SH1657

Derivatives of Algebraic Functions

I. General Derivative Rules

Theorem 1.1
If (!) and "(!) are differentiable at ! and # is constant, then
$
i. [# (!)] = # & (!)
$%
$
ii. [ (!) ± "(!)] = & (!)
± "& (!)
$%
$
iii. [ (!)"(!)] = & (!)"(!)
+ (!)"& (!) (Product Rule)
$%
$ *(%) * . (%),(%)/*(%),. (%)
iv. ' -= [,(%)]0
provided that "(!) ≠ 0. (Quotient Rule)
$% ,(%)
Proof:
i. Let 3(!) = # (!). Then
4 3(! + Δ!) − 3(!)
[# (!)] = 3 & (!) = lim
4! 5%→7 Δ!
# (! + Δ!) − # (!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!) − (!)
= lim # : ;
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!) − (!)
= # lim
5%→7 Δ!
= # & (!)
ii. Let <(!) = (!) ± "(!). Then
4 <(! + Δ!) − <(!)
[ (!) ± "(!)] = < & (!) = lim
4! 5%→7 Δ!
[ (! + Δ!) ± "(! + Δ!)] − [ (!) ± "(!)]
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
[ (! + Δ!) − (!)] ± ["(! + Δ!) − "(!)]
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!) − (!) "(! + Δ!) − "(!)
= lim : ± ;
5%→7 Δ! Δ!
(! + Δ!) − (!) "(! + Δ!) − "(!)
= lim ± lim
5%→7 Δ! 5%→7 Δ!
= & (!) ± "& (!)
iii. Let >(!) = (!)"(!). Then
4 >(! + Δ!) − >(!)
[ (!)"(!)] = >& (!) = lim
4! 5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)"(! + Δ!) − (!)"(!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)"(! + Δ!) − (!)"(! + Δ!) + (!)"(! + Δ!) − (!)"(!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)"(! + Δ!) − (!)"(! + Δ!) (!)"(! + Δ!) − (!)"(!)
= lim : + ;
5%→7 Δ! Δ!

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 SH1657

(! + Δ!)"(! + Δ!) − (!)"(! + Δ!)

= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(!)"(! + Δ!) − (!)"(!)
+ lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!) − (!)
= lim : "(! + Δ!);
5%→7 Δ!
"(! + Δ!) − "(!)
+ lim : (!) ;
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!) − (!)
= : lim ; ' lim "(! + Δ!)-
5%→7 Δ! 5%→7
"(! + Δ!) − "(!)
+ (!) : lim ;
5%→7 Δ!
= & (!)"(!) + (!)"& (!)
*(%)
iv. Let ?(!) = ,(%) provided that "(!) ≠ 0. Then
4 ?(! + Δ!) − ?(!)
[ (!)"(!)] = ? & (!) = lim
4! 5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!) (!)
−
"(! + Δ!) "(!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)"(!) − (!)"(! + Δ!)
@ A
"(!)"(! + Δ!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)"(!) − (!)"(! + Δ!)
@ A
Δ!
= lim
5%→7 "(!)"(! + Δ!)
(! + Δ!)"(!) − (!)"(! + Δ!)
lim
Δ!
= 5%→7
lim ["(!)"(! + Δ!)]
5%→7
(! + Δ!)"(!) − (!)"(! + Δ!)
lim Δ!
= 5%→7
["(!)]B
(! + Δ!)"(!) − (!)"(!) + (!)"(!) − (!)"(! + Δ!)
lim Δ!
= 5%→7
["(!)]B
[ (! + Δ!) − (!)]"(!) + (!)["(!) − "(! + Δ!)]
lim
Δ!
= 5%→7
["(!)]B
[ (! + Δ!) − (!)]"(!) (!)["(!) − "(! + Δ!)]
lim @ + A
5%→7 Δ! Δ!
=
["(!)]B
(! + Δ!) − (!) "(!) − "(! + Δ!)
lim @"(!) + (!) A
5%→7 Δ! Δ!
=
["(!)]B

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(! + Δ!) − (!) "(!) − "(! + Δ!)

lim @"(!) A + lim @ (!) A
5%→7 Δ! 5%→7 Δ!
=
["(!)]B

(! + Δ!) − (!) "(!) − "(! + Δ!)

"(!) lim + (!) lim
5%→7 Δ! 5%→7 Δ!
=
["(!)]B
& (!)"(!)
− (!)"& (!)
=
["(!)]B
∎

Theorem 1.2 (Constant Rule)

For any constant #,
4
#=0
4!
Proof:
Let (!) = #. Then by definition,
4 (! + Δ!) − (!) #−#
# = & (!) = lim = lim = lim 0 = 0
4! 5%→7 Δ! 5%→7 Δ! 5%→7
∎
Theorem 1.3
4
!=1
4!
Proof:
Let (!) = !. By definition,
4 & (!)
(! + Δ!) − (!)
!= = lim
4! 5%→7 Δ!
! + Δ! − !
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
Δ!
= lim
5%→7 Δ!

