1

The Derivative as the Slope of the Tangent Line

Target Outcomes
At the end of this material, the students should be able to:
1. Illustrate the tangent line;
2. Apply the derivative of a function at a given point;
3. Relate the derivative of a function to the slope of the tangent line

Abstraction
To find the equation of the tangent to the graph of y = f(x) at the point P(x0 , f(x0 )),
• Get the slope of the tangent line by computing
f(x) − f(x0 )
m = lim
x→x0 x − x0
• Substitute this value of m and the coordinates of the known point P(x0 , y0 ) into the point-
slope form to get
y − y0 = m(x − x0 )

Examples:
1. Find the slope of f(x) = x 2 + 3x + 1. Find the slope of the tangent to the curve of the given
function at x = 1.
Solution
Given x = 1, then
f(x) = x 2 + 3x + 1
f(1) = (1)2 + 3(1) + 1
= 1+3+1
= 5

Hence, P(x0 , f(x0 )) = P(1,5)

Apply the formula with f(x) = x 2 + 3x + 1 and x0 = 1.
m = lim f(x)−f(x0)
x→x0 x−x0
= x2 +3x+1−[(12 )+3(1)+1]
lim
x→1 x−1
= x2 +3x+1−1−3−1
lim
x→1 x−1
= 𝑥 2 +3𝑥−4
lim
𝑥→1 𝑥−1
= (𝑥+4)(𝑥−1)
lim
𝑥→1 𝑥−1
= lim (𝑥 + 4)
𝑥→1
= 1+4
= 5

Thus, the tangent line 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1 at 𝑥 = 1 has equation

𝑦 − 𝑦0 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥0 )
𝑦 − 5 = 5(𝑥 − 1)
𝑦 − 5 = 5𝑥 − 5
= 5𝑥 − 5 + 5
 2

= 5𝑥

Therefore, the equation of the tangent line with slope 𝑚 = 5 and passing through 𝑃(1,5) is
𝑦 = 5𝑥

3𝑥+2
2. Find the slope of a line tangent to the curve of the function 𝑓(𝑥) = at 𝑥 = 2.
𝑥−4
Solution:
Given 𝑥 = 2, then
𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥+2
𝑥−4
𝑓(2) = 3(2)+2
2−4
= 8
−2
= −4

Hence, 𝑃(𝑥0 , 𝑓(𝑥0 )) = 𝑃(2, −4)

3𝑥+2
Apply the formula with 𝑓(𝑥) = and 𝑥0 = 2.
𝑥−4
𝑚 = lim 𝑓(𝑥)−𝑓(𝑥 0)
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥−𝑥0
3𝑥+2 3(2)+2
= 𝑥−4
−[ 2−4 ]
lim
𝑥→2 𝑥−2
3𝑥+2
= 𝑥−4
+4
lim
𝑥→1 𝑥−2
7𝑥−14
= 𝑥−4
lim
𝑥→2 𝑥−2
= 7(𝑥−2)
lim
𝑥→2 (𝑥−4)(𝑥−2)
= 7
lim
𝑥→2 𝑥−4
= 7
2−4
7
= −
2

3𝑥+2
Thus, the tangent line 𝑓(𝑥) = at 𝑥 = 2 has equation
𝑥−4
𝑦 − 𝑦0 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥0 )
𝑦 − (−4) = − 7 (𝑥 − 2)
2
 3

𝑦+4 = 7
− 𝑥+7
2
𝑦 = 7
− 𝑥 +7−4
2
𝑦 = 7
− 𝑥 +3
2
7𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 6

7
Therefore, the equation of the tangent line with slope 𝑚 = − and passing through 𝑃(2, −4)
2
is
7𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 6

There is an alternative way of expressing the formula that is commonly used. If we let h denote
the difference
ℎ = 𝑥 − 𝑥0
then the statement that 𝑥 → 𝑥0 is equivalent to the statement ℎ → 0, so we can rewrite the
formula in terms of 𝑥0 and ℎ as
𝑓(𝑥0 + ℎ) − 𝑓(𝑥0 )
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
Examples:
1. Find the slope of the line tangent to the curve 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1 at 𝑥 = 1.
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = lim 𝑓(𝑥0+ℎ)−𝑓(𝑥0)
ℎ→0 ℎ
= 𝑓(1+ℎ)−𝑓(1)
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= (1+ℎ)2 +3(1+ℎ)+1−[(12 )+3(1)+1]
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= 1+2ℎ+ℎ2 +3+3ℎ+1−5
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= 1+2ℎ+ℎ2 +3+3ℎ+1−5
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= 2ℎ+ℎ2 +3ℎ
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= ℎ(2+ℎ+3)
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= lim 2 + ℎ + 3
ℎ→0
= 2+0+3
= 5

