Section 2.

3 Basic Differentiation Formulas 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

Basic Differentiation Formulas

DERIVATIVE OF A CONSTANT FUNCTION:
d
(c) = 0 or c′ = 0
dx
Proof: Suppose f (x) = c, then
f (x + h) − f (x) c−c 0
f ′ (x) = lim = lim = lim = lim 0 = 0
h→0 h h→0 h h→0 h h→0

EXAMPLES:
√ !′
1+ 5 √
1′ = 0, 5′ = 0, 0′ = 0, (−7/9)′ = 0, π ′ = 0, = 0, (x 3 x + 1 − x4/3 )′ = 0
2

THE POWER RULE: If n is a positive integer, then

d n
(x ) = nxn−1 or (xn )′ = nxn−1
dx

Proof: Before we prove this result rigorously, let us consider cases n = 2, 3, 4.

If n = 2, then
f (x) − f (a) x 2 − a2 (x − a)(x + a)
f ′ (a) = lim = lim = lim = lim (x + a) = a + a = 2a
x→a x−a x→a x − a x→a x−a x→a

If n = 3, then
f (x) − f (a) x 3 − a3 (x − a)(x2 + xa + a2 )
f ′ (a) = lim = lim = lim
x→a x−a x→a x − a x→a x−a
= lim (x2 + xa + a2 ) = a2 + a · a + a2 = 3a2
x→a

If n = 4, then
f (x) − f (a) x 4 − a4 (x − a)(x3 + x2 a + xa2 + a3 )
f ′ (a) = lim = lim = lim
x→a x−a x→a x − a x→a x−a
= lim (x3 + x2 a + xa2 + a3 ) = a3 + a2 · a + a · a2 + a3 = 4a3
x→a

In general, we have
f (x) − f (a) x n − an (x − a)(xn−1 + xn−2 a + . . . + xan−2 + an−1 )
f ′ (a) = lim = lim = lim
x→a x−a x→a x − a x→a x−a
= lim (xn−1 + xn−2 a + . . . + xan−2 + an−1 ) = nan−1
x→a

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Section 2.3 Basic Differentiation Formulas 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

EXAMPLES:
(a) If f (x) = x2 , then f ′ (x) = (x2 )′ = [n = 2] = 2x2−1 = 2x1 = 2x.

(b) If f (x) = x9 , then f ′ (x) = (x9 )′ = [n = 9] = 9x9−1 = 9x8 .

(c) If f (x) = x, then f ′ (x) = (x1 )′ = [n = 1] = 1 · x1−1 = 1 · x0 = 1 · 1 = 1.

THE POWER RULE (GENERAL VERSION): If n is any real number, then

d n
(x ) = nxn−1 or (xn )′ = nxn−1
dx

EXAMPLES:
(a) If f (x) = x−4 , then f ′ (x) = (x−4 )′ = [n = −4] = (−4)x−4−1 = −4x−5 .
1 1
(b) If f (x) = , then f ′ (x) = (x−1 )′ = [n = −1] = (−1)x−1−1 = −x−2 = − 2 .
x x
√ 1 1 1
(c) If f (x) = x, then f ′ (x) = (x1/2 )′ = [n = 1/2] = x1/2−1 = x−1/2 = √ .
2 2 2 x
√
(d) If f (x) = x2 3 x, then
7
f ′ (x) = (x2 · x1/3 )′ = (x2+1/3 )′ = (x7/3 )′ = [n = 7/3] = x7/3−1
3
( √ √ √ √ √ ) √
3 3 3 3
7 4/3 7 x4 7 x3+1 7 x3 · x 7 x3 · 3 x 7x 3 x
= x = = = = =
3 3 3 3 3 3

or
( 4 3+1 3 1 3 1
) √
7x 3 7x 3 7x 3 + 3 7x 3 · x 3 7x 3 x
= = = = =
3 3 3 3 3

1
(e) If f (x) = √3
, then
x2
 ′
′ 1 2 2
f (x) = 2/3
= (x−2/3 )′ = [n = −2/3] = − x−2/3−1 = − x−5/3
x 3 3
 
