3.

1 Definition of the
Derivative and its
Geometric Interpretation

MATH 26
ANALYTIC GEOMETRY
AND CALCULUS I

Objectives
At the end of this section each of you should be
able to:
i.

demonstrate an understanding of the idea of

the derivative of a function;

ii. explain the geometric interpretation of the

derivative of a function;
iii. determine the derivative of a function using
the definition.

Introduction
What are the
coordinates
happened to
of
thethe point?
secant
line
as
h
approaches
It becomes
0?
What
do you
what
call thiskind
line?of
line?

What is the
slope of the
tangent
secant line?
line?

f x0 h

y f x
slope :

f x0

x0

f x0 h f x0
h

x0 h

Introduction
What
happened to
the
secant
line
as
h
approaches
0? It becomes
what kind of
line?

What is the
slope of the
tangent
line?

slope of the tangent line:

lim f x0 h f x0

h 0

h
y f x

f x0

x0

Definition
The tangent line of the graph of f at x0 is the line
with slope, denoted by mT(x0),

if this limit exists.

Illustration
Determine the slope of the tangent line of the
graph of f(x) = x2 + 1 at x0 = 2.

Solution:

Illustration
Determine the slope of the tangent line of the
graph of f(x) = x2 + 1 at x0 = 2.

Solution:

The slope of this

tangent line is 4.

Derivative
Let f be a function defined on some open
interval (a, b) containing x0. The derivative of f
at x0 is given by the formula

Remark
Geometrically, if the derivative of a function
f at a number x0 exists then this derivative is
the slope of the tangent line to the graph of
f at the point (x0, f(x0)). Hence,
mT(x0) = f(x0)
Notations:

Illustration
Determine the slope of the tangent line of the
graph of f(x) = x2 + 1 at x0 = 2.

Solution:

f ' 2 4

Illustration
Let f(x) = 1 2x2. Determine f(x).

Solution:

f x h f x
lim
'
f x h0
h

1 2 x h 1 2 x
lim
h

1 2x 2 xh h 1 2 x
lim
h

1 2 x 4 xh 2h 1 2 x
lim
2

h0

h0

h0

4 xh 2h 2
lim
h0
h
lim 4 x 2h
h0

4 x

Remark
In the definition, if we let
, then,
f x0 h f x and as h 0 , x x0 . Therefore,

f x f x0
f ' x0 lim
x x0
x x0

Illustration
Use the formula in the previous remark to
verify that given f(x) = x2 + 1, f(2) = 4.

End of 3.1