UNIT I

Differential Calculus-I
1.1 INTRODUCTION

Calculus is one of the more beautiful intellectual achievements of human being. The mathematical
study of change motion, growth or decay is calculus. One of the most important idea of differential
calculus is derivative which measures the rate of change of given function. Concept of derivative is
very useful in engineering, science, economics, medicine and computer science.
dy d 2y
The first order derivative of y denoted by , second order derivative denoted by , third
dx dx 2
d 3y
order derivative by and so on. Thus by differentiating a function y = f (x), n times, successively,
dx 3
dny
we get the nth order derivative of y denoted by or D n (y) or yn(x). Thus, the process of finding
dx n
the differential coefficient of a function again and again is called Successive Differentiation.

1.2 nth DERIVATIVES OF SOME STANDARD FUNCTIONS

Below we obtain formulas for the nth order derivatives of some standard functions.
(1) nth derivative of eax
Let y = eax. Then by differentiating y successively, we obtain
dy
y1 = = ae ax ,
dx

d2 y
y2 = 2
= a2 eax
dx

d3y
y3 = 3
= a3eax
dx
...... ..........................
...... ..........................
d ny
yn = n
= a n e ax
dx
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Thus, we have the formula

D n (e ax ) = a n e ax ...(1)
In particular,
Dn (e x ) = e x ...(2)
(2) nth derivative of log (ax + b)
Let y = log(ax + b). Then we find, by successive differentiation
dy a
y1 = =
dx ax + b

d 2y a2
y2 = = (1)
dx 2 (ax + b) 2

d 3y a3
y3 = = (1) (2)
dx 3 (ax + b) 3

d4y a4
y4 = = (1)(2)(3)
dx 4 (ax + b)4
... ............................................
... ............................................
dny (n 1)! a n
yn = = (1) n 1
dx n (ax + b) n
Thus, we have the formula

(1)n 1 ( n 1)! an
D n [log(ax + b)] = ...(3)
(ax + b) n
In particular,

(1)n 1 ( n 1)! ...(4)

Dn [logx ] =
xn

(3) nth derivative of (ax + b)m

Let y = (ax + b) m
Differentiating successively, we get
dy
y1 = = ma (ax + b) m 1
dx

d2y
y2 = 2
= m(m 1) a2 (ax + b) m 2
dx
DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS-I 3

d 3y
y3 =
3
= m(m 1) (m 2)a 3 (ax + b) m 2
dx
... .....................................................
... .....................................................
yn = m(m 1) (m 2)L(m n + 1)a n (ax + b) m n ...(5)
This formula is true for all m.
Following are some particular cases.
Case (i): Suppose m = n (a +ve integer)
In equation (5) becomes,
Dn [(ax + b) n ] = n n   n 
 an  ax + bn n

= n! an ...(6)
In particular,
D n ( x n ) = n! ...(7)
Case (ii): Suppose m is a positive integer and m > n. Then formula (5) becomes
m(m 1) (m n + 1)(m n)(m n 1) 2 1 n
Dn [(ax + b) m ] = a (ax + b) m n
(m n)(m n 1) 2 1

m!
= a n (ax + b) m n ...(8)
( m n) !
In particular,
m!
Dn (x m ) = xm n ...(9)
(m n)!
Case (iii): Suppose m is a positive integer and n > m. From (6) we note that

Dn [(ax + b) m ] = m! am
In differentiate further, the right-hand side gives zero.
Thus, Dn [(ax + b) m ] = 0 if n>m ...(10)

In particular,
Dn (x m ) = 0 for n > m ...(11)
Case (iv): Suppose m = 1, in this case formula (5) becomes,

1 1 n
Dn n
= (1) (2) (3)K(n)a (ax + b)
ax + b

(1)n n! an
= ...(12)
(ax + b)n +1
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Case (v): Suppose m is a negative integer. Let us get m = p, so that p is a positive integer. Then
formula (5) becomes,

1 (1)n p( p + 1) ( p + n 1) a n
Dn P
=
(ax + b) (ax + b) p + n

1 2 p 1 p( p + 1)( p + n 1) an
= (1)n
1 2 p 1 (ax + b) p+ n

(1)n ( p + n 1)! an
= ...(13)
( p 1)! (ax + b) p + n
In particular
1 ( p + n 1)! 1
Dn p = (1)n ...(14)
x ( p 1)! x p + n
(4) nth derivative of cos (ax + b)
Let y = cos(ax + b).
Differentiating this successively, we get
dy
y1 = = a sin(ax + b) = a cos(ax + b + / 2)
dx

d2y
y2 = 2
= a2 sin(ax + b + / 2)
dx

= a 2 cos(ax + b + 2 / 2)

d3y
y3 = 3
= a3 sin(ax + b + 2 / 2)
dx

= a3 cos(ax + b + 3 / 2)
..... ................................
..... ................................
d ny
yn = = an cos(ax + b + n/2)
dx n
Thus, we obtain the formula
D n [cos(ax + b)] = a n cos(ax + b + n / 2) ...(15)
In particular,
D n (cosx ) = cos(x + n / 2) ...(16)
(5) nth derivative of sin(ax + b)
Let y = sin(ax + b)
DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS-I 5