2 2 2 2 2 2
= − 5/3 = − √ =− √ =− √ =− √ √ =− √
3x 3
3 x5
3
3 x3+2
3
3 x3 · x2
3 3
3 x3 · x2
3
3x x2
or
 
2 2 2 2 2
= − 5 = − 3+2 = − 3 + 2 = − 3 2 =− √3
3x 3 3x 3 3x 3 3 3x 3 · x 3 3x x2
√
4
x
(f) Find f (x) if f (x) =
′ √ .
x−1 x5

2
Section 2.3 Basic Differentiation Formulas 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

√4
x
(f) If f (x) = √ , then
x−1 x5
′  1/4 ′
x1/4

x
′
′
′
′
f (x) = 5/2
= = x1/4−(−1+5/2) = x1/4+1−5/2 = x−5/4 = [n = −5/4]
x ·x
−1 x −1+5/2

 
5 −5/4−1 5 −9/4 5 5 5 5 5
=− x =− x = − √ =− √ =− √ =− √ √ = − 2√
4 4 4
4 x 9 4
4 x 8+1 4 8
4 x ·x
4 8
4 x · x
4 4x 4 x
or
 
5 5 5 5 5
= − 9 = − 8+1 = − 8 + 1 = − 8 1 = − 2 √
4x 4 4x 4 4x 4 4 4x 4 x 4 4x 4 x

THE CONSTANT MULTIPLE RULE: If c is a constant and f is a differentiable function, then

d d
[cf (x)] = c f (x) or (cf (x))′ = cf ′ (x) or (cf )′ = cf ′
dx dx

Proof: We have
cf (x + h) − cf (x) c[f (x + h) − f (x)] f (x + h) − f (x)
(cf (x))′ = lim = lim = c · lim = cf ′ (x)
h→0 h h→0 h h→0 h

2
EXAMPLE: If f (x) = √ , then
35x
 ′  
′ 2 −1/5 2 −1/5
′ 2 1 2
f (x) = x = x = − x−1/5−1 = − x−6/5
3 3 3 5 15
√
EXAMPLE: Find equations of the tangent line and normal line to the curve y = 2x3 · x at
the point (1, 2).
Solution: A point-slope equation of a line is
y − y0 = m(x − x0 )
where m is the slope. Since x0 and y0 are given (x0 = 1 and y0 = 2), we only have to find the
slope. We have
7
f ′ (x) = (2x3 · x1/2 )′ = (2x3+1/2 )′ = 2(x7/2 )′ = 2 · x7/2−1 = 7x5/2
2
therefore the slope of the tangent line at (1, 2) is f ′ (1) = 7 · 15/2 = 7. So, an equation of the
tangent line is
y − 2 = 7(x − 1)
The normal line is perpendicular to the tangent line, so its slope is the negative reciprocal
1
of 7, that is, − . From this it follows that an equation of the normal line is
7
1
y − 2 = − (x − 1)
7

3
Section 2.3 Basic Differentiation Formulas 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

THE SUM/DIFFERENCE RULE: If f and g are both differentiable functions, then

d d d
[f (x) ± g(x)] = f (x) ± g(x)
dx dx dx
or
(f (x) ± g(x))′ = f ′ (x) ± g ′ (x) or (f ± g)′ = f ′ ± g ′

Proof: We have
(f (x + h) ± g(x + h)) − (f (x) ± g(x))
(f (x) ± g(x))′ = lim
h→0 h

[f (x + h) − f (x)] ± [g(x + h) − g(x)]

= lim
h→0 h

f (x + h) − f (x) g(x + h) − g(x)

= lim ± lim
h→0 h h→0 h

= f ′ (x) ± g ′ (x)
√
3x2 − 5 x
EXAMPLE: If f (x) = , then
6x4
 2 ′  2 ′  ′  ′
′ 3x − 5x1/2 3x 5x1/2 3 2−4 5 1/2−4 1 −2 5 −7/2
f (x) = = − = x − x = x − x
6x4 6x4 6x4 6 6 2 6
 ′  ′
1 −2 5 −7/2 1 −2
′ 5 −7/2
′
= x − x = x − x
2 6 2 6
 