2. Find the slope of the tangent line to the curve 𝑦 = √𝑥 at 𝑥 = 4.

 4

𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 𝑓(𝑥0 +ℎ)−𝑓(𝑥0 )

lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= 𝑓(4+ℎ)−𝑓(4)
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
= lim
√4+ℎ−√4
ℎ→0 ℎ
= lim [
√4+ℎ−√4 √4+ℎ+√4
∙ ]
ℎ→0 ℎ √4+ℎ+√4
= 4+ℎ−4
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ(√4+ℎ+√4)
= ℎ
lim
ℎ→0 ℎ(√4+ℎ+√4)
= 1
lim
ℎ→0 √4+ℎ+√4
= 1
√4+0+√4
= 1
2+2
= 1
4

The Derivative Function

The function 𝑓′ defined by the formula
∆𝑦 𝑓(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − 𝑓(𝑥)
lim = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
is called the derivative of with respect to x. the domain of 𝑓′ consists of all x in the domain of 𝑓 for
which the limit exists.

Example:
1. Find the derivative of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1, and use it to find the equation of the tangent line
to the given curve at 𝑥 = 1.
Solution
𝑓′ = lim 𝑓(𝑥+∆𝑥)−𝑓(𝑥)
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
= [(𝑥+Δx)2 +3(𝑥+Δ𝑥)+1]−[𝑥 2 +3𝑥+1]
lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
= 2𝑥Δ𝑥+Δ𝑥 2 +3Δ𝑥
lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
= lim 2𝑥 + Δ𝑥 + 3
∆𝑥→0
= 2𝑥 + 0 + 2
= 2𝑥 + 3

Thus, the slope of the tangent line to the given curve at 𝑥 = 1 is

𝑚 = 2𝑥 + 3
= 2(1) + 3
= 5

Now, to get the equation of the tangent line, find the value of 𝑓(𝑥) when 𝑥 = 1.
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1
= (1)2 + 3(1) + 1
= 5

Thus, (𝑥, 𝑓(𝑥)) = (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) = (1,5)

𝑦 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥1 )
𝑦 − 5 = 5(𝑥 − 1)
𝑦 − 5 = 5𝑥 − 5
 5

𝑦 = 5𝑥

Hence, the equation of the line tangent to the curve 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1 at 𝑥 = 1 is 𝑦 = 5𝑥.

Alternative method of solving the derivative,

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1
𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = (𝑥 + ∆𝑥)2 + 3(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) + 1
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 3∆𝑥 + 1
∆𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 3∆𝑥 + 1 − 𝑦
∆𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 3∆𝑥 + 1 − (𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1)
∆𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 3∆𝑥 + 1 − 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 1
∆𝑦 = 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 2 + 3∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = 2𝑥∆𝑥+∆𝑥 2 +3∆𝑥
∆𝑥 ∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = 2𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 3
∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = lim 2𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 3
lim ∆𝑥→0
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 3
lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥

2. Find the derivative of 𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥.

Solution
𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥
𝑦 = √𝑥
𝑦 + ∆𝑦 = √𝑥 + ∆𝑥
∆𝑦 = √𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑦
∆𝑦 = √𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − √𝑥
∆𝑦 = √𝑥+∆𝑥+√𝑥
√𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − √𝑥 ∙ 𝑥+∆𝑥+ 𝑥
√ √
∆𝑦 = 𝑥+∆𝑥−𝑥
√𝑥+∆𝑥+√𝑥
∆𝑦 = ∆𝑥
√𝑥+∆𝑥+√𝑥
∆𝑦 = 1
∆𝑥 √𝑥+∆𝑥+√𝑥
∆𝑦 = 1
lim lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥→0 √𝑥+∆𝑥+√𝑥
∆𝑦 = 1
lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 √𝑥+0+√𝑥
∆𝑦 = 1
lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 √𝑥+√𝑥
∆𝑦 = 1
lim 2√𝑥
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥

TRY!
Find the derivative of the following.
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 5
2. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 9
3. 𝑓(𝑥) = √2𝑥 + 1
𝑥+3
4. 𝑓(𝑥) =
2𝑥−5
2𝑥−3
5. 𝑓(𝑥) = √
3𝑥−2