Differentiating successively, we get

dy
= y1 = a cos(ax + b) = a sin(ax + b + / 2)
dx

d2 y
2
= y2 = a 2 cos(ax + b + / 2) = a2 sin(ax + b + 2 / 2)
dx

d 3y
= y3 = a3 cos(ax + b + 2/2) = a3 sin(ax + b + 3/2)
dx 3
....... .....................................................................
....... .....................................................................

dny
n
= yn = a n sin(ax + b + n / 2)
dx
Thus, we have the formula,
Dn [sin(ax + b)] = an sin(ax + b + n/2) ...(17)
In particular,
Dn (sin x) = sin(x + n / 2) ...(18)
(6) nth derivative of eax sin (bx + c)
Let y = e ax sin(bx + c)
dy
y1 = = aeax sin(bx + c) + beax cos(bx + c)
dx
For computation of higher-order derivatives it is convenient to express the constants a and b in
terms of the constants k and a defined by
a = k cos , b = k sin

So that k = a2 + b2 , = tan1 (b / a)
Thus,
dy
y1 = = e ax [k (cos )sin(bx + c) + k (sin )cos(bx + c)]
dx
= keax sin(bx + c + )
Therefore,

d2y
y2 = 2
= k[aeax sin(bx + c + ) + beax cos(bx + c + )]
dx

= keax [k (cos )sin(bx + c + ) + k (sin ) cos(bx + c + )]

= k 2e ax sin(bx + c + 2)
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Proceeding like this, we obtain

d ny
yn = = k n e ax sin(bx + c + n)
dx n
Thus, we have the formula
D n [e ax sin(bx + c)] = (a2 + b2 )n / 2 sin{bx + c + n tan 1 (b/a)} ...(19)
In particular,
Dn [ex sin x ] = 2 n / 2 e x sin(x + n / 4) ...(20)
(7) nth derivative of eax cos(bx + c)

Let y = e ax cos(bx + c)
dy
Then y1 = = aeax cos(bx + c) beax sin(bx + c)
dx

= eax [k (cos )cos(bx + c) k (sin )sin(bx + c)]

= keax cos(bx + c + )
Therefore,

d2y
y2 = = k[aeax cos(bx + c + ) beax sin(bx + c + )]
dx 2

= keax [k (cos ) cos(bx + c + ) k (sin )sin(bx + c + )]

= k 2e ax cos(bx + c + 2)
Proceeding like this, we obtain

d ny
yn = = k n e ax cos(bx + c + n)
dx n
Thus, we have the formula
Dn [eax cos(bx + c)] = (a2 + b2 )n / 2 eax cos{bx + c + n tan1 (b/a)} ...(21)
In particular,
D n (e x cos x) = 2n / 2 ex cos( x + n/4) ...(22)
(8) nth derivative of amx
Let y = a mx
Taking logarithm on both sides,
log y = mx log a
Differentiating w.r.t. x, we get
1 dy
= m log a 1
y dx
DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS-I 7

dy
y1 = = (m log a) y
dx

d2y
y2 = = m log a y1
dx 2
= (m log a)(m log a) y

= (m log a) 2 y

d 3y
y3 = = (m log a)2 y1
dx 3

= (m log a) 3 y
..... ...................
..... ...................

d ny
yn = = (m log a) n y
dx n

Dn [amx ] = (m log a)n amx

WORKED EXAMPLES
Example 1: Find the nth derivative of the following functions:
(i) sin3x (ii) cos4x.
Solution:
( i) y = sin3 x

where 1
sin3 x = (3 sin x sin 3x )
4

\ 3 n 1
D n (sin3 x) = D (sin x) Dn (sin 3x)
4 4

3 n 3n n
= sin x + sin 3x + [Using the formula (15)]
4 2 4 2
(ii) y = cos4x

where 1
cos2 x = (1 + cos 2 x )
2

so that 1
cos4 x = (1 + cos 2 x) 2
4
1
= [1 + cos2 2 x + 2 cos 2 x ]
4
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where 1
cos2 2 x = (1 + cos 4 x )
2

