Differentiation From FIRST PRINCIPLES.

A curve does not have a constant gradient. At any point on a curve, the gradient is equal
to the gradient of the tangent at that point (a tangent to a curve is a line touching the
curve at one point only).

For example, the gradient of the below curve at A is equal to the gradient of the
tangent at A, which is XY.

An approximation to the gradient at any point can be found by drawing a chord.

A chord joins together two points on a curve.

The closer together these two points are, the closer one gets to the actual gradient of
the graph at the point in question.

In this diagram AB and AC are

CHORDS.
XY is a TANGENT

The gradient at A is closer to the

gradient of AC than the gradient
of AB since the chord is shorter.

The gradient of the chord will

become closer to the gradient of
the curve at A as we move closer to
point A along the curve
 Eventually, when the chord becomes so short that it is almost
the tangent, the gradient of the graph will equal the gradient
of this tangent.

The expression
dx refers to a TINY
INCREASE in x
likewise
dy refers to a tiny
increase in y
we usually use the
greek letter
δ (delta)
to stand for a tiny
increase

We will use our knowledge of GRADIENT to find an expression for the gradient of the
chord.
First we must understand that the function if called f ( x ) and the y co-ordinate at any
point is obtained by substituting the x co-ordinate into the function.
f ( x + δ x) − f ( x)
Gradient of chord= ( x + δ x) − x
Simplifying the denominator gives
f ( x + δ x) − f ( x)
Gradient of chord=
δx
dy
Now the gradient of the tangent (the derivative ) is obtained when the chord is
dx
at its LIMIT. This is as δx→0 (as delta x tends towards zero)

So we have the definition of the GRADIENT OF THE

TANGENT(from first principles)
dy f ( x + δ x) − f ( x)
= limit as δ x → 0 of
dx δx
 IN SUMMARY BY DEFINITION

dy f ( x + δ x) − f ( x)
= lim
dx δ x →0 δx
IS THE DEFINITION OF THE DERIVATIVE OF A FUNCTION FROM
FIRST PRINCIPLES.

THIS MEANS THE GRADIENT OF THE TANGENT TO THE FUNCTION

AT THE POINT WITH COORDINATE (x,f(x))

(OR THE RATE OF CHANGE OF THE FUNCTION AT THIS POINT)

Example 1.
Differentiate using first principles
y = x² + 2x + 3
let f ( x) = x 2 + 2 x + 3

so f ( x + δ x) = ( x + δ x) 2 + 2( x + δ x) + 3

expanding and simplifying gives

f ( x + δ x) = x 2 + 2 xδ x + δ x 2 + 2 x + 2δ x + 3

We have everything we need to substitute into the formula for differentiation from first
principles.

dy f ( x + δ x) − f ( x)
= lim
dx δ x →0 δx
SUBSTITUTING in the first principles formula gives:

dy ⎛ ( x 2 + 2 xδ x + δ x 2 + 2 x + 2δ x + 3) − ( x 2 + 2 x + 3) ⎞
= lim ⎜ ⎟
dx δ x→0 ⎝ δx ⎠
We notice that EVERYTHING in the 2nd bracket will cancel out with the first bracket.

THIS WILL ALWAYS BE THE CASE!!!

dy ⎛ 2 xδ x + δ x 2 + 2δ x ⎞
= lim ⎜ ⎟
dx δ x →0 ⎝ δx ⎠
Notice that the top has a COMMON FACTOR of δx.
So Factorise the top and CANCEL δx
THIS WILL ALWAYS BE THE CASE!!!!!

dy ⎛ δ x(2 x + δ x + 2) ⎞
= lim ⎜ ⎟
dx δ x→0 ⎝ δx ⎠
dy ⎛ 2x + δ x + 2 ⎞
= lim ⎜ ⎟
dx δ x→0 ⎝ 1 ⎠

dy
= lim (2 x + δ x + 2)
dx δ x →0

Now the IMPORTANT FINAL STAGE is to find the limit as δx→0

dy
= 2x + 2
dx

SO WE HAVE DIFFERENTIATED FROM FIRST

PRINCIPLES!!!!!!