Derivative of a Function

• Derivative of a function f with respect to variable

f ( x  h)  f ( x )
x  dx f (x )  limh0
d
h
• Derivative at a point x=a (instantaneous rate of
change at x=a):
f ' ( a )  limxa f ( x )  f ( a )
xa

f (a  h )  f (a )
• Right-hand derivative at a: limh0+ h

f (b  h)  f (b)
• Left-hand derivative at b: limh0-
h
 How Derivatives May Fail to Exist
at a Point
• Corner: one-sided derivatives differ
– Ex.) f ( x )  x at x = 0

• Vertical tangent: slopes of secant lines approach

either infinity or negative infinity from both sides
– Ex.) f ( x )  3 x at x = 0

• Discontinuity (removable, jump, etc.)

The derivative of a function is
the slope at a given point.
y

y  f ( x)

y

x

x
 Various Symbols for the
Derivative
dy df ( x)
or f '( x) or
dx dx

dy y
Definition:  lim
dx x 0 x
 Development of a Simple
Derivative

yx 2

y  y  ( x  x ) 2

y  y  x  2 xx  (x )
2 2
Development of a Simple
Derivative
Continuation 2
y  2 xx  (x)
y
 2 x  x
x
dy y
 lim  2x
dx x 0 x
 Rules for Differentiation
• Derivative of a constant (c) function: df
dx  d
dx (c)  0

• Power rule: n = constant #, and if n<0 the

derivative does not exist at x = 0
n 1
dx x  nx
d n

• Constant multiple rule: dxd ( c * f ( x ))  c * dfdx

• Sum and difference rule: if u and v are

differentiable with respect to x, then their sum
and difference are differentiable when v and u
are, and d
dx (u  v ) 
d d
dx u  dx v
Rules for Differentiation (continued)

• Product rule:
d
dx (uv)  u dv
dx  v du
dx

• Quotient rule: provided v ≠ 0

v du
 u dv
(
d u
dx v )  dx
2
dx
v
 Chain Rule

y  f (u ) u  u ( x)
dy df (u ) du du
  f '(u )
dx du dx dx
df (u )
where f '(u ) 
du
Example Approximate the
derivative of y=x2 at x=1 by
forming small changes.
y (1)  (1)  1
2

y (1.01)  (1.01)  1.0201

2

y  1.0201  1  0.0201
dy y 0.0201
   2.01
dx x 0.01
Example 6-3. The derivative of
sin u with respect to u is given
below.
d
 sin u   cos u
du
• Use the chain rule to find the
derivative with respect to x of

y  4sin x 2
Example 6-3. Continuation.
ux 2

du
 2x
dx
dy du dy du
 f '(u ) 
dx dx du dx
 4(cos u )(2 x)  8 x cos x 2
 Derivatives
f ( x) f '( x)
af ( x) af '( x)
u ( x )  v( x) u '( x)  v '( x)
f (u ) du df (u ) du
f '(u ) 
dx du dx
a 0
xn (n  0) nx n1
un (n  0) du
nu n1
dx
uv dv du
u v
dx dx
u du dv
v u
v dx dx
v2
eu du
eu
dx
 Derivatives (Continued)
a u
du
ln a  a u
D -1 0
dx
ln u 1 du
D -1 1
u dx
lo g a u 1 du
lo g a e  D -1 2
u dx
s in u  du 
cos u   D -1 3
 dx 
cos u du
 s in u D -1 4
dx
ta n u du
sec2 u D -1 5
dx
1
s in u 1 du   1  
   s in u   D -1 6
1  u 2 dx  2 2 
 1
 1 du
cos u
dx
0  cos 1
u    D -1 7
1  u 2

 1
ta n u 1 du   1  
   ta n u   D -1 8
1  u 2 dx  2 2 
Example 6-4. Determine dy/dx
for the function shown below.
y  x sin x
2

dy dv du
u v
dx dx dx

x 2 d  sin x   sin x
d  2
x 
dx dx
Example 6-4. Continuation.

dy
 x cos x  sin x  2 x 
2

dx
 x cos x  2 x sin x
2
 Example 6-5. Determine dy/dx
for the function shown below.
sin x
y
x
du dv d  sin x  d  x
v u x  sin x
dy
 dx 2 dx  dx
2
dx
dx v x
x cos x  sin x
 2
x
Example 6-6. Determine dy/dx
for the function
2
shown below.
x 2
 x
ye 2 u
2
 x2 
d  
du  2   1
      2x    x
dx dx  2
x2 x2
dy  
e 2
  x    xe 2
dx
 Higher-Order Derivatives
y  f ( x)
dy df ( x)
 f '( x) 
dx dx
2 2
d y d f ( x) d  dy 
2
 f ''( x)  2
  
dx dx dx  dx 
3
d y d f ( x) d d y 
3
 2

3
 f ( x) 
(3)
3
  2
dx dx dx  dx 
Example . Determine the 2nd derivative with
respect to x of the function below.

y  5sin 4 x
dy d
 5(cos 4 x)  (4 x)  20 cos 4 x
dx dx
2
d y d
2
 20   sin 4 x   (4 x )  80sin 4 x
dx dx