Finding the Equation of a Tangent Line Using the First Derivative

• There are certain things you must remember when solving for the equation of a tangent
line.
• Recall :
•A Tangent Line is a line which locally touches a curve at one and only one point.
•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.
•The 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.
Also, there is some information from Calculus you must use: Recall:
•The first derivative is an equation for the slope of a tangent line to a curve at an indicated
point.
•The first derivative may be found using:
Here is a summary of the steps you use to find the
equation of a tangent line to a curve at an indicated
point:
1) Find the first derivative of f(x).
2) Plug x value of the indicated point into f '(x) to find the slope at x.
3) Plug x value into f(x) to find the y coordinate of the tangent
point.
4) Combine the slope from step 2 and point from step 3 using the
point-slope formula to find the equation for the tangent line.
• 5) Graph your results to see if they are reasonable.
• Find the tangent line to f(x)=15−2 at x=1.
• To find the equation of a line you need a point and a slope.
• The slope of the tangent line is the value of the derivative at the point
of tangency.
• The normal line is a line that is perpendicular to the tangent line and
passes through the point of tangency.
• Dy/dx= -4x
• For x=1, gradient(m) of the tangent line to be -4
• For x=1 , y= 15-2(1)(1) =13
• Y-y1/x-x1 = m
• Y-13=x-1(-4)
• Y-13 = -4x +4
• Y = -4x +17 , the equation of the tangent line
• The gradient of the normal line is ¼
• Y-13 = ¼(x-1)
• Y= 1/4x – 1/4 + 13
• Y= 1/4x + 12
 Suppose f(x)=. Find the equation of the tangent line at the point where
x=2

.Step 1
Find the point of tangency. Since x=2, , we evaluate f(2)
.
f(2)==8 ie The point is (2,8)
.
Step 2
Find the value of the derivative at x=2
. f′(x)=3⟶f′(2)=3()=12 ie The slope of the tangent line is m=12
.
Step 3
Find the point-slope form of the line with slope m=12
through the point (2,8)
.y−y1= m(x−x1
y−8 =12(x−2)
Answer : y−8=12(x−2) ie y= 12x -24+8
. Example 2

Suppose f(x)=− x, . Find the equation of the tangent line with slope m=−3.
Step 1
Find the derivative.
f′(x)=2x−1
Step 2
Find the x-value where f′(x)
equals the slope.
f′(x) = 2x−1= - 3
2x = −2
x = −1
Step 3
Find the point on the function where x=−1.
f(−1)=(−1)2−(−1)=1+1=2 ie The point is (−1,2)

Answer : y−2=−3(x+1)
.
Tangent Lines to Implicit Curves

Example 3
Suppose +=16, . Find the equation of the tangent line at x=2 for y>0.
Step 1
Find the y-value of the point of tangency.
+
+ = 16
= 16-4 =12
y =± √ 4⋅3 = ±2 √ 3
Since the problem states we are interested in y>0, we use y=2√3.
The point of tangency is (2,2√3)
. Step 2
Find the equation for dy/dx
Since the equation is implicitly defined, we use implicit differentiation.
2x+2ydy/dx = 0
Dy/dx = -2x/2y
Dydx = −x/y
.
Step 3
Find the slope of the tangent line at the point of tangency. At the point
(2,2 √ 3)
, the slope of the tangent line is
Dy/dx(2,2 √ 3)=−2/2 √ 3=−1/ √ 3
= –√3/3
The slope of the tangent line is m=− √ 3/3
Step 4
the equation of the tangent line through (2,2 √ 3)with a slope of m=− √ 3/3.
The equation of the tangent line is
y−2 √ 3 =− √ 3/3(x−2)

Y = -√ 3/3x + 2√ 3/3 + 2√ 3
 Normal Lines

• Suppose we have a a tangent line to a function. The function and the tangent line intersect
at the point of tangency. The line through that same point that is perpendicular to the
tangent line is called a normal line.
• Recall that when two lines are perpendicular, their slopes are negative reciprocals. Since
the slope of the tangent line is m = f′(x), the slope of the normal line is m =−1/f′(x).
 EXERCISE

• Find the equation of the tangent line and the normal line to the graph of the
function y=at the point where x = 2.
• Find the equation of the tangent line and the normal line to the graph of the
function y =
DIGRESSION

• Differentiate the following exponential and natural log. functions:

1)
dy/dx=
2) f(x) = ln(+2x)
• Dy/dx= *f’(x) = =

• dy/dx = + (using the product rule)