
(t − x)cos t cos x

sin(t − x) 1 1
= lim ⋅ ⋅ .
t − x cos t cos x

sin θ
Since, lim = 1 , and, cos function is continuous, we have,
θ→0 θ
 d 1 1 1
[tan x] = 1 ⋅ ⋅ =
2
dx cos x cos x cos x
2
= sec x
.

Answer link

Related topic

Derivative Rules for y=cos(x)

and y=tan(x)
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