Lesson 4

The Derivative
OBJECTIVES:
• to define the derivative of a function
• to find the derivative of a function by
increment method (4-step rule)
 Derivative of a Function

The process of finding the derivative of a function

is called differentiation and the branch of calculus
that deals with this process is called differential
calculus. Differentiation is an important
mathematical tool in physics, mechanics,
economics and many other disciplines that involve
change and motion.
 Consider a point Q( x 2 , f ( x 2 )) on the curve
y  f (x), P( x1 , f ( x1 )),
that is distinct mPQ
from and
compute the slope of the secant line
through P and Q. where : x  x 2  x1
f ( x 2 )  f ( x1 )
m PQ 
x and x 2  x1  x

f ( x1  x)  f ( x1 )
m PQ 
x
 If we let x2 approach x1, then the point Q will
move along the curve and approach point P. As
point Q approaches P, the value of Δx approaches
zero and the secant line through P and Q
approaches a limiting position, then we will
consider that position to be the position of the
tangent line at P.
 y
tangent line

P( x1 , f ( x1 )) Q ( x 2 , f ( x 2 ))

secant line

y y  f (x)

x  x 2  x1
x 2  x1  x
Thus, we make the following definition.
DEFINITION:
Suppose that x1 is in the domain of the function f, the
tangent line to the curve y=f(x) at the point P(x1,f(x1)) is
the line with equation,
y  f ( x1 )  m( x  x1 )
f ( x1  x)  f ( x1 )
where m  lim provided
x 0 x
the limit exists and P ( x1 , f ( x1 )) is the point of
tangency.
DEFINITION
The derivative of y = f(x) at point P on the curve is
equal to the slope of the tangent line at P, thus the
derivative of the function f given by y= f(x) with respect
to x at any x in its domain is defined as:

dy y f ( x  x)  f ( x)
 lim  lim
dx x 0 x x 0 x

provided the limit exists.

 Other notations for the derivative of a function
are:
d
D x y, D x f ( x), y ' , f ' , f ' ( x), and f ( x)
dx
Note:
To find the slope of the tangent line to the curve at point P
means that we are to find the value of the derivative at that
point P.
There are two ways of finding the derivative of a function:
1. By using the increment method or the four-step rule
2. By using the differentiation formulas
 THE INCREMENT METHOD OR THE FOUR-
STEP RULE
One method of determining the derivative of a
function is the increment method or more commonly
known as the four-step rule.

The procedure is as follows:

STEP 1: Substitute x + Δx for x and
y + Δy for y in y = f(x)

STEP 2: Subtract y = f(x) from the result of step

1 to obtain Δy in terms of x and Δx
STEP 3: Divide both sides of step 2 by Δx.

STEP 4: Find the limit of step 3 as Δx approaches

0.
EXAMPLE
dy
1. Find u sin g the four  step rule given y  1  x 2 .
dx

a. y  y  1   x  x  2 d. lim
y
 lim   2 x  x 
x 0 x x  0
b. y  y  y  1   x  x  2  y dy
2  2 x
y  1  x 2  2 xx  x  y dx
2

y  1  x  2 xx  x  1  x 2
2

2
y  1  x  2 xx  x  1  x 2
2

2
y  2 xx  x
y x  2 x  x 
c. 
x x
EXAMPLE
dy 2x 1
2. Find u sin g the four  step rule given y 
dx 1  2x

2 ( x  x )  1
a. y  y 
1  2( x  x)
2( x  x)  1 2 x  1
b. y  
1  2( x  x) 1  2 x

y 
 2 x  2x  11  2 x    2 x  11  2 x  2x 
1  2 x  2x 1  2 x)
2 x  2x  1  4 x 2  4 xx  2 x  2 x  4 x 2  4 xx  1  2 x  2x
y 
1  2 x  2x 1  2 x) 
y 4x
c. 
x x(1  2 x  2x)(1  2 x)
y 4 dy 4
d. lim  lim  
x 0 x x 0 (1  2 x  2x )(1  2 x ) dx (1  2 x) 2
EXAMPLE
dy
3. Find u sin g the four  step rule given y  x  1 when x  10
dx

a. y  y  x  x  1 y x  x  1  x  1 x  x  1  x  1
d. lim  lim 
x  0 x x 0 x x  x  1  x  1
b. y  x  x  1  x  1
x  x  1  x  1
 lim
c.
y

x  x  1  x  1 
x 0 x x  x  1  x  1 
x x x
 lim

x 0 x x  x  1  x  1 
y 1
lim  lim
x  0 x x 0 x  x  1  x  1

dy 1
 
dx 2 x  1
when x  10,
dy 1 1 1
  
dx 2 10  1 2(3) 6