DIFFCAL

Summary of Formula

Limits

 Properties
 ( ) ( )
 ( ( ) ( )) ( ) ( )
 ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )

( ) ( )
 [ ( )] [ ( )]
 √ ( ) √ ( )



 If ( ) is a polynomial function, ( ) ( )
 Infinite Limits
 If we make approach and sufficiently near but not equal to and we get a very large
or very small value, then we have an infinite limit.
( )
 Given ( ) and ( ) for some real numbers and , we have
 [ ( ) ( )]
 If , [ ( ) ( )]
 If , [ ( ) ( )]
( )

( )
 If is a positive rational number and is any real number, then

 If is a positive odd number and is any real number, then

 If is a positive even number and is any real number, then

 Limits at Infinity
 If is a positive rational number and is any real number, then
  If is a positive rational number, is any real number and is defined for , then

 If ( ) is a polynomial with degree , then

( )
 Power functions
 If is a positive number, then

 If , then

 If is a negative number, then

 Exponential functions
 If , then

 If , then

 If , then

 If , then

 One-sided Limits
 If ( ) ( ) , then ( ) .
 Squeeze Theorem
 If ( ) ( ) ( ) and ( ) ( ) , then ( ) .

Continuity

 If ( ) is continuous at , then
 ( ) exists
 ( ) ( )
 ( ) ( ) ( )

Discontinuity
  Infinite/Asymptotic discontinuity: occurs when either or both of the one-sided limits at
approach infinity (there is a vertical asymptote at )
 Finite/Jump discontinuity: occurs when ( ) and ( )both exists and have
a finite value but are not equal
 Removable/Point discontinuity: occurs when ( ) ( ) but
( ) ( ).

Derivatives
( ) ( )
 Definition: ( )
 Differentiation Formulas

 ( )
 ( )
 Product Rule:

 Quotient Rule: ( )
 Chain Rule:

 Exponential Functions
 ( )

 Logarithmic Functions

( )


 Trigonometric Functions
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
  Inverse Trigonometric Functions

√

√

 | |√

 | |√


 Hyperbolic Functions








 Inverse Hyperbolic Functions

√

√

 | |√


√

Tangent and Normal Lines to a Curve

 The slope of a tangent line to a curve ( ) at point is ( ).

 The slope of a normal line to a curve ( ) at point is .
( )
Implicit Differentiation

 Used for functions that are not of the form ( )

 Done by taking the derivative of both sides of the equation then solving for

Logarithmic Differentiation

 Used for complicated functions

 Done by taking the logarithm of both sides of the equation then solving for using implicit
differentiation

Differentials

 ( )

Linearization

 ( ) ( ) ( )( )

Error Approximations

 Approximate error:
 Relative error:

Higher Order Derivatives

 If ( ) is a polynomial of degree and , then ( ) .

 The first, second and third derivative of the position function are the velocity, acceleration
and jerk functions respectively.

Related Rates

 Solves for the rate of change of one variable in terms of the rates at which the other
variables are changing

Optimization

 To find the minimum or maximum value of in a function, set ( ) then solve for .

Graphs of Functions

 Intercepts
 -intercept: set then solve for
  -intercept: set then solve for
 Asymptotes
 Vertical: If ( ) , then is a vertical asymptote.
 Horizontal: If ( ) , then is a horizontal asymptote.
 Critical numbers
 Set ( ) then solve for .
 If ( ) on an interval , the function decreasing at the interval.
 If ( ) on an interval , the function increasing at the interval.
 If ( ) changes from negative to positive at a critical number , then ( ( )) is a local
minima.
 If ( ) changes from positive to negative at a critical number , then ( ( )) is a local
maxima.
 Point of inflection
 Set ( ) then solve for .
 If ( ) , then ( ( ) ) is a local maxima.
 If ( ) , then ( ( ) ) is a local minima.
 If ( ) on an interval , ( ) is concave up.
 If ( ) on an interval , ( ) is concave down.

L’Hospital’s Rule
( ) ( )
 If or where can be any real number, infinity or negative
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
infinity, then .
( ) ( )
 Indeterminate forms


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




Partial Derivatives

 Done by holding all but one variable as constants, then differentiating with respect to that
one variable
Higher Order Partial Derivatives

 Sample notations
 ( ) ( )
 ( ) ( )

 ( ) ( )

 ( ) ( )
 Clairaut’s Theorem: ( ) ( )