5/1/2019 Derivative Rules

Derivative Rules

Advanced
The Derivative tells us the slope of a function at any point.

There are rules we can follow to find many derivatives.

y
For example: y=3
Slope = 0
The slope of a constant value (like 3) is always 0

The slope of a line like 2x is 2, or 3x is 3 etc

x
and so on.

Slop = 2x
y

2
Here are useful rules to help you work out the derivatives of many

e=
y
functions (with examples below ). Note: the little mark ’ means
"Derivative of", and f and g are functions.

x
Common Functions Function Derivative

Constant c 0

Line x 1

ax a

Square x2 2x

Square Root √x (½)x-½

Exponential ex ex

ax ln(a) ax

Logarithms ln(x) 1/x

loga(x) 1 / (x ln(a))

Trigonometry (x is in radians) sin(x) cos(x)

cos(x) −sin(x)

tan(x) sec2(x)

Inverse Trigonometry sin-1(x) 1/√(1−x2)

cos-1(x) −1/√(1−x2)

tan-1(x) 1/(1+x2)
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Rules Function Derivative

Multiplication by constant cf cf’

Power Rule xn nxn−1

Sum Rule f+g f’ + g’

Difference Rule f-g f’ − g’

Product Rule fg f g’ + f’ g

Quotient Rule f/g (f’ g − g’ f )/g2

Reciprocal Rule 1/f −f’/f2

Chain Rule
fºg (f’ º g) × g’
(as "Composition of Functions")

Chain Rule (using ’ ) f(g(x)) f’(g(x))g’(x)

d dy dy du
Chain Rule (using ) =
dx dx du dx

d
"The derivative of" is also written
dx

d
So sin(x) and sin(x)’ both mean "The derivative of sin(x)"
dx

Examples

Example: what is the derivative of sin(x) ?

From the table above it is listed as being cos(x)

It can be written as:

sin(x) = cos(x)

Or:

sin(x)’ = cos(x)

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Power Rule

Example: What is x3 ?

The question is asking "what is the derivative of x3 ?"

We can use the Power Rule , where n=3:

xn = nxn−1

x3 = 3x3−1 = 3x2

(In other words the derivative of x3 is 3x2)

So it is simply this:

x3
-1

3x 2
"multiply by power
then reduce power by 1"

It can also be used in cases like this:

Example: What is (1/x) ?

1/x is also x-1

We can use the Power Rule, where n = −1:

xn = nxn−1

x−1 = −1x−1−1 = −x−2

So we just did this:

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x -1
-1

-1x -2
which simplifies to −x−2

Multiplication by constant

Example: What is 5x3 ?

the derivative of cf = cf’

the derivative of 5f = 5f’

We know (from the Power Rule):

x3 = 3x3−1 = 3x2

So:

5x3 = 5 x3 = 5 × 3x2 = 15x2

Sum Rule

Example: What is the derivative of x2+x3 ?

The Sum Rule says:

the derivative of f + g = f’ + g’

So we can work out each derivative separately and then add them.

Using the Power Rule:

x2 = 2x

x3 = 3x2

And so:

the derivative of x2 + x3 = 2x + 3x2

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Difference Rule

It doesn't have to be x, we can differentiate with respect to, for example, v:

Example: What is (v3−v4) ?

The Difference Rule says

the derivative of f − g = f’ − g’

So we can work out each derivative separately and then subtract them.

Using the Power Rule:

v3 = 3v2

v4 = 4v3

And so:

the derivative of v3 − v4 = 3v2 − 4v3

Sum, Difference, Constant Multiplication And Power Rules

Example: What is (5z2 + z3 − 7z4) ?

Using the Power Rule:

z2 = 2z

z3 = 3z2

z4 = 4z3

And so:

(5z2 + z3 − 7z4) = 5 × 2z + 3z2 − 7 × 4z3 = 10z + 3z2 − 28z3

Product Rule

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Example: What is the derivative of cos(x)sin(x) ?

The Product Rule says:

the derivative of fg = f g’ + f’ g

In our case:

f = cos

g = sin

We know (from the table above):

cos(x) = −sin(x)

sin(x) = cos(x)

So:

the derivative of cos(x)sin(x) = cos(x)cos(x) − sin(x)sin(x)

= cos2(x) − sin2(x)

Reciprocal Rule

Example: What is (1/x) ?

The Reciprocal Rule says:

the derivative of 1/f = −f’/f2

With f(x)= x, we know that f’(x) = 1

So:

the derivative of 1/x = −1/x2

Which is the same result we got above using the Power Rule.

Chain Rule

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d
Example: What is sin(x2) ?
dx

sin(x2) is made up of sin() and x2:

f(g) = sin(g)

g(x) = x2

The Chain Rule says:

the derivative of f(g(x)) = f'(g(x))g'(x)

The individual derivatives are:

f'(g) = cos(g)

g'(x) = 2x

So:

d
sin(x2) = cos(g(x)) (2x)
dx

= 2x cos(x2)

dy dy du
Another way of writing the Chain Rule is: =
dx du dx

Let's do the previous example again using that formula:

d
Example: What is sin(x2) ?
dx

dy dy du
=
dx du dx

Have u = x2, so y = sin(u):

d d d
sin(x2) = sin(u) x2
dx du dx

Differentiate each:

d
sin(x2) = cos(u) (2x)
dx

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Substitue back u = x2 and simplify:

d
sin(x2) = 2x cos(x2)
dx

Same result as before (thank goodness!)

Another couple of examples of the Chain Rule:

Example: What is (1/cos(x)) ?

1/cos(x) is made up of 1/g and cos():

f(g) = 1/g

g(x) = cos(x)

The Chain Rule says:

the derivative of f(g(x)) = f’(g(x))g’(x)

The individual derivatives are:

f'(g) = −1/(g2)

g'(x) = −sin(x)

So:

(1/cos(x))’ = −1/(g(x))2 × −sin(x)

= sin(x)/cos2(x)

Note: sin(x)/cos2(x) is also tan(x)/cos(x), or many other forms.

Example: What is (5x−2)3 ?

The Chain Rule says:

the derivative of f(g(x)) = f’(g(x))g’(x)

(5x-2)3 is made up of g3 and 5x-2:

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f(g) = g3

g(x) = 5x−2

The individual derivatives are:

f'(g) = 3g2 (by the Power Rule)

g'(x) = 5

So:

(5x−2)3 = 3g(x)2 × 5 = 15(5x−2)2

Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Question 6

Question 7 Question 8 Question 9 Question 10 Question 11 Question 12
Question 13

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