CHAPTER 1: DIFFERENTIATION

1. Differentiation is the rate of change of one variable with respect to another

dy
variable. Differentiation gives us a function which represents the rate of change
dx
of y with respect to x .
2. The gradient of a curve is a measure of its slope and the value of the gradient
changes at different points on the curve.
y

P
f(x+h)
) Q
f(x)

x
x x+h

dy f ( x  h)  f ( x )
 f ' ( x)  lim
dx h 0 h

3. The result above is the definition of the derivatives of a function f . This process is
called differentiation from first principle.

Example:

1. Find the derivative of the following functions by using differentiation from first
principles.

a. f ( x)  7 x  5 , 7
b. f ( x)  2 x 2  x , 4 x  1
c. f ( x)  x 2  2 x  1 , 2 x  2 or 2x  1
 1 
d. f ( x)  x  3 ,  
2 x  3 
 3x 
e. f ( x)  3 x 2  1 ,  
 3x 1 
2

1  1
f. f ( x)  ,  2 
x  x 
 3  6
g. f ( x) 
x2
,  x 3 

 1 
h. f ( x)  x ,  
2 x 

 1  1
2. If f ( x)  x  1 , find f ' (3) . f ' ( x)    , f ' (3) 
2 x 1 4

1.1 Derivatives of basic function

Functions y or f ( x) dy
or f ' ( x)
dx

1. Algebraic y  ax n dy
 anx n 1
dx

2. Trigonometric y  sin x dy
 cos x
dx
y  sin ax dy
 a cos ax
dx
y  cos x dy
  sin x
dx
y  cos ax dy
 a sin ax
dx

y  tan x dy
 sec 2 x
dx

3. Exponential y  ex dy
 ex
dx
dy
y  e f ( x)  f ' ( x) e f ( x)

dx

4. Logarithmic y  ln x dy 1

dx x
y  ln f ( x) dy f ' ( x)

dx f ( x)
Example:

Find the derivative of the following functions:

1
1
x2 d. x  2 x  x x4  x
5 3 2
1. a. x b. x 5 c. e.
3 3

1 
2. a. sin 3x b. sin  x  4  c. cos 2 x d. cos 2  x  
e. cos 3x  5
2

2 

3x 2 x 1 x 2 1
3. a. e b. e c. e d. e
x

4. a. ln (3  4 x) b. ln (2  x ) c. ln (1  3x) d. ln ( x  1)
2 2 3
1.2 Techniques of Differentiation

1.2.1 Differentiation of Sums and Differences Rule

Example:

Differentiate the following with respect to x .

3x 2  8 x d. x  5
2
a.

4 6x2  4x  3
b. x  e.
2

x 2x
c. x  12x  3 f. x  x  2

**Exercise 1.2(1)

1.2.2 Differentiation of Product Rule

f ( x )  u ( x ) v ( x)
f ' ( x)  u ' ( x)v( x)  v' ( x)u ( x)
or
dy du dv
v u
dx dx dx

Example:
Differentiate the following functions with respect to x .
a. x  13 x  24  
d. 2 x  4 5x  3x ,
3 2
 225x 4

 12 x3  20 x  6
b. 3e 2 x sin x e. 3x 2 sin x, 3xx cos x  2 sin x
c. x  4 x  2,
 3x 
2 x  2    ,
f. 2 x e
3x  e3 x
 6 x 1
   x 
**Exercise 1.2(2)

1.2.3 Differentiation of Quotient Rule

u ( x)
f ( x) 
v( x)
v( x)u ' ( x)  u ( x)v ' ( x)
f ' ( x) 
v( x)2
or
du dv
v u
dy dx dx

dx v2
Example:
Differentiate the following functions with respect to the given variable.
x2  1  x 1  2 
d.
x  3  x  32   2
a. , ,
x 1  x  1 
2x2  1   6x  3 cos x   3x sin x  3 cos x 
,   e.
x 2  1  x 2  12 
b. ,  
5 x3 5x4

1 x  1  4 sin 2  42 cos2  sin 2 

,  2 f.
 
c. ,  
1  x  x 1  x  5 5 2

**Exercise 1.2(3)

1.2.4 Differentiation by substitution

This rule is known as the chain rule and used to differentiate composite functions.

Let y  f ( g ( x)) and u  g (x) , then y  f (u)

dy dy du
Thus,  
dx du dx

Power rule

y   f ( x) , thus  n f ( x) n1 f ' ( x) .

n dy
If
dx

Example:

Differentiate the following functions:

1  x 
3

a. y  sin ( 6 x  1 )
2
d. y   
1  x 
3 x
e. y  2e 2 x
2
b. y  ( 4 x 2  3x  5) 8

c. 
y  x  x2  3  2

f. y  ln 3x  1
2

2

**Exercise 1.2(4)
 1.3 Parametric Differentiation
An equation usually stated in the form y  f (x) for example y  2 x  3x .
2

Third variable called parameter sometimes used to substitutes into the equation,
example:
x  t3 , y  t2

By using chain rule,

dy dy dt dt 1
  and 
dx dt dx dx dx
dt

dy
dy dt
 
dx dx
dt

Consider x  t 3 and y  t ,
2

dx dy
 3t 2 and  2t
dt dt

dy dy dt
 
dx dt dx

dy 1
 2t  2
dx 3t

2

3t

dy
Example: Find for the following parametric equations:
dx

1  dy 
a. x  1  , y  t 2  3t ,   3t 2  2t 3 
t  dx 
2t  dy 2 
b. x  3t  5t , y  , 
2
2
t  1  dx 6t  5t  1 
1 1  dy t 2  1
c. x  t  , y  t  ,  dx  t 2  1
t t  
 dy 2t 2  1
d. x  2t  ln 2t , y  t 2  ln t 2 ,   
 dx 2t  1 

**Exercise 1.3
1.4 Implicit Differentiation

Example:

dy
1. Find for the following.
dx
 y  3x 2 
a. x2  y2  4 c. x 3  xy  y 2  3 ,  
 x  2y 
 31  x  
b. 3x  2 y  6 x  4 y  0 ;  d. 2 x 2  y 2  xy 2  x  1
2 2

 2 y  1

  3x 2  y 2  7 
2. Find the gradient of the curve x  xy  5 at the point
3 2
1, 2 .  2 xy ; 4 
 

**Exercise 1.4

1.5 Higher Derivatives

  f x   f 'x  is known as the first derivative of f .

dy d
dx dx
d  dy  d 2 y
   2  f x  is known as second derivative of f .
''

dx  dx  dx
d  d2y  d3y
  f '''
x  is known as third derivative of
dx  dx2  dx3
f.

Example:

If y  f ( x)  x  x  2 x  3 ,
3 2

First derivative,

dy
 f ' ( x)  3 x 2  2 x  2
dx

Second derivative,

d2y
 f ' ' ( x)  6 x  2
dx 2

Third derivative,

d3y
 f ' ' ' ( x)  6
dx 3
**Exercise 1.5