Chain Rule

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Printed: December 7, 2016

www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Chain Rule

C HAPTER
1 Chain Rule
We want to derive a rule for the derivative of a composite function of the form f ◦ g in terms of the derivatives
of f and g. This rule allows us to differentiate complicated functions in terms of known derivatives of simpler
functions.
If g is a differentiable function at x and f is differentiable at g(x), then the composition function f ◦ g = f (g(x)) is
differentiable at x. The derivative of the composite function is:

( f ◦ g)0 (x) = f 0 (g(x))g0 (x).

Another way of expressing, if u = u(x) and f = f (u), then

d du
[ f (u)] = f 0 (u) .
dx dx

And a final way of expressing the chain rule is the easiest form to remember: If y is a function of u and u is a function
of x, then

dy dy du
= . .
dx du dx

Example 1

Differentiate f (x) = (2x3 − 4x2 + 5)2 .

Solution:
Using the chain rule, let u = 2x3 − 4x2 + 5. Then

d d
[(2x2 − 4x2 + 5)2 ] = [u2 ]
dx dx
du
= 2u
dx
= 2(2x3 − 4x2 + 5)(6x2 − 8x).

The example above is one of the most common types of composite functions. It is a power function of the type

y = [u(x)]n .

The rule for differentiating such functions is called the General Power Rule. It is a special case of the Chain Rule.

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The General Power Rule

If

y = [u(x)]n

then

dy
= n[u(x)]n−1 u0 (x).
dx

In simpler form, if

y = un

then

y0 = nun−1 · u0 .

Example 2
p
What is the slope of the tangent line to the function y = x2 − 3x + 2 that passes through point x = 3?
Solution:
We can write y = (x2 −3x+2)1/2 . This example illustrates the point that n can be any real number including fractions.
Using the General Power Rule,

dy 1 2 1
= (x − 3x + 2) 2 −1 (2x − 3)
dx 2
1
= (x2 − 3x + 2)−1/2 (2x − 3)
2
(2x − 3)
= √
2 x2 − 3x + 2

To find the slope of the tangent line, we simply substitute x = 3 into the derivative:

√
dy 2(3) − 3 3 3 2
= p = √ = .
dx 2 3 2 − 3(3) + 2 2 2 4
x=3

Example 3

Find dy/dx for y = sin3 x.

Solution:
The function can be written as y = [sin x]3 . Thus

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www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Chain Rule

dy
= 3[sin x]2 [cos x]
dx
= 3 sin2 x cos x

Example 4

Find dy/dx for y = 5 cos(3x2 − 1).

Solution:
Let u = 3x2 − 1. By the chain rule,

d du
[ f (u)] = f 0 (u)
dx dx

where f (u) = 5 cos u. Thus

dy
= 5(− sin u)(6x)
dx
= −5(6x) sin u
= −30x sin(3x2 − 1)

Example 5

Find dy/dx for y = [cos(πx2 )]3 .

Solution:
This example applies the chain rule twice because there are several functions embedded within each other.
Let u be the inner function and w be the innermost function.

y = (u(w))3
u(x) = cos x
w(x) = πx2 .

Using the chain rule,

d du
[ f (u)] = f 0 (u)
dx dx
d 3 d
[u ] = [cos3 (πx2 )]
dx dx
d
= [cos(πx2 )]3
dx
= 3[cos(πx2 )]2 [− sin(πx2 )](2πx)
= −6πx[cos(πx2 )]2 sin(πx2 ).

Notice that we used the General Power Rule and, in the last step, we took the derivative of the argument.

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Review Questions

Find f 0 (x).
1. f (x) = (2x2 − 3x)39

−3
2. f (x) = x3 − x52
3. f (x) = √ 2 1
3x − 6x + 2
4. f (x) = sin3 x
5. f (x) = sin x3
6. f (x) = sin3 x3
7. f (x) = tan(4x5 )
p
8. f (x) = 4x − sin2 2x
sin x
9. f (x) = cos(3x−2)

10. f (x) = (5x + 8)3 (x3 + 7x)13

x−3 3


11. f (x) = 2x−5