\ 1 1
cos4 x = 1 + (1 + cos 4 x ) + 2 cos 2 x
4 2
1 1 1 1
= + + cos 4x + cos 2 x
4 8 8 2
3 1 1
cos4 x = + cos 2 x + cos 4 x
8 2 8

n 3 1 n 1 n
\ Dn (cos4 x ) = D + D (cos 2 x) + D (cos 4 x )
8 2 8

2n n 4n n
=0+ cos 2x + + cos 4 x +
2 2 8 2

2n n 4n n
= cos 2 x + + cos 4 x +
2 2 8 2

Example 2: Find the nth derivative of the following:

( i) sin h 2 x sin 4 x (ii) e x sin 2 x
2 3
(iii) e x cos x (iv) e x sin x cos 2 x
(v) e ax cos2 x sin x
Solution:
1
( i) sin h 2 x sin 4 x = (e2 x e 2 x ) sin 4 x
2
1
sin h 2 x sin 4 x = [e 2 x sin 4 x e 2 x sin 4 x ]
2
1
D n (sin h 2 x sin 4 x ) = [ D n (e2 x sin 4 x) D n (e 2 x sin 4 x )]
2
1
= [20 n / 2 {e2 x sin(4x + n tan1 2) e2 x sin(4 x n tan 1 2)}]
2
Using the formula (19)

2x 2 x
e e
sin h 2x =
2
DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS-I 9

1
(ii) We have sin 2 x = (1 cos 2x )
2
Therefore,
1 n x 1
Dn (e x sin2 x) = D (e ) D n (e x cos2 x )
2 2
1 1
= e x (1)n [5n / 2 e x cos(2x + n tan1 (2))]
2 2
1
= e x [( 1) n 5n / 2 cos(2 x n tan 1 (2))]
2
1
( iii) We have cos3 x = (cos 3x + 3 cos x )
4
1 n 2x 3
D n (e 2 x cos3 x ) = D (e cos 3x) + D n (e 2 x cos x )
4 4
1
= [(22 + 32 )n / 2 e2 x cos{3x + n tan1 (3/ 2)}]
4
3
+ [(22 + 12 ) n / 2 e 2 x cos{x + n tan1 (1 / 2)}]
4
1 2x n / 2
= e [13 cos{3x + n tan 1 (3 / 2)}
4
+ 3(5) n / 2 cos{x + n tan 1 (1 / 2)}]
1
( iv) We have sin x cos 2 x = (sin 3x sin x )
2
Therefore,
1 n x 1
Dn (e x sin x cos 2 x) = D (e sin 3x ) D n (e x sin x )
2 2
1
= [((1) 2 + 32 ) n / 2 e x sin{3x + n tan1 (3)}]
2
1
[((1) 2 + 12 ) n / 2 e x sin{x + n tan 1 (1)}]
2
1
= e x [10 n / 2 sin(3x n tan 1 3) 2 n / 2 sin(x n / 4)]
2
(v) We note that
1
cos2 x sin x = (1 + cos 2 x ) sin x
2
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1 1
= sin x + 2 sin x cos 2x
2 4
1 1
= sin x + (sin 3x sin x)
2 4
1 1
= sin x + sin 3x
4 4
1 n ax 1
\ D n (e ax cos2 x sin x ) = D (e sin x ) + D n (e ax sin 3x)
4 4
1 ax 2
= e [( a + 1) n / 2 sin{x + n tan 1 (1/ a)}
4
+ (a 2 + 9) n / 2 sin{3x + n tan1 (3 / a)}]
Example 3: Find the nth derivative of the following:

x+3 x2
( i) ( ii)
( x 1)( x + 2) ( x + 2)(2x + 3)
Solution:
x+3
( i) y =
( x 1)( x + 2)
By partial fractions
x+3 A B
= + ...(1)
( x 1)(x + 2) x 1 x + 2
Then x + 3 = A( x + 2) + B( x 1)
Taking x =1 A = 4/3
x = 2 B = 1/ 3
Equation (1), becomes
x+3 4 1 1 1
=
( x 1)(x + 2) 3 ( x 1) 3 ( x + 2)

x+3 4 n 1 1 n 1
Dn = D x D x+
( x 1)( x + 2 ) 3 1 3 2

4 (1) n n ! 1 (1) n n !
= [Using the formula (12)]
3 ( x 1) n +1 3 ( x + 2) n +1

1 4 1
= ( 1)n n ! n +1
n +1
3 ( x 1) ( x + 2)