Prepared by : Mr.

Jaymel Briones
Lecturer, Basic Calculus
 Learning Outcomes of the Lesson
• Illustrate the Chain Rule of Differentiation
• Solve problems using the Chain Rule
• Compute higher-order derivatives of functions.
 Chain Rule

- Let f be a function differentiable at c and

let g be a function differentiable at f(c).
Then the composition g∘ f is differentiable
at c and

𝑫𝒙 𝒈 ∘ 𝒇 𝒄 = 𝒈′ 𝒇 𝒄 . 𝒇′(𝒄)
 Chain Rule
Remark 1: If 𝑦 is a differentiable function of 𝑢 defined by 𝑦 =
𝑓(𝑢) and u is a differentiable function of x defined by 𝑢 = 𝑔(𝑥),
then y is a differentiable function of x, and the derivative of 𝑦
with respect to 𝑥 is given by
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒖
= .
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒖 𝒅𝒙

In words, the derivative of a composition of functions is the

derivative of the outer function evaluated at the inner function,
times the derivative of the inner function.
 Chain Rule

Note:
Chain Rule is simply getting the derivative of
the outer multiply to the derivative to the
inner.
 Chain Rule
Example1:
𝑦 = 8𝑥 2 + 5 5

𝑦′ = 5 8𝑥 2 + 5 4 (16𝑥)
2 4
𝑦′ = 80𝑥 8𝑥 + 5
 Chain Rule
Example 2:
𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 − 1 20

𝑓′(𝑥) = 20(2𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 − 1)19 (6𝑥 2 + 2)

𝑓′(𝑥) = 120𝑥 2 + 40 (2𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 1)19
 Chain Rule
Example 3:
𝑦= 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 1
1
𝑦 = 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 12
1 −
1
𝑦′ = 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 1 2 (9𝑥 2 + 2)
2
9𝑥 2 + 2
𝑦′ = 1
2 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 1 2
9𝑥 2 + 2
𝑦′ =
2 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 1
 Chain Rule
Example 4:
𝑑𝑦
Find where 𝑦 = sin 4𝑥 2
𝑑𝑥

𝑑𝑦 𝑑
= 2 sin 4𝑥 . cos 4𝑥 . (4𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= 2 sin 4𝑥 . cos 4𝑥 . 4
= 8 sin 4𝑥 cos 4𝑥
 Higher Order Derivatives
Example 1:
Find the 5th derivative of the function
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥5 + 𝑥4 + 𝑥3 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥 + 1

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 5𝑥 4 + 4𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 1
𝑓 ′′ (𝑥) = 20𝑥 3 + 12𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 2
𝑓 ′′′ (𝑥) = 60𝑥 2 + 24𝑥 + 6
𝑓 4 (𝑥) = 120𝑥 + 24
𝑓 5 (𝑥) = 120
 Higher Order Derivatives
3𝑥+5 𝑑2𝑦
Example 2: Let 2 , Find
𝑥 +4 𝑑𝑥 2
𝑑𝑦 (𝑥 2 +4)𝐷𝑥 3𝑥 + 5 − (3𝑥 + 5)𝐷𝑥 (𝑥 2 + 4)
=
𝑑𝑥 (𝑥 2 + 4)2
(𝑥 2 +4)(3) − (3𝑥 + 5)(2𝑥)
=
(𝑥 2 + 4)2
3𝑥 2 + 12 − (6𝑥 2 + 10𝑥)
=
(𝑥 2 + 4)2
3𝑥 2 + 12 − 6𝑥 2 − 10𝑥
=
(𝑥 2 + 4)2
𝑑𝑦 −3𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 + 12
=
𝑑𝑥 (𝑥 2 + 4)2
 Higher Order Derivatives
3𝑥+5 𝑑2𝑦
Example 2: Let 2 , Find
𝑥 +4 𝑑𝑥 2