D I F F E R E N T I AT I O N - 1

KHURSHID ALAM
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Estimate the derivative of a function by measuring the slope of a tangent.

• Differentiate power functions.
• Use the constant rule to differentiate a function of the form cf(x).
• Use the sum rule to differentiate a function of the form f(x) + g(x).
• Use the difference rule to differentiate a function of the form f(x) - g(x).
• Evaluate and interpret second-order derivatives.

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GRADIENT OF A STRAIGHT LINE
VS GRADIENT OF A CURVE

Gradient of a straight line is fixed throughout

the straight line.
𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + 𝒄

Gradient(Slope)

Gradient of a curve varies along the curve.

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GRADIENT OF A
CURVE
The gradient of a curve at a point is
the gradient of the tangent at that
point.

What is a tangent?
A tangent is a straight line which
passes through a point on a curve and
which just touches the curve.

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HOW TO CALCULATE GRADIENT OF A CURVE
𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 NOTE: The process of

finding the derivative
𝒅𝒚 function is called
= gradient of the tangent to a curve at a given point differentiation.
𝒅𝒙

𝒅𝒚
If 𝒚 = 𝒙𝒏 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 = 𝒏𝒙𝒏−𝟏
𝒅𝒙

If 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝒏 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝒇′(𝒙) = 𝒏𝒙𝒏−𝟏

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EXAMPLE
Solution
Differentiate 𝑑𝑦
a) = 4𝑥 3
𝑑𝑥
a) 𝑦 = 𝑥 4
1
b) 𝑦 = 𝑥 −4
b) 𝑦 = 𝑥4 𝑑𝑦 4
−5
= −4𝑥 = − 5
c) 𝑦 = 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑥
1
d) 𝑦 = 𝑥 c) 𝑦 = 𝑥 2

𝑑𝑦 1 −1 1
= 𝑥 2=
𝑑𝑥 2 2 𝑥
𝑑𝑦
d) = 1𝑥 1−1 = 1𝑥 0 = 1 1 = 1
𝑑𝑥

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RULES OF DIFFERENTIATION

• The constant rule

• The sum rule
• The difference rule

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THE CONSTANT RULE

𝑦 = 𝑐𝑥 𝑛 Differentiate the function and multiply by the constant

𝑑𝑦
= 𝑐(𝑛)𝑥 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑥

𝑦=𝑐 Constants differentiate to zero

𝑑𝑦
=0
𝑑𝑥

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THE CONSTANT RULE

Differentiate: 𝑦 = 4𝑥 3 Differentiate: 𝑦 = 2
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
= 4 3 𝑥 2 = 12𝑥 2 =0
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

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THE SUM RULE
THE DIFFERENCE RULE
𝑦 = 𝑐𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑐𝑥 𝑚
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑐 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑐(𝑚)𝑥 𝑚−1 Differentiate each function separately
𝑑𝑥

𝑦 = 𝑐𝑥 𝑛 − 𝑐𝑥 𝑚
𝑑𝑦
= 𝑐 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−1 − 𝑐(𝑚)𝑥 𝑚−1
𝑑𝑥

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THE SUM RULE
THE DIFFERENCE RULE
Differentiate: 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 + 3 Differentiate: 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 + 7𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 10
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
= 3𝑥 2 + 0 = 3𝑥 2 = 3𝑥 2 + 14𝑥 − 2
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Differentiate: 𝑦 = 𝑥 5 − 𝑥 2
𝑑𝑦
= 5𝑥 4 − 2𝑥
𝑑𝑥

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FIRST-ORDER DERIVATIVE
SECOND-ORDER DERIVATIVE
𝑑𝑦 First-Order derivative
𝑓′ 𝑥 𝑜𝑟
𝑑𝑥

𝑑2 𝑦 Second-Order derivative
𝑓 ′′ 𝑥 𝑜𝑟
𝑑𝑥 2
Differentiated twice in succession

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FIRST-ORDER DERIVATIVE
SECOND-ORDER DERIVATIVE
Find the second-order derivative of the function:

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𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥7 +
𝑥
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 7𝑥 6 − 𝑥 −2
𝑓 ′′ 𝑥 = 7 6 𝑥 5 − −2 𝑥 −3 = 42𝑥 5 + 2𝑥 −3

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