A.S.C.S.

Private Institute Rules of Differentiation Orestis Pallikaras

“First Principles”:

f (x + h) − f (x)
f ′ (x) = lim
h→0 h
(GIVEN)

Standard Derivatives:

dy dy
y = f (x) = f ′ (x) y = f (x) = f ′ (x)
dx dx

Constant

c 0 3 0

Power Rule

xn nxn−1 3x4 12x3

1 2 2
= x−n −nx−n−1 = x−3 −2x−4
xn 3x 3 3
√ 1 1 1 −1 √ 1 1
n
x = xn xn 2 x = 2x 2 x− 2
n

Exponential & Logarithmic

ax ax ln a 3 · 2x 3 · 2x ln 2

ex ex 8ex 8ex

1 5
ln x 5 ln x
x x

Trigonometric

sin x cos x 7 sin x 7 cos x

cos x − sin x 9 cos x −9 sin x

tan x (GIVEN) sec2 x 2 tan x 2 sec2 x

cot x (GIVEN) − cosec2 x 3 cot x −3 cosec2 x

sec x (GIVEN) sec x tan x 5 sec x 5 sec x tan x

cosec x (GIVEN) − cosec x cot x 8 cosec x −8 cosec x cot x

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A.S.C.S. Private Institute Rules of Differentiation Orestis Pallikaras

Product Rule:

(uv)′ = u′ v + uv ′

Quotient Rule:

 u ′ u′ v − uv ′
=
v v2
(GIVEN)

Chain Rule:

dy dy
y = g (f (x)) = g ′ (f (x)) f ′ (x) y = g (f (x)) = g ′ (f (x)) f ′ (x)
dx dx

Power Rule

f (x)n nf (x)n−1 f ′ (x) sin3 x 3 sin2 x cos x

1 1
= f (x)−n −nf (x)−n−1 f ′ (x) = (4x + 5)−3 −3(4x + 5)−4 · 4
f (x)n (4x + 5)3
1 1 1 √ 1 1 1
f (x) n −1 f ′ (x) (2x + 1)− 2 · 2
p
n
f (x) = f (x) n 2x + 1 = (2x + 1) 2
n 2

Exponential & Logarithmic

af (x) f ′ (x)af (x) ln a 32x 2 · 32x ln 3

ef (x) f ′ (x)ef (x) e7x 7e7x

f ′ (x) 6x + 5
ln 3x2 + 5x + 2


ln f (x)
f (x) 3x2 + 5x + 2

Trigonometric

sin f (x) f ′ (x) cos f (x) sin 3x 3 cos 3x

cos f (x) −f ′ (x) sin f (x) 2 cos 5x −10 sin 5x

tan f (x) (GIVEN) f ′ (x) sec2 f (x) 6 tan x3 2 sec2 x

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cot f (x) (GIVEN) −f ′ (x) cosec2 f (x) 3 cot 7x −21 cosec2 7x

sec f (x) (GIVEN) f ′ (x) sec f (x) tan f (x) 5 sec 2x 10 sec 2x tan 2x

cosec f (x) (GIVEN) −f ′ (x) cosec f (x) cot f (x) 4 cosec 2x −8 cosec 2x cot 2x