1 −2−1 5 7 35
= · (−2)x − · − · x−7/2−1 = −x−3 + x−9/2
2 6 2 12

REMARK: We can combine two previous rules in one. If c1 , c2 are constants and f, g are both
differentiable functions, then
d d d
[c1 f (x) ± c2 g(x)] = c1 f (x) ± c2 g(x)
dx dx dx
or
(c1 f (x) ± c2 g(x))′ = c1 f ′ (x) ± c2 g ′ (x) or (c1 f ± c2 g)′ = c1 f ′ ± c2 g ′
√
3x2 − 5 x
EXAMPLE: If f (x) = , then
6x4
 2 ′  2 ′  ′  ′
′ 3x − 5x1/2 3x 5x1/2 3 2−4 5 1/2−4 1 −2 5 −7/2
f (x) = = − = x − x = x − x
6x4 6x4 6x4 6 6 2 6
1 −2
′ 5 −7/2
′
= x − x
2 6
 
1 −2−1 5 7 35
= · (−2)x − · − · x−7/2−1 = −x−3 + x−9/2
2 6 2 12

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Section 2.3 Basic Differentiation Formulas 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

THE DERIVATIVE OF THE SINE AND COSINE FUNCTIONS: We have

d
(sin x) = cos x or (sin x)′ = cos x
dx
and
d
(cos x) = − sin x or (cos x)′ = − sin x
dx
Proof: We have
sin(x + h) − sin x
(sin x)′ = lim
h→0 h
[We use sin(α + β) = sin α cos β + cos α sin β]
 
sin x cos h + cos x sin h − sin x sin x cos h − sin x cos x sin h
= lim = lim +
h→0 h h→0 h h
 
sin x(cos h − 1) sin h cos h − 1 sin h
= lim + cos x · = sin x lim + cos x lim
h→0 h h h→0 h h→0 h

= sin x · 0 + cos x · 1 = cos x

In the same way we prove that (cos x)′ = − sin x.

EXAMPLE: If f (x) = 3 sin x − 4 cos x, then

f ′ (x) = (3 sin x − 4 cos x)′ = 3(sin x)′ − 4(cos x)′ = 3 cos x − 4(− sin x) = 3 cos x + 4 sin x

EXAMPLE: If f (x) = sin x, then

f ′ (x) = cos x

f ′′ (x) = (cos x)′ = − sin x

f ′′′ (x) = (− sin x)′ = − cos x

f ′′′′ (x) = (− cos x)′ = −(− sin x) = sin x

Therefore
f (x) = f (4) (x) = f (8) (x) = f (12) (x) = f (16) (x) = . . . = sin x

f ′ (x) = f (5) (x) = f (9) (x) = f (13) (x) = f (17) (x) = . . . = cos x

f ′′ (x) = f (6) (x) = f (10) (x) = f (14) (x) = f (18) (x) = . . . = − sin x

f ′′′ (x) = f (7) (x) = f (11) (x) = f (15) (x) = f (19) (x) = . . . = − cos x

For instance, it immediately follows from here that

f (2010) (x) = f (2008+2) (x) = f (4·502+2) = f ′′ (x) = − sin x

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Section 2.3 Basic Differentiation Formulas 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

Appendix

cos2 h − 1
 
cos h − 1 0 A (cos h − 1)(cos h + 1) A
lim = = lim = lim
h→0 h 0 h→0 h(cos h + 1) h→0 h(cos h + 1)

A −(1 − cos2 h)
= lim
h→0 h(cos h + 1)

T − sin2 h
= lim
h→0 h(cos h + 1)

 
A sin h − sin h
= lim ·
h→0 h cos h + 1

C sin h − sin h
= lim · lim
h→0 h h→0 cos h + 1

C − sin h
= 1 · lim
h→0 cos h + 1

DSP − sin 0
=
1 + cos 0

0
=
1+1

=0