What I Need to Know

At the end of the lesson, the learner shall be

able to:
1. illustrate the tangent line to the graph of a
function at a given point;
2. applies the definition of the derivative of a
function at a given number; and
3. relate the derivative of a function to the slope
of the tangent line
Chapter 2 The Derivatives and
Differentiation
Lesson 1: Relating the Tangent
Line and the Derivative
In Geometry, we have learned that a straight line that
intersects a curve at exactly one point is called a tangent line.
A straight line which intersects a curve at more than one
point is called a secant line. Moreover, the normal line to the
curve at a given point is the line perpendicular to the tangent
line at that point. Usually, the curve referred to here is one of
the conic sections --- a circle, a parabola, an ellipse, or a
hyperbola. In this lesson, we shall consider the graph of any
function f as our curve.
Consider a function f of the graph shown in figure 1. Fix
a point P(x0,y0) on the graph.
Figure 1. Graph of y = f(x) with secant line PQ and
line tangent to the graph at point P
Taking an arbitrary point Q(x1, y1) anywhere on the
graph, we draw the secant line PQ with slope m PQ
given by
mPQ = =
At point P we can also draw a line t tangent to the
graph and its slope mt(x0).
Let us now examine what happens to mPQ if the point Q
is chosen closer to point P. The value of will become
smaller and there will be a corresponding change in the
value of Moreover, as we make point Q approach point
P, will approach zero and the corresponding slope of
the secant line PQ will approximate the slope of the
tangent line t at point P. Thus, we have
mt(x0)
Focusing now on line t which is tangent to the
graph at the point P(x0,y0), we find an
expression for its slope to be
mt(x0)=
=
=
Therefore, we have
mt(x0)=
From this, we have the following definition for the
tangent line to the graph of a function.
Suppose the function f is continuous at x 0. The tangent
line to the graph of f at the point P(x0,y0) is
The line through P having slope m(x0, given by m(x0)=,
Equation 1 if this limit exists;
The line
x=x0 if = +∞ or -∞ and = +∞ or -∞.
Example 1
Find an equation of tangent
line to the parabola y= x + 1at
2

the point (-1, 2).

First, compute for the slope of tangent line to the parabola with equation
f(x)=x2+ 1 at the point (-1,2),
m(x0)=
=
=
=
=
=
=
m(-1)=2(-1)=-2
The derivative of a function of a real variable
measures the sensitivity to change of the function
value (output value) with respect to a change in its
argument (input value). Derivatives are a
fundamental tool of calculus. For example, the
derivative of the position of a moving object with
respect to time is the object's velocity: this measure
how quickly the position of the object changes
when time advances.
The derivative of a function of a single variable at a
chosen input value, when it exists, is the slope of the
tangent line to the graph of the function at that point.
The tangent line is the best linear approximation of the
function near that input value. For this reason, the
derivative is often described as the "instantaneous rate of
change", the ratio of the instantaneous change in the
dependent variable to that of the independent variable.
The process of finding a derivative is called
differentiation. The reverse process is called
antidifferentiation. The fundamental theorem of
calculus relates antidifferentiation with integration.
Differentiation and integration constitute the two
fundamental operations in single-variable calculus
Derivative - It is all about slope!
Let us Find a Derivative!
To find the derivative of a function y =
f(x) we use the slope formula:
Like this:
Example: the function f(x) = x2
We know f(x) = x2, and we can calculate f(x+Δx) :

Start with: f(x+Δx) = (x+Δx)2

Expand (x + Δx)2: f(x+Δx) = x2 + 2x Δx + (Δx)2

The slope formula is: fx+Δx– fxΔx

Put in f(x+Δx) and f(x):x2+ 2x Δx + Δx2 – x2Δx
Simplify (x and−x cancel):
2 2

Simplify more (divide through by Δx):= 2x

+ Δx
Then as Δx heads towards 0 we get:= 2x
Result: the derivative of x is 2x
2

In other words, the slope at x is 2x

We write dx instead of "Δx heads towards 0".
And "the derivative of" is commonly written

𝑑
𝑑𝑥
 𝑑
𝑑𝑥 x = 2x
2

"The derivative of x equals 2x"

2

or simply "d dx of x equals 2x"

2
 What does
𝑑x2 = 2x mean?
𝑑𝑥

It means that, for the function x , the slope or "rate

2

of change" at any point is 2x.

So when x=2 the slope is 2x = 4, as shown here:
Or when x=5 the slope is 2x = 10, and so on.
Note:
sometimes f’(x) is
also used for "the
derivative of":
f’(x) = 2x
"The derivative of f(x)
equals 2x"
or simply "f-dash of x
equals 2x"
Let's try another example.

Example: What is x³?

Start with: f(x+Δx) = (x+Δx)3

f(x+Δx) = x3 + 3x2 Δx + 3x
Expand (x + Δx)3:
(Δx)2 + (Δx)3
The slope formula:
Putin f(x+Δx) and f(x):
Simplify (x3 and −x3 cancel):
Simplify more (divide through by
Δx):=
Then as Δx heads
towards 0 we get:=
Result: the derivative
of x is 3x
3 2
Activity 2.1
I. Solve ME. Find the derivative using shrink towards
zero.
THANK YOU!!!!!