Basic Differentiation Properties

NOTATION The Derivative

If 𝒚 = 𝒇 𝒙 , then
𝒅𝒚
𝒇′ 𝒙 𝒚′
𝒅𝒙
all represent the derivative of 𝒇 at 𝒙.
THEOREM 1 Constant Function Rule

If 𝒚 = 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝑪, then 𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝟎
′ 𝒅𝒚
Also, 𝒚 = 𝟎 and =𝟎
𝒅𝒙
′ 𝒅
Note: When we write 𝑪 = 𝟎 or 𝑪 = 𝟎, we mean that
𝒅𝒙
′ 𝒅𝒚
𝒚 = = 𝟎 when 𝒚 = 𝑪.
𝒅𝒙

The derivative of any constant function is 0.

EXAMPLE 1
Differentiating Constant Functions

A. If 𝑓 𝑥 = 3, then 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 0
B. If 𝑦 = −1.4, then 𝑦 ′ = 0
𝑑𝑦
C. If 𝑦 = 𝜋, then = 0
𝑑𝑥
𝑑
D. 𝑑𝑥
23 =0
THEOREM 2 Power Rule
𝑛
If 𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 , where 𝑛 is a real number, then
′ 𝑛−1
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑛𝑥
′ 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑦 𝑛−1
Also, 𝑦 = 𝑛𝑥 and = 𝑛𝑥
𝑑𝑥
EXAMPLE 2 Differentiating Power Functions
EXAMPLE 3 Differentiating Power Functions

3 3
 Theorem 3 Constant Multiple Property
If 𝒚 = 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒌𝒖 𝒙 , then
′ ′
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒌𝒖 𝒙
Also,
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒖
𝒚′ = 𝒌𝒖′ =𝒌
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

The derivative of a constant times a differentiable

function is the constant times the derivative of the
function.
EXAMPLE 4 Differentiating a Constant Times a
Function
Theorem 4 Sum and Difference Property
If 𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑢 𝑥 ± 𝑣 𝑥 , then
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑢′ 𝑥 ± 𝑣 ′ 𝑥
Also,
′ ′ ′ 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑣
𝑦 =𝑢 ±𝑣 = ±
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
Note: This rule generalizes to the sum and difference of
any given number of functions.

The derivative of the sum of two differentiable

functions is the sum of the derivatives of the
functions.
EXAMPLE 5 Differentiating Sums and Differences
3 2 3
= 6𝑥 +
𝑥2
EXAMPLE 6 Tangents

𝟒 𝟐
Let 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙 − 𝟔𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎.
(A) Find 𝒇′ 𝒙 .
(B) Find the equation of the tangent line at 𝒙 = 𝟏.
(C) Find the values of x where the tangent line is
horizontal.
 Product Rule
If 𝒚 = 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝑭 𝒙 𝑺 𝒙
′ ′
and if 𝑭 𝒙 and 𝑺 𝒙 exist, then
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝑭 𝒙 𝑺′ 𝒙 + 𝑺 𝒙 𝑭′ 𝒙
Also.
′ ′ ′ 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝑺 𝒅𝑭
𝒚 = 𝑭𝑺 + 𝑺𝑭 =𝑭 +𝑺
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

The derivative of the product of two functions is the first

function times the derivative of the second function plus
the second function times the derivative of the first
function.
 Quotient Rule
𝑻 𝒙
If 𝒚 = 𝒇 𝒙 =
𝑩 𝒙
and if 𝑻′ 𝒙 and 𝑩′ 𝒙 exist, then
𝑩 𝒙 𝑻′ 𝒙 −𝑻 𝒙 𝑩′ 𝒙
𝒇′ 𝒙 =
𝑩 𝒙 𝟐

The derivative of the quotient of two functions is the

bottom function times the derivative of the top
function minus the top function times the derivative
of the bottom function, all over the bottom function
squared.
1. Find 𝒇′ 𝒙 if 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟐𝒙𝟑 − 𝟒𝒙𝟐 𝟑𝒙𝟓 + 𝒙𝟐
𝟐𝒙𝟑 +𝟒
2. Find 𝒇′ 𝒙 if 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐 +𝟏
Differentiate the functions
1. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟏 − 𝟐𝒙 − 𝒙𝟐
2. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟑 − 𝟑𝒙𝟐 + 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟐
𝟏 𝟖
3. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟖 𝒙 − 𝒙𝟒
𝟒 𝟏
4. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟒𝒙 −
𝟒𝒙𝟒
𝟑 𝟓
5. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐
+ 𝒙𝟒
6. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏 𝟓𝒙𝟑 + 𝟔𝒙
𝟒

𝟑 𝟐
7. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟕 − 𝟑𝒚
𝒙𝟑 −𝟖
8. 𝒇 𝒙 =
𝒙𝟑 +𝟖
𝟐𝒙+𝟏
9. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙+𝟓
𝟑𝒙 − 𝟏