RULES ON DIFFERENTIATION

Learning Competencies: The learners (1) state the rules on differentiation of algebraic
functions; and (2) apply the rules on differentiation of algebraic
functions in finding the first derivative.

CONSTRANT RULE OF DIFFERENTIATION

If 𝑐 is a constant and if 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑐 for all 𝑥, then 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 𝑐 as your given function,
𝑓(𝑥 +△ 𝑥) − 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = lim
△𝑥→0 △𝑥
If 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑐, then 𝑓(𝑥 +△ 𝑥) = 𝑐. Hence by means of substitution, we can arrive at an equation,
𝑓(𝑐) − 𝑓(𝑐)
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = lim
△𝑥→0 △𝑥
0
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = lim
△𝑥→0 △ 𝑥
′ (𝑥)
𝑓 = lim 0
△𝑥→0
′ (𝑥)
𝑓 =0
Therefore, the derivative of a constant is zero.

POWER RULE OF DIFFERENTIATION

If 𝑛 is a positive integer and if 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 𝑛 , then 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 .

CONSTANT MULTIPLE RULE OF DIFFERENTIATION

If 𝑓 is a function, 𝑐 is constant, and 𝑔 is the function defined by
𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑐 • 𝑓(𝑥)
then, if 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) exists,
𝑔′ (𝑥) = 𝑐 • 𝑓 ′ (𝑥)

SUM RULE OF DIFFERENTIATION

If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by
ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)
then, if 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) and 𝑔′ (𝑥) exists,
ℎ′ (𝑥) = 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) +𝑔′ (𝑥)

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 L e t’s l e a r n a n d d o t h i s!

I. Differentiate the functions by applying the rules in differentiation in this section.

1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 7𝑥 − 5

2. 𝑓(𝑡) = −2𝑡 5 + 6𝑡 3

3. 𝑔(𝑦) = 𝑦 9 − 𝑦 5 + 1

4. 𝑓(𝑥) = 12𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 4 − 6𝑥 8

1 2
5. 𝑓(𝑡) = 4 𝑡 2 − 3 𝑡 3 + 2𝑡 4

1 𝑟2 3
6. ℎ(𝑟) = − −
𝑟 2 𝑟3

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 Y o u r t u r n t o d o t h i s!

I. Differentiate the functions by applying the rules in differentiation in this section.

1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 10𝑥 + 4

2. 𝑓(𝑡) = 7𝑡 7 − 3𝑡 5

3. 𝑔(𝑦) = 5𝑦 10 − 2𝑦 3 + 7

4. 𝑓(𝑥) = 10𝑥 3 + 5𝑥 4 − 8𝑥 7 − 9𝑥 9

1 5
5. 𝑓(𝑡) = 6 𝑡 2 − 6 𝑡 3 − 3𝑡 5

1 𝑟2 4
6. ℎ(𝑟) = 2𝑟 + − 3𝑟 3
4

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 RULES ON DIFFERENTIATION

Learning Competencies: The learners (1) state the product, quotient and chain rules on
differentiation of functions; and (2) apply the rules on
differentiation of functions in finding the first derivative.

PRODUCT RULE OF DIFFERENTIATION

If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by

ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) • 𝑔(𝑥)
then if 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) and 𝑔′ (𝑥) exists,
ℎ′ (𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥)𝑔′ (𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)𝑓 ′ (𝑥)

QUOTIENT RULE OF DIFFERENTIATION

If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by

𝑓(𝑥)
ℎ(𝑥) =
𝑔(𝑥)
where 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0
then if 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) and 𝑔′ (𝑥) exists,
𝑔(𝑥)𝑓 ′ (𝑥) − 𝑓(𝑥)𝑔′ (𝑥)
ℎ′ (𝑥) =
[𝑔(𝑥)]2

CHAIN RULE OF DIFFERENTIATION

Let 𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑔(𝑥) are two functions that are differentiation. The function 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥)) is
called a composite function.
Consider the functions 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑢) and 𝑢 = 𝑔(𝑥), where 𝑦 depends on 𝑢 and 𝑢 depends on
𝑥. To eliminate 𝑢, simply substitute 𝑢 = 𝑔(𝑥) in 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑢), so we have the composite function
𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥)). To find the derivative of the composite function, we can apply the chain rule of
differentiation.

If the function 𝑔 is differentiable at 𝑥 and the function 𝑓 is differentiable at 𝑔(𝑥), then the
composite function (𝑓 𝑜 𝑔) is differentiable at 𝑥, and
(𝑓 𝑜 𝑔)′ (𝑥) = 𝑓 ′ (𝑔(𝑥))𝑔′ (𝑥)

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 L e t’s l e a r n a n d d o t h i s!

I. Differentiate the functions by applying the rules in differentiation in this section.

1. 𝑦 = (2𝑥 2 − 4)5

2
2. 𝑓(𝑥) = (3𝑥 2 − 1)3

1
3. 𝑦 = (3𝑥 + 1)2 (𝑥 2 − 1)2

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4. 𝑓(𝑦) = √24𝑦 − 𝑦 2

3 𝑥2
5. 𝑓(𝑥) = √
5−𝑥

(𝑥+1)3
6. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥2

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 Y o u r t u r n t o d o t h i s!

I. Differentiate the functions by applying the rules in differentiation in this section.

1. 𝑦 = (5 − 4𝑥 2 )5

2
2. 𝑓(𝑥) = (𝑥 3 + 1)3

1
3. 𝑦 = (2𝑥 + 4)2 (𝑥 2 − 4)2

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4. 𝑓(𝑦) = √2𝑦 − 4𝑦 2

3 2𝑥 2
5. 𝑓(𝑥) = √
𝑥−1

(2−4𝑥)3
6. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥4

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