DERIVATIVES AS THE

SLOPE OF TANGENT LINE

MA’AM NICA YARES
 Terminologies
• Tangent Line – a line that locally touches a curve at one and only one
point.
• Slope-intercept formula – for a line is y = mx + b, where m is the slope
of the line and b is the y-intercept.
• Point-slope formula – for a line is y-y1 = m (x – x1). This formula uses a
point on the line, denoted by (x1, y1), and the slope of the line denoted by
m, to calculate the slope-intercept formula for the line.

2
 Finding the Equation of a Tangent Line
There are the certain things you must remember when solving for the equation of a tangent line:
1. A Tangent Line is a line that locally touches a curve at one and only one point.
2. The slope-intercept formula for a line is y = mx + b, where m is the slope of the line and b is
the y intercept.
3. The point-slope formula for a line is y – y1 = m (x – x1). This formula uses a point on the line,
denoted (x1, y1), and the slope of the line, denoted by m to calculate the slope-intercept for
the line.
Also, there are some information from Calculus you must use:
4. The first derivative is an equation for the slope of a tangent line to a curve at an indicated
point.
5. The first derivative may be found using:
Basic Calculus April, 2024
a. The definition of a derivative.

lim
h →0

b. Methods are already known to you for derivation, such as:

• Power Rule
• Product Rule
• Quotient Rule
• Chain Rule

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Example 1: Find the equation of the line tangent to f (x) = x² at x = 2.

The equation for the slope of the tangent line to f (x) = x² is f’ (x), the derivative of (x). Using the
power rule yields the following:

f (x) = x²
f ‘(x) = 2x

Therefore, at x = 2, the slope of the tangent line is

f ‘(2) . f ‘(2) = 2 (2) = 4

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Now you know the slope of the tangent line, which is 4. All that you need to know is the point on the tangent
line to be able to formulate the equation.

By plugging the x coordinate of the shared point into the original you have:

f (x) = 2² = 4 or y = 4

Therefore, you have found the coordinates, (2, 4), for the point shared by f (x) and the line tangent to f (x) at x = 2.
Therefore,
y – y1 = m (x – x1)
y – 4 = 4 (x - 2)
y–4=4x-8
y = 4x – 8 + 4
y = 4x - 4

This is the equation for the tangent line y = 4x – 4 is tangent to f (x) = x² at x = 2.

Basic Calculus April, 2024
 Example 2: Finding the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f (x) = x² at x = 3?

It represents the limit of a sequence of slopes of secant lines that approach the tangent line at x = c. All we need to
know is plug x = 3 and f (x) = x²:

Step 1: What’s an expression for the derivative of f (x) = x ² at x = 3?

f’ (3) = lim f (3+h) - f (3)

h→0 h

f’ (3) = lim f (3+h)² - f (3)²

h→0 h

Step 2: Evaluate the correct limit from the previous step.

f’ (3) = lim f (3 + h)² - f (3)²
h→0 h
f’ (3) = lim 9 + 6h + h² - 9
h→0 h
= lim h(6 +h) = lim 6 + h =6
h→0 h h→0

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Step 3: What is the point we should use for the equation of the line?

The intersection point is the point on the graph of f where x = 3

f (3) = (3)² = 9
Step 4: Complete the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f (x) = x² at x = 3
To do that, we can use the definition of slope: 6 = y – 9x – 3
Using the definition of the derivative, we are able to find the equation for the line tangent to the
graph of f (x) = x² at x = 3

Now we can isolate y:

6 = y – 9/ x – 3
6 (x – 3) = y – 9
6 (x-3) + 9 = y

Therefore, the equation of the line is y = 6 (x – 3) + 9

Basic Calculus April, 2024

 Example 3: Finding the equation of the line tangent to f(x)=x²+3 at x = -5. We plug x = -5 and f(x) is =
x² +3 in the definition for the derivative:

f’ (-5) = lim f (-5 +h)² - f (-5)

h→0 h
=lim [(-5+h)²+3]-[(-5)² +3]
h→0 h
=lim [25-10+h²+3]-[25+3]
h→0 h
=lim h² - 10h
h →0 h
=lim h - 10
h→0
= -10
So, the slope has the tangent line is – 10. Now we need a point on the line: f( -5) = (-5)² + 3 = 28

Basic Calculus April, 2024

So we are looking for the equation of the line whose slope is – 10 and that goes through the point (- 5, 28)
y - (28)
- 10 = x – (- 5)
y – 28
- 10 = x+5

- 10 (x +5) = y – 28

- 10 (x +5) + 28 = y

Therefore, the equation of the line is y = - 10 (x +5) + 28.

Basic Calculus April, 2024

 Terminologies
• Differentiation rules – allow us to compute the derivatives of such functions
without using the formal definition of the derivative.
• Exponential function – a function whose value is a constant raised to the
power of the argument, especially the function where the constant is e.
• Trigonometric function – a function of an angle, or of an abstract quantity,
used in trigonometry, including the sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and
cosecant, and their hyperbolic counterparts.
• Power rule – is a quick tool to finding the derivative of a function.
• Constant multiple rule – the constant multiple rules says the derivative of a
constant multiplied by a function is the constant multiplied by the derivative of
the function. The constant rules says the derivative of any constant function is
always 0.
Basic Calculus April, 2024
 Rules of Differentiation
It is tedious to compute a limit every time we need to know the derivative of a function.
Fortunately, we can develop a small collection of examples and rules that allows us to quickly
compute the derivative of almost any function we are likely to encounter.

We’ve learned that to find the rule for the derivative f’ of a function f, we first find the
difference quotient.

lim f (x + h) – f (x)
h→0 h

But this method is tedious and time consuming, even for relatively simple functions. This
chapter we will develop rules that will simplify the process of finding the derivative of a
function.

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Basic Rules of Differentiation
Rule 1: Derivative of a Constant

We will use the notation d [f (x)]to mean “the derivative of f with respect to x at x.”
dx
d (c) = 0
dx

The derivative of a constant function is equal to zero.

- We can see geometrically why the derivative of a constant must be zero.

- The graph of a constant function is a straight line parallel to the x axis.
- Such a line has a slope that is constant with a value of zero.
- Thus, the derivative of a constant must be zero as well.

Basic Calculus April, 2024

f (x) = c We can use the definition of the derivative to demonstrate this;

f’ (x) = lim f (x + h) – f (x)

h→ 0 h

= lim c – c
h→ 0 h

= lim
h→ 0

=0

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Rule 2: The Power Rule
If n is any real number, then d(x)ⁿ = nxⁿ^1
dx
Let’s verify this rule for the special case of n = 2.

If f(x) = x², then

f’(x) =(x²)
d = lim f(x + h) – f(x)
dx h→ 0 h

= lim (x + h)²=-lim
x² x² + 2 xh + h² - x²
h→ 0 h h→ 0 h

= lim 2xh +=h²

lim h(2x =+ lim
h) (2x + h) = 2x
h→ 0 h h→ 0 h h→ 0

Basic Calculus
April, 2024
Rule 3: Derivative of a Constant Multiple Function

Example 1. If f(x) = x, then Example 2. If f(x) = , then

f’(x) = d(x = 1 • f’(x) = (= 8 •

dx)
= =8
=1

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Rule 4: The Sum Rule
d [f(x) + g(x)] = d [f(x)] + d [g (x)]
dx dx dx

Example 1. Find the derivative of Example 2. Find the derivative of g (t) = t² + 5

5 t³
f’(x) = 4+ 3 – 8x² + x + 3
f’(x) = (4+ 3 – 8x² + x + 3
(
dt 5 t³
) (
g’ = d t ² + 5 = d 1 t² + 5t^-3
dt 5 )
= 1 • d (t²)+ 5 d (t⁻³
5 dt dt )
= 4 ()+3 () -8 (x²) + (x)+ (3)
= 1 (2t)+5 (-3t⁻⁴)
5
= 4 (5) + 3 (4) – 8 (2x) + 1 + 0 = 2t _ 15 = 2t⁵ - 75
= 20+ 12 – 16x + 1 5 t⁴ 5t⁴

April, 2024
Basic Calculus
Rule 5: The Product Rule

The derivative of the product of two differentiable functions is given by

d [f(x) g(x)] = f(x)g’(x) +
dt g(x)f’(x)
Example 1. Find the derivative of Example 2. Find the derivative of f(x) = x³(√x + 1)
f(x) = (2x² - 1) (x³ + 3) 1
1
f’⁽) = x³ d (x2+ 1) + (x2+ 1) d 3x²
x
f’⁽x⁾ = (2x² - 1) d (x³ + 3) + (x³ + 3)
d (2x² - 1) dx dx
1
dx dx -
= x³( x )+(x 2+ 1)
= (2x² - 1) (3x²) + (x³ + 3) (4x)
= x 5/2
+ 3x + 3x²
= 6x⁴ - 3x² + 4x⁴ + 12x 5/2

= x + 3x²
= x(10x³- 3x + 12) 5/2

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Rule 6: The Quotient Rule
The derivative of the quotient of two differentiable functions is given by
d f(x)
g’(x) [ ]=
g(x) f’(x) – f(x) (g(x) ≠ 0)

dx g(x) [g(x)]²
x
Example 1. Find the derivative of f(x)2x
= –4 Example 2. Find the derivative of f(x) =

f’(x) = (2x – 4) (x) – x (2x – 4)

(2x – 4)² f’ (x) =
=
= (2x – 4) (1) – x(2)
(2x – 4)²
=
= (2x – 4) (1) – x(2)
=
(2x – 4)²

= 4
Basic Calculus (2x – 4)² April, 2024
 Rule 7: Derivatives of trigonometric functions
a. b. c.

d. e. f.

The proof of (a) will be presented below. Statement (b) can be proven similarly.

Proof. Expanding sin ( x + h ) using the trigonometric sum identity, we obtain

=
= ( cos x ) ( 1 ) ( sin x ) ( 0 )

= cos x

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Statements ( c ) – ( f ) can be proved using Statements ( a ) and ( b ) and the Quotient
Rule. We only present the proof of ( c ) below.

Proof. Using Quotient Rule and Statements ( a ) and ( b ) above, we have

( tan x ) = [

Using the identity x = 1, we get ( tan x ) = =

Basic Calculus April, 2024

 Example 1: Differentiate the following functions:
a. f (x) = secx + 3csc x b. g(x) = 3xcosx +5sinx

f’ (x) = sec xtanx = 3(- csc xcotx) g’ (x) = [) (cosx) + (sinx) (2x)] – 3 [(x) (-sinx) + (cosx
(1)] + 5 (cos)x)]
= secxtanx – 3 cscxcotx
=

=
 Whenever Rule 7 is applied to problems where the trigonometric functions are viewed as
functions of angles, the unit measure must be in radians

 Every trigonometric function is differentiable on its domain. In particular, the sine and cosine
functions are everywhere differentiable.

Basic Calculus April, 2024

Rule 8. Derivative of an exponential function

If f(x) = , the f’ (x) = ex

Proof. (Optional) Using the definition of the derivative,

f’ (x) =

Using, a law of exponent, ∙ = 1

f’ (x) = = ∙ =

Basic Calculus April, 2024

a. Find f’(x) if f(x) = 3

Solution. Applying Rules 3 and 7, we have

f’(x) = 3

=3

b. Find g’ (x) if g(x) = -4 + 5x - 10

Solution. Applying Rule 5 to the first two term and Rule 3 to the third term, we have

g’ (x) = +

Basic Calculus April, 2024

 c. Find h’ (x) if
h(x) =

Solution. We apply the Product Rule to each term.

h’ (x) = - 3

d. Find

Basic Calculus
April, 2024
ACTIVITY: In Clean short bond paper, answer the activity with complete
solutions. NO ERASURE. DEADLINE is on Saturday until 12 noon.
Find the derivatives in each problem.
1) f(x) = 4 + 8x – 5
2) f(x) = 2
3) f(x) = 10 + 12x 13
4) f(x) = 6
5) f(x) = 9
6) f(x) = ( 5 - 1 ) ( + 6 )
7) y=(2-3)( +1)
8) f(x) =
9) f(x) =
10)f(x) =

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PERFORMANCE TASK: INDIVIDUAL

Make a video documentation while solving 1 equation with

explanation. DEADLINE IS ON FRIDAY (MAY 10, 2024) 5
PM.

CRITERIA:

CLARITY OF VOICE and VIDEO – 20 %

EXPLANATION – 50 %
CORRECT SOLUTION – 30 %

TOTAL:
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100%
Solve the equation for Derivatives as the Slope of Tangent Line.
Find the derivative as a slope, the value of y, and the standard
equation of a tangent line.

Given:

1) f(x) = 2
2) f(x) = -5
3) f(x) = 3
4) g(x) = -2
5) h(x) = 3

Presentation title 20XX 28