Week 1:

Introduction and Definition

of DERIVATIVES
 Learning Outline

1. Define derivatives
2. Recall: secant line and tangent line
3. Differentiate functions using the limit principle of
derivatives
A secant line is a linear
approximate of a
function between 2
points.

The slope of a secant line

represents the average of
the function between two
points (rate of change).
 Let say you take a ride from
Farmers Cubao going to SM Val.
You travel 15 kilometers in 3
hours. What would your average
speed be?
distance
s= ==
s=
s = 5 kph

hours
 The slope of the red line
represents the average rate
of change or in this case
average speed.
(3,15)
distance
m=
=
m = 5kph
slope of the secant line

(0,0) hours
 A tangent line to a curve is a
line that just touches a curve
at a given point.

P A linear approximation to the

curve at a given point. It
(x1, y1) represents the instantaneous
rate of change of the
function at a given point.
Secant line
Q

(x+∆x, f(x +∆x)) How can we find the slope

of a tangent line if we only
know one point on the line?
P

(x, f(x))
x x+∆x
Secant line
Start by getting the slope of
Q a secant line by taking two
(x+∆x, f(x +∆x)) points.
(x2, y2)

P m=
(x, f(x)) m=
(x1, y1)
x x+∆x m=
(this is called difference quotient)
 Q Slope of a secant line:
m=
as approaches 0 the slope of the
secant line approaches the slope
P of the tangent line
(x1, y1)
 We found out that,
slope of a tangent line:
m=
P

(x1, y1)
Definition of DERIVATIVES

*For a function y = f(x), its derivative at x is the function

f’(x) defined by:
f’(x) = provided the limit exists.
If f’(x) exists, then we say that f is differentiable at x.
 DEFINITION OF Pertaining to values that

DERIVATIVES
approach zero as a limit
(very small)

• Derivative of function is the ratio of the difference of function

value f(x) at points and with when is infinitesimally small.

′ 𝒇 ( 𝒙+∆ 𝒙) − 𝒇 (𝒙)
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆ 𝒙 →𝟎 ∆𝒙
f’(x) is often read as “ f prime of x”

 Derivative is the function slope or slope of the tangent line at

point x.
SYMBOLS Examples
f’ f’(x) “read as f prime of x”
.y’ Commonly
. . “dee over dx” used
notations of
Dx Dx f(x) or Dx (y)
derivatives
“read as derivative of y with respect to x”

Leibniz notation
 Terminologies:

*Differential Calculus – it is a branch of *Integral Calculus – the reversed

calculus that studies the rates at which process of differential calculus
quantities change.
Integral – to find the original
Differentiate – to find the derivative of
the function
function

Differentiation – the process of getting Integration or Antidifferentiation

the derivatives – the reverse process of
differentiation
STEPS

1. Plug the function into the definition of

the derivative. Find the
2. Substitute + x for all values of x in the derivativ
function and subtract the given f(x)
f’(x) =
e
3. Divide the answer of step 2 with
4. Taking the limit as approaches zero.
EXAMPLES
1. Find the derivative of y = 3x + 12 STEPS
1. Plug the function into the
f(x) = 3x + 12 definition of the derivative.

f’(x) = f(+ ) – f(x) 2. Substitute + x for all values

of x in the function and
f’(x) = 3(+ ) + 12 – (3x+12) subtract the given f(x)

3. Divide the answer of step 2

f’(x) = 3+ 3 + 12 – 3x - 12 with
f’(x) = 3 4. Taking the limit as
approaches zero.
f’(x) =
=3
f’(x) =
=3
EXAMPLES
2. Find the derivative of y = 2x2 + 3x + 5 STEPS
f(x) = 2x2 + 3x + 5 1. Plug the function into the
definition of the derivative.
f’(x) = f(x ) – f(x)
2. Substitute + x for all values
f’(x) = 2(+)2 + 3 ) + 5 – (2x2 + 3x + 5) of x in the function and
subtract the given f(x)
f’(x) = 2(2+) + + 3 + 5 – 2x2 - 3x - 5
3. Divide the answer of step 2
f’(x) = 2 + + 3 + 5 – 2x2 - 3x - 5 with
4. Taking the limit as
f’(x) = 2 + = (4+ 2x +
approaches zero.
f’(x) = =
=. =
f’(x) =
= 4x + 3
EXAMPLES
STEPS
3. Find the derivative of y = 3x2 + 2x + 1 1. Plug the function into the
definition of the derivative.
Answer: 6x + 2
2. Substitute + x for all values
of x in the function and
subtract the given f(x)
4. Find the derivative of y =
3. Divide the answer of step 2
Answer: - with
4. Taking the limit as
approaches zero.

f’(x) =
Given: f’(x) =

Challenge Question!

Answer:
END SESSION
OF
SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING