AQA Core 3 Differentiation

Section 3: The exponential and log functions

Crucial points
1. Learn and be confident using the laws of indices and logarithms
Make sure that you know the rules of logarithms and of indices, so that
you can manipulate expressions involving exponentials and logarithms
confidently.
2. Make sure that you remember that the exponential and logarithm
functions are the inverses of each other
Remember that the exponential function and the natural logarithm function
are inverse functions; so you can undo an exponential function by using
natural logarithms, and you can undo a natural logarithm by using
exponentials.
3. Dont mix up the derivative of x n with that of e x
Example: Differentiate e 2 x
dy
Wrong
2 xe2 x 1
dx
dy
Right
2e2 x
dx

4. Dont get the chain rule and product rule mixed up, especially when
differentiating log functions
Example: Differentiate y ln(1 x 2 )
dy
1
2 x ln (1 x 2 )
Wrong
dx
x
dy
1
2x

2x
Right
2
dx 1 x
1 x2

Note that ln(1 x 2 ) is not a product of ln (which is meaningless) with

(1 + x). It is the composite of the two functions f(x) = ln x and
g(x) = 1 x 2 . So the chain rule is needed to differentiate this.

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15/03/13 MEI