= lim 1
5%→7

=1
∎

Theorem 1.4
Let F ∈ ℕ. Then
4 I
! = F! I/J
4!
Proof:
Suppose for some K ∈ ℕ,

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4 L
! = K! L/J .
4!
This assumption is valid since we have proven this to be true for K = 1 ∈ ℕ. Notice that
4 4 J
!= ! = 1!J/7 = 1! 7 = 1(1) = 1.
4! 4!
Let F = K + 1 ∈ ℕ and (!) = ! I , then
4 I (! + Δ!) − (!)
! = & (!)
= lim
4! 5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)I − ! I
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)LNJ − ! LNJ
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)L (! + Δ!) − ! L (!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
(! + Δ!)L (!) + (! + Δ!)L (Δ!) − ! L (!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
[(! + Δ!)L − ! L ](!) + (! + Δ!)L (Δ!)
= lim
5%→7 Δ!
[(! + Δ!)L − ! L ](!)
= lim : + (! + Δ!)L ;
5%→7 Δ!
[(! + Δ!)L − ! L ](!)
= lim + lim (! + Δ!)L
5%→7 Δ! 5%→7
(! + Δ!)L − ! L
= ! lim + lim (! + Δ!)L
5%→7 Δ! 5%→7
4 L
= ! ! + !L
4!
$
But by assumption, $% ! L = K! L/J . Hence,
4 I
! = !(K! L/J ) + ! L
4!
= K! L + ! L

=
(K + 1)! L
=
F! I/J

II. The Chain Rule of Differentiation

Theorem 2.1 (Chain Rule)

If " is differentiable and at ! and is differentiable at "(!), then
4
O P"(!)QR = & P"(!)Q"& (!).
4!

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Proof:
Let S(!) = P"(!)Q. Then
4 S(! + Δ!) + S(!)
O P"(!)QR = S & (!) = lim
4! 5%→7 Δ!
P"(! + Δ!)Q + P"(!)Q "(! + Δ!) − "(!)
= lim : × ;
5%→7 Δ! "(! + Δ!) − "(!)
P"(! + Δ!)Q + P"(!)Q "(! + Δ!) − "(!)
= lim : × ;
5%→7 "(! + Δ!) − "(!) Δ!
P"(! + Δ!)Q + P"(!)Q "(! + Δ!) − "(!)
= lim : ; lim : ;
5%→7 "(! + Δ!) − "(!) 5%→7 Δ!
P"(! + Δ!)Q + P"(!)Q &
= lim : ; " (!)
5%→7 "(! + Δ!) − "(!)
Let ΔT = "(! + Δ!) − "(!). Notice that as Δ! → 0, ΔT → 0 by the continuity of " (since
" is differentiable by hypothesis). Hence,
4 ("(!) + ΔT) + P"(!)Q &
O P"(!)QR = lim : ; " (!)
4! 5U→7 ΔT
= & P"(!)Q"& (!).
∎
Example 2.1
$
Evaluate $% (2! + 1)B
Proof:
Let S(!) = (2! + 1)B , (!) = ! B and "(!) = 2! + 1. Notice that S(!) = P"(!)Q.
Hence,
S & (!) = & P"(!)Q"& (!) (1.1)
By Theorem 1.4,
& (!)
= 2!
Hence,
&
P"(!)Q = 2"(!) = 2(2! + 1) = 4! + 2 (1.2)
On the other hand, by Theorem 1.1 (ii), (1.2), and (1.3),
"& (!) = 2 (1.3)
Therefore, substituting (1.2) and (1.3) to (1.1)
S & (!) = (4! + 2)(2) = 8! + 4

Theorem 2.2 (General Power Rule)

For any Y ∈ ℚ,
4 \
! = Y! \/J
4!
Proof:
Case 1:
If Y = 0, proof ends by the constant rule.
Case 2:
If Y ∈ ℕ, proof ends by Theorem 1.4.
Case 3:

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If Y ∈ ℤ/ , then
1
!\ =
! /\
where −Y ∈ ℕ. Hence, by quotient rule, constant rule and Theorem 1.4,
/\ 4 4 /\
4 \ ! '4! (1)- − 1 _4! ! `
! =
4! ! /B\
! /\ (0) − (−Y! /\/J )
=
! /B\
Y! /\/J
= /B\
!
= Y! /\/JNB\
= Y! \/J
Case 4:
f
a
Suppose Y = , where c, e ∈ ℤ, e ≠ 0. Let "(!) = ! \ = ! g and define (!) = ! b .
b
Notice that & (!) = e! b/J . Hence, by the chain rule of differentiation,
4
P"(!)Q = &
P"(!)Q"& (!)
4!
a b/J
= e _! b ` "& (!)
a
= e _! a/b ` "& (!). (2.1)
Furthermore, since
b
P"(!)Q = P"(!)Q
= (! \ )b
a b
= _! b `
= !a ,
Then,
4
P"(!)Q = c! a/J .
4!
(2.2)
Hence, by (2.1) and (2.2),
a
e _! a/b ` "& (!) = c! a/J
c! a/J
"& (!) = a
e _! a/b `
c (a/J)/_a/a`
= ! b
e
c a/J
= !b
e
= Y! \/J
∎
References:
Coburn, J. (2016). Pre-Calculus. McGraw Hill Education.
Minton, R. & Smith, R. (2016). Basic Calculus. McGraw Hill Education.

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