For any rational number k,

d k
x = kxk−1
dx

Proof: In Limit Section.

Examples:
d 2
x = 2x2−1 = 2x
dx
d 3
x = 3x3−1 = 3x2
dx
d 4
x = 4x4−1 = 4x3
dx
d 10
x = 10x10−1 = 10x9
dx
 d
xk = kxk−1
dx
d d
1= x0 = 0x0−1 = 0x0−1 = 0
dx dx
d d 1
x= x = 1x1−1 = 1x0 = 1
dx dx
d 1 d −1 −1−1 −2 1
= x = −1x = −1x =−
dx x dx x2
d 1 d −2 2
2
= x = −2x−2−1 = −2x−3 = −
dx x dx x3
d√ d 1 1 1 −1 1 −1 1 1
x= x2 = x 2 = x = 2
1 = √
dx dx 2 2 2x 2 2 x
d 1 d −1 1 − 1 −1 1 −3 1 1
√ = x 2 =− x 2 =− x 2=− 3 =− √
dx x dx 2 2 2x 2 2x x
For a constant a,
If f (x) = ag(x), then f 0(x) = ag 0(x).
Proof 1:
0 f (x + h) − f (x)
f (x) = lim
h→0 h
ag(x + h) − ag(x)
= lim
h→0 h
g(x + h) − g(x)
= a lim = ag 0(x)
h→0 h
Proof 2:
Since g(x + h) = g(x) + g 0(x)h + o(h),
then f (x + h) =
ag(x + h) = ag(x) + ag 0(x)h + o(h).
 For a constant a,
If f (x) = ag(x), then f 0(x) = ag 0(x).
Examples:
2 0 2 0



3x =3 x = 3 · 2x = 6x
2 0 2 0



5x =5 x = 5 · 2x = 10x
2 0 2 0



− 2x = −2 x = −2 · 2x = −4x
3 0 3 0
2 x = 2 · 3x2 = 6x2



2x =
3 0 3 0
3 x = 3 · 3x2 = 9x2



3x =
3 0 3 0
5 x = 5 · 3x2 = 15x2



5x =
3 0 3 0
−2 x = −2 · 3x2 = −6x2



− 2x =
0
3 6

−2 0 −2 0 −3 −3




= 3x =3 x =3 −2·x = −6x =−
x2 x3
 d
f (x) + g(x) = f 0(x) + g 0(x) :

dx
4 3 0
= 12x3 + 18x2,


3x + 6x
5 2 0
= 10x4 − 10x,

2x − 5x
d
4x − x + 1 = 12x2 − 1 + 0 = 12x2 − 1,
3


dx
d 4 7
24x3 − 5 + 7x6,

6x − 5x + x =
dx
d √
3
√
d 1 1
1 − 23 1 − 12 1 1
x+ x = x3 + x2 = x + x = 2 + 1
dx dx 3 2 3x 3 2x 2
1 1
at x = 64 : = 2 + 1
3 · 642 · 64 3 2
1 1 1
= + = .
3 · 16 2 · 8 12
 d d d
(f (x) · g(x)) = f (x) · g(x) + f (x) · g(x)
dx dx dx
d 3 2 3 d
(x · g(x)) = 3x · g(x) + x · g(x)
dx dx
d 5 d
x = (x3 · x2) = 3x2 · x2 + x3 · 2x = 3x4 + 2x4 = 5x4
dx dx

How do we reconcile the above rule with

“For a constant a, if f (x) = ag(x), then f 0(x) = ag 0(x)”?
Here’s the complete operation:
d d d
(a · g(x)) = a · g(x) + a · g(x)
dx dx dx
d d
= 0 · g(x) + a · g(x) = a · g(x).
dx dx
   0
 0
f (x)g(x)h(x) = f (x)g(x) h(x)
 0  
= f (x)g(x) h(x) + f (x)g(x) h0(x)
 
= f 0(x)g(x) + f (x)g 0(x) h(x) + f (x)g(x)h0(x)
= f 0(x)g(x)h(x) + f (x)g 0(x)h(x) + f (x)g(x)h0(x)
An Example:
 2 3
0
(x + 1)(x + 2)(x + 3)
= (1 + 0)(x2 + 2)(x3 + 3) + (x + 1)(2x + 0)(x3 + 3)
+ (x + 1)(x2 + 2)(3x2 + 0)
= 1 · 6 · 11 + 3 · 4 · 11 + 3 · 6 · 12, at x = 2
= 66 + 132 + 216 = 414.
Differentiate, then substitute x-value, then simplify.
 d 1 g 0(x)
Reciprocal Rule: =− for g(x) 6= 0.
dx g(x) g 2(x)
d 1 3x2 − 2x
Example: 3 2
=− 3 for x 6= 0, 1.
dx x − x (x − x2)2

Quotient Rule:
d f (x) f 0(x)g(x) − f (x)g 0(x)
= 2
for g(x) 6= 0.
dx g(x) g (x)
d f (x) f 0(x)x − f (x)x0 f 0(x)x − f (x)
Examples: = 2
=
dx x x x2
d x x0f (x) − xf 0(x) f (x) − xf 0(x)
=
2 =
2
dx f (x) f (x) f (x)