Lesson 4.1.

The Derivative as the

Slope of the Tangent Line
Lesson 4.2. Continuity and
Differentiability of a Function
 
 
Lesson 4.1.1: The Tangent Line to the
Graph of a Function at a Point
TANGENT LINES TO CIRCLES
In Geometry tangent line is defined as a
line that touches the circle at exactly one
point as shown.
Line l is tangent to circle A
at point P. The point at which
the circle and the line intersect
(point P) is the point of tangency.
A secant line to a circle is a line
intersecting the circle at two points.
A normal line is perpendicular to a
tangent line.
normal line
secant line
tangent line
Properties of tangent lines:
1. Tangent lines drawn at the
maximum or minimum points
are horizontal.
2. Tangent lines drawn to a line, is the
line itself.
3. Vertical tangents may
exist even for continuous
functions.
 CURVES THAT DO NOT HAVE
TANGENT LINES
1. When the function is not
continuous at P.

2. The function has a sharp corner or

cusp at P.
 
Lesson 4.1.2: The Equation of the Tangent Line
Tangent line is the limiting position
of the secant line as Q approaches
P, it follows that the slope of the
tangent line at point P is the limit of
the slopes of the secant lines PQ as 𝑥
approaches 𝑥o. In symbols,  
 
or
where: 𝑚TL = slope of the tangent line
𝑓(𝑥) = given function
𝑥o = 𝑥-value of the point of tangency
  

 
 

 
Example 7: Show that the a) tangent line to 𝑦
= 3𝑥2 − 12𝑥 + 1 at that point (2, −11) is
horizontal and b) give the equation of the
tangent line.
Solution: Given: 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥2 − 12𝑥 + 1 ,
(𝑥o , 𝑦o) = (2, −11)
NOTES:
1. Recall that the slope of a horizontal line is 0.
2. The 𝑦-coordinate of the given point or 𝑦o is
equal to 𝑓(𝑥o) . Find the equation of the tangent
line using the definition above.
 

b) y = -11
Example 8: Verify that the tangent line to the
line 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 3 at (1, 5) is the line itself.
Solution: Given: 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 3 ;
(𝑥o, 𝑦o ) = (1, 5)
 

 
 

 
Lesson 4.1.3: The Definition of the Derivative
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
  

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 

 
 The Difference Quotient
 
The Difference Quotient
 AN EQUIVALENT DEFINITION OF
THE DERIVATIVE
 
 Example 10: Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥2 + 3𝑥 − 1. Use
the definition of derivative to find 𝑓′(−1) .
 

 
  

To evaluate the function at 𝑓′(−1), substitute

−1 to the obtained derivative,
𝑓′(−1),= 4𝑥 + 3 = 4(−1) + 3 = −1
INSTANTANEOUS VELOCITY OF A PARTICLE
IN RECTILINEAR MOTION
 
INSTANTANEOUS VELOCITY OF A PARTICLE
IN RECTILINEAR MOTION
Let s(t) denote the position of a
particle that moves along a straight
line at each time t ≥ 0. The
instantaneous velocity of the particle
at time t = to is
 

if this limit exists.

Example 11: A ball is shot straight up from
a building. Its height (in meters) from the
ground at any time t (in seconds) is given by
s(t) = 40 + 35t – 5t2 . Find
a. the height of the building.
b. the time when the ball hits
the ground.
c. the average velocity on the interval [1, 2].
d. the instantaneous velocity at t = 1 and 2.
e. the instantaneous velocity at any time to.
a. s(t) = 40 + 35t – 5t2
s(0) = 40 + 35(0) – 5(0)2 = 40 m
b. The ball is on the ground when the height s
of the ball from the ground is zero. Thus we
solve the time t when s(t)=0:
40 + 35t – 5t2 = 0
5(8+7t – t2 ) = 0
5(8 - t)(1+ t) = 0
t = 8 t = -1
Since time is positive, t = 8 seconds.
  
c.

d. instantaneous velocity at time t = 1 is

 

 
   

 
 
 

instantaneous velocity at time t = 2 is

 

   

   
 
e. instantaneous velocity at anytime to is
 

 
 
 LESSON 4.2.: Rules of Differentiation
Differentiability Implies Continuity
Definition 1 (Continuity at a Number). A
function 𝑓 is continuous at a number c if all of
the following conditions are satisfied:
i. 𝑓(c) exists, c lies in the domain of 𝑓.
 
ii. exists
iii.  
If at least one of the these conditions is not
satisfied, the function is said to be
discontinuous at c.
Definition 2 (Continuity on R). A
function 𝑓 is said to be continuous
everywhere if 𝑓 is continuous at
every real number.
Definition 3. A function 𝑓 is
differentiable at the number c if
 

exists.
Example 1. Determine whether the function
𝑓(𝑥)=𝑥2−4𝑥+3 is differentiable and
continuous at 𝑥 =1.
1. 𝑓(𝑥)=𝑥2−4𝑥+3 at 𝑥 =1
𝑓(1) = (1) 2 −4(1) + 3 = 0
∴ 𝑓(c) exists
 
2. =(1) 2
−4(1) + 3 = 0
 
∴  
exists
 
3.
Since all of the conditions are satisfied, then
𝑓(𝑥) is continuous at 𝑥 = 1
  

   

∴ the function 𝑓(𝑥) is differentiable and

continuous at x = 1.
Example 2 Identify whether the
function 𝑓(𝑥) = |𝑥| is differentiable and
continuous at 𝑥 = 0.
1. 𝑓 (0) = |0| = 0
∴ 𝑓(c) exists
2.  

∴  exists
3. 
Since all of the conditions are satisfied,
then 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous at 𝑥 = 0.
  

 
 

 
 

Since the left- and right-hand limits are not

equal then 𝑓 ′(0) DNE and this is not
differentiable at 𝑥 = 0.
∴ the function 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous but NOT
differentiable .
Not every function is differentiable at all
points.
Remark 1:
(a) If 𝑓 is continuous at 𝑥 = c, it does not
mean that is differentiable at 𝑥 = c.
(b) If 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑥 = c, then 𝑓 is
not differentiable at 𝑥 = c.
(c) If 𝑓 is not differentiable at 𝑥 = c, it
does not mean that 𝑓 is not continuous at
𝑥 = c.
 (d) A function 𝑓 is not differentiable at 𝑥
= c if one of the following is true:
i. 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑥 = c.

ii. the graph of 𝑓 has a

vertical tangent line at
𝑥 = c.
iii. the graph of 𝑓 has a
corner or cusp at 𝑥 = c.