2.

7 Derivatives and
Rates of Change
 The tangent problem
y y
The slope of a line is given by: m
x x

The slope of the tangent to f(x)=x2 at (1,1) can be

approximated by the slope of the secant through (4,16):
y 16  1 15
  5
x 4 1 3

We could get a better approximation if we move the

point closer to (1,1), i.e. (3,9):

y 9 1 8
  4
x 3 1 2
Even better would be the point (2,4):
f x
 x 2
y 4 1 3
  3
x 2 1 1
 The tangent problem
y
y
The slope of a line is given by: m  x
x

If we got really close to (1,1), say (1.1,1.21),

the approximation would get better still

y 1.21  1 .21
   2.1
x 1.1  1 .1

How far can we go?

f x
 x 2
 The tangent problem
y f  1  h   f  1
slope  
f  1 h x h

 
2
1h 
1
f  1 slope at  1,1 lim
h

h 0 h

1  2h  h 2  1 h  2  h
1 1 h  lim  lim 2
h 0 h h 0 h

The slope of the curve y  f  x  at the point P a, f  a  is: 

ml
im

fa 
hfa 

h0 h
Note: This is the slope of the tangent line to the curve at the point.
 The velocity problem
Consider a graph of displacement (distance traveled) vs. time.
Average velocity can be
found by taking:
B change in position s
distance 
(miles) s change in time t
A

t V
 
s ft



t 
ft 
a
v
e
time (hours)
t t

The speedometer in your car does not measure average

velocity, but instantaneous velocity.

(The velocity at one

ds f  
t
t 
f 
t
t
V l
i
m moment in time.)
dt

t 0 
t
 Derivatives
Definition: The derivative of a function at a number a,
denoted by f ′(a), is
f ( a  h)  f ( a )
f (a )  lim
h 0 h
f ( x)  f (a )
f ( a )  lim
x a x  a

if this limit exists.

• Example: Find f ′(a) for f(x)=x2+3

f ( a  h)  f ( a ) (a  h) 2  3  (a 2  3)
f (a)  lim  lim
h 0 h h 0 h
 a 2  2ah  h 2  3  a 2  3 2ah  h 2
 lim  lim
h 0 h h 0 h
 lim(2a  h)  2a
h 0
 Equation of the tangent line
The tangent line to y=f(x) at (a,f(a)) is the line through
(a,f(a)) whose slope is equal to f ′(a).
Then the equation of the tangent line to the curve y=f(x)
at the point (a,f(a)):
y  f (a )  f (a )( x  a )
Example: Find an equation of the tangent line to
f(x)=x2+3 at (1,4).
From previous slide: f ′(1)=21=2.
Thus, the equation is y-f(1)= f ′(1)(x-1)
y-4=2(x-1) or y=2x+2
 Rates of Change:

f x f x
h
Average rate of change =
h


fx 
hfx 
Instantaneous rate of change = f x
 
li
m

h0 h

These definitions are true for any function.

( x does not have to represent time. )

 Review:
y These are
average slope: m often mixed up
x by Calculus
students!
slope at a point: 
ml
im

fa 
hfa 

h0 h

total distance
average velocity: Vave 
total time So are these!

instantaneous velocity: f  Ift  is the position function:

f  t  h  f  t 
velocity = slope V  lim
h 0 h
p