The Chain Rule

Mr. R. Thomas
 Objective
 To use the chain rule for
differentiation.

 ES:Explicitly assess information and

draw conclusions
 The Chain Rule
 The Chain Rule is a technique for
differentiating composite functions.

 Composite functions are made up of

layers of functions inside of
functions.
The Chain Rule

The outside
The Chain Rule

Peel it away
The Chain Rule

There’s still
more to peel.
The Chain Rule

Some functions have

many layers that must
be peeled away in order
to find their derivatives.
The Chain Rule
 The Chain Rule
y  f ( g ( x))

Inside function

Outside function

dy
 (derivative of outside function)  (derivative of inside function)
dx
 The Chain Rule
If y  f ( g ( x))

dy
Then  f '( g ( x) )  g '( x)
dx
The Chain Rule
 The Chain Rule
1. Identify inner and outer functions.
2. Derive outer function, leaving the
inner function alone.
3. Derive the inner function.
Or
The Chain Rule (Example A)
y  ( x  1)
2 3
 The Chain Rule
y  ( x  1)
2 3

Inside function

 Key Point: If the inside function contains

something other than plain old “x,” you must use
the Chain Rule to find the derivative.
The Chain Rule
y  ( x  1)
2 3

Outside function
The Chain Rule
y  ( x  1)
2 3

Inside function
The Chain Rule
y  ( x  1)
2 3

Outside function
The Chain Rule
y  ( x  1)
2 3

dy
 3 ( x  1 ) (2 x)
2 2

dx
The Chain Rule
y  ( x  1)
2 3

dy
 3( x  1) (2 x)
2 2

dx
The derivative The derivative
of the outside of the inside (blop)
The Chain Rule
y  ( x  1)
2 3

dy
 3( x  1) (2 x)
2 2

dx

dy
 6 x( x  1)
2 2

dx
 The Chain Rule
1
Differentiate: f ( x)  (6 x  2 x  3)
4 2 3

f '( x )  ( 24 x 4 x )
1
3
3 2 3

CAUTION:
What mistake did I make? Possible mistakes ahead!

I changed the inside function and did not multiple

by the derivative of the inside function.
The Chain Rule (Example B)
1
Differentiate: f ( x)  (6 x  2 x  3) 4 2 3

f '( x)  (6 x 2 x  3) (24 x 4 x)
1
3
4 2 23 3

f '( x)  3 (6 x 2 x  3) (4 x)(6 x 2 1)

1 4 2 23

f '( x)  x (6 x 2 x  3)
4
3
4 2 23
(6 x 1)
2

4 x  6 x  1
2

f ' x   2
3  6 x  2 x  3
4 2 3
The Chain Rule (Example C)
Differentiate: f ( x)  (3 x  2 x 4 ) 6

f '( x )  6( 3 x  2 x 4 )5 (3  8 x 3 )
The Chain Rule (Example D)
Differentiate: g ( x)  3 x 2  x  1
1
g ( x)  (3x  x  1)
2 2

1
g '( x)  ( 3 x  x  1 )
1
2
2 2 (6 x  1)
6x 1
g '( x)  1
2 (3 x  x  1)
2 2

6x 1
g '( x) 
2 3x  x  1
2
The Chain Rule (Example E)
7
Differentiate: h( x) 
(2 x  3) 2

h( x)  7(2 x  3) 2

h '( x)  14 ( 2 x  3 ) 3 (2)

28
h '( x) 
(2 x  3)3
The Chain Rule (Example F)
Differentiate: f ( x)  (2 x 2  4 x  1) 60

f '( x)  60 ( 2 x 2  4 x  1 )59 (4 x  4)
f '( x)  60 ( 2 x 2  4 x  1 )59 (4)( x  1)
f '( x)  240 ( 2 x 2  4 x  1 )59 ( x  1)
The Chain Rule (Example G)
Differentiate: g ( x)  ( x  1) 3 2 2

2
g ( x)  ( x  1)
2 3

1
g '( x)  ( x  1 )
2
3
2 3
(2 x)

g '( x)  2 (2 x)
1
3 ( x  1)
2 3

4x
g '( x) 
3 x 1
3 2
The Chain Rule (Example H)
1
Differentiate: h( x) 
(2 x  7)
5 3

3
h( x)  (2 x  7)
5

4
h '( x)  3 ( 2 x  7) (10 x )
5 4

3 (10 x ) 4
h '( x) 
(2 x  7)
5 4

30 x 4
h '( x) 
(2 x 5  7) 4
The Chain Rule (Example I)
3
Differentiate: j ( x)  2
x 1
1
j ( x)  3( x  1)
2

j '( x)  3 ( x 2  1) 2 (2 x)
3 (2 x)
j '( x) 
( x  1)
2 2

6 x
j '( x)  2
( x  1) 2
 Conclusion
 Remember: When a function is inside
another function, use the Chain Rule to
find the derivative.

 First, differentiate the outside function,

leaving the inside function alone.

 Last, differentiate the inside function.