Business Mathematics:

Differentiation
Week 9
The derivative of a function

Objectives
Find the slope of the straight line any
two points on the line.
Recognize the notation f’(x) and dy/dx
for the derivative of a function
Estimate the derivative of a function by
measuring the slope of a tangent
Differentiate power function.
 Slope or gradient

The slope or gradient of a line is taken to be

the change in y divided by the corresponding
change in x as you move between any two
points on the line.
Slope = Δy / Δx
Find the slope of the straight line passing
through (1,2) and (3,4); (1,2) and (4,1); (1,2)
and (5,2)
 Tangent
A straight line which passes through a point on a
curve and which just touches the curve at this point
is called a tangent.
The slope or gradient, of a curve at x=a is then
defined to be that of the tangent at x=a
f ’(a) read ‘f dashed of a’ to represent the slope
of the graph of a function f at x = a; gives the
gradient of the curve at this point. Whereby f (a)
gives the height of the curve above the x axis at
a=a.
 Derived function
The slope of the graph of a function is called the
derivative of the function.
The slope function is usually referred to as the
derived function dy/dx read ‘dee y by dee x’…does
not mean dy divided by dx..
dy /dx ..should be thought of as a single symbol
representing the derivative of y with respect to x.
y =x2 or f (x) = x2
Then derived function dy/ dx , f ‘ (x) seem more
appropriate.
 Differentiation

The process of finding the derived function

symbolically (rather using the graphs).
In order to differentiate xn all that needs to be
done is to bring the power down to the front
and then substract 1 from the power.
If f(x)=xn then f’(x) = nxn-1 equivalent of y=xn
then dy/dx = nxn-1
Example - Differentiate

y = x4
y = x10
y=x
y=1
y = x4
y = 1/x4 = y=x-4
y = x1/2
 Exercises

y = x5
y = x6
y = x100
y = 1/x
y = 1/x2
 Differentiate
The constant rule
If h(x) = cf(x) then h’(x)= cf’(x) for any constant c.
<<differentiate the function and multiply by the
constant>>
Examples: y=2x4; y=10x; y=4x3; y=2/x
The sum rule
If h(x) = f(x) + g(x) then h’(x)= f’(x) + g’(x)
<<differentiate each function separately and
add>>
Examples: y=x2+x50 ; y=x2+3; y=x5+x ; y=x2+5
 Differentiate

The difference rule

If h(x) = f(x) - g(x) then h’(x)= f’(x) - g’(x)
<<differentiate each function separately and
subtract>>
Examples: y=x5 - x2 ; y=x-(1/x2); y=x2 – x3 ;
y=50 - (1/x3)
 Differentiate

y = 3x5+2x3 Q=P2 + P + 1
y = x3 + 7x2-2x + 10 TR = 50Q – 3Q2
y = 2x1/2+(3/x) AC = (30/Q) + 10
y = 9x5+2x2 Л = -2Q3 + 15Q2 -
y = x2 + 6x + 3 24Q - 3
y = 2x4 + 12x3 -4x2 + 7x - 400
 Differentiate

The chain rule

dy/dx = dy/du * du/dx
y= (2x+3)10 then we let u = 2x + 3, so y =u10
find dy/du then du/dx then we get dy/dx
The product rule
If y=uv then dy/dx= (u)dv/dx + (v)du/dx
y=x2(2x + 1)3 then we let u= x2 and v= (2x + 1)3 ,
so y = uv then find
 Differentiate

The quotient rule

If y = u/v then dy/dx = (v) du/dx – (u) dv/dx
--------------------------
v2
Examples: find dy/dx
y = x / (1+x)
y = (1+x2) / (2-x3)
 Exercise
1) Differentiate the g) y=f(u)=(u2-5u)1/2 and
following with respect u = g(x) = 4/x
to x.
a) y=x(1 – x - x2) h) f(x) = 7x6-8x5+3x3+90
b) y=9/(1 – x –x2)1/2 i) f(x) = (18+x) / (x3 +8)3
c) y=4x3 + x4 – x-2 j) f(x) = (x2-10x) / (x3+5x2-x)
d) y=x/6 – 3x2 k) f(x) = (5x4 /3) + 2x3
e) y=(3x2 – x + 7)1/5 l) f(x) = (5-x+3x2) (x8+5x3-10x2)
f) y=f(u)= u3-4 and m) f(x) = 3(x + 4/x )
u=g(x) = x2 + 3 n) f(x) = (5x2 – 10x)5
o) f(x) = (x2 + 6)1/3
Thank you