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2.1 Derivative of a Function by Definition / Increment Method

Definition:

The deriv ative of a function f given by y = f(x) w ith respect to x at any x in its
domain is giv en by

dy y f(x  x)  f(x)

 lim  lim provided that the limit exists.
dx x 0 x x  0 x

Other symbols for derivatives:

d d
yI Dx y (y) f I (x) f(x)
dx dx

Illustration:
y1  fx1 P1x 1 , y1

y  f x 
Px , y 

x
x 1  x  x

Consider the P(x, y) be a fixed point and take another point say P1(x 1, y1) . Draw a

secant line from P(x, y) to P1(x 1, y1). Hence, the slope of the secant line is equal to

y y1  y
m PP1   but y1  fx1  , y  fx  & x1  x  x
x x 1  x

fx 1   fx 

x  x  x
fx  x   fx 
 but as x approaches to 0, P1 approaches P
x
along the curve. So, the secant line P to P 1 approaches a limit. Thus, the limit is defined
as slope of the tangent line at a point P(x, y) and also called as the derivative of y with
respect to x. That is,
f(x  x)  f(x) dy
m PP1  lim 
x 0 x dx

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The 4 – Step Rule in finding the derivative of a function

A. If f(x) = a function of x

1. Replace x w ith (x  x)and f(x) with f(x  x) in the given equation.

2. Subtract f(x) from f(x  x) and the value of f(x) {or the given equation} in the

other side of the equation.

3. Div ide both sides of the equation by x .

4. Take the limit as x approaches to 0.

B. If y = f(x)

1. Replace y by y  y and x by x  x .

2. Subtract y from y  y and the v alue of y {or the given equation} in the other
side of the equation.

3. Div ide both sides of the equation by x .

4. Take the limit as x approaches to 0.

2.2 Derivative of a Function by Formula / Rules for Differentiation

d
1. The Constant Rule (c)  0
dx
d
2. The Identity Function Rule (x)  1
dx
d du
3. The Constant & a Function Rule (cu)  c
dx dx
d du dv
4. The Sum / Difference Rule (u  v)   or d(u  v)  du  dv
dx dx dx
d du dv
(u  v)   or d(u  v)  du  dv
dx dx dx
d dv du
5. The Product Rule (uv)  u v or d(uv)  udv  vdu
dx dx dx
du dv
v u
d u  u  v du  udv
6. The Quotient Rule    dx 2 dx or d  
dx  v  v v v2

d n du
7. The Power Rule / Formula (u )  nun1 or d(un )  nun1du
dx dx

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2.3 Higher Derivatives

Let y = f(x) be a differentiable function of x and let its derivative be called the first
derivative of the function. Suppose we will continue the process that is we will
differentiate the first derivative, its derivative is called second derivative. And so, the
derivative of the second derivative is called the third derivative. And so on. These
resulting derivatives are referred as Higher Derivatives.

Symbolically we have,

Derivatives Process Other Symbols Other Name

d dy
First (y)  yI y prime
dx dx
d  dy  d2 y y double
Second   y II
dx  dx  dx 2 prime

d  d2 y  d3 y
Third   y III y triple prime
dx  dx 2  dx 3
d  d3 y  d4 y y to the 4t h
Fourth   y (4 )
dx  dx 3  dx 4 derivative
   
d  d y  dn y
n1
y to the nt h
Nth   y (n)
dx  dx n1  dx n derivative

Note: (1) If y = xn w here n is any positive integer then y(n) = n!

(2) I f the required deriv ative is the same as the highest exponent (degree)
of the given polynomial then the resulting derivative is the numerical
coefficient of the polynomial of the highest exponent multiply by n!.

(3) If the required deriv ative is greater than the highest exponent (degree)
of the given polynomial then the resulting derivative is 0.

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2.4 Implicit Differentiation

In the previous discussion, the equation y  f(x) is defined explicitly in terms of x

or y is said to be an explicit function of x.

For example,

x
y  5x 4  3x 3  2x  1 y  (5x 2  7)3 (5x 4  6)2 y
4x
But not all functions are defined explicitly and it is not easily solved for y in terms
of x nor x in terms of y. Such function is defined implicitly.

An implicit function between x and y is defined as F(x, y) = c, w here c is any

constant, in w hich the dependent variable y is not written explicitly in terms of the
independent v ariable x.
For example,

x 2  xy  y 2  7 x 2  y 2  2xy  0 x  y a

Let F(x, y) = c, w here c is any constant, then we can get the derivative of
F(x, y) = c by implicit differentiation.

Finding yI or dy/dx of an implicit function:

1. Differentiate both sides of the equation w ith respect to x.

dy
2. Solv e for or yI algebraically.
dx

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2.5 Differentiation of Chain Rule, Inverse and Parametric Functions

Chain Rule

If y is a differentiable function of u defined by y = f(u) and if u is a differentiable

function of x defined by u = g(x), then y is a differentiable function of x.

Or equivalently, if y = f(u) and u = g(x) then the derivative of y with respect to x is

equal to the product of derivative of y with respect to u and the derivative of u with
respect to x . That is,

dy dy du
 
dx du dx

Inverse Function Rule

If x is a differentiable function of y given by x = f(y) then its inverse function given

by y = f(x) where y is differentiable function of x.

Or equivalently, if x = f(y) then the deriv ative of y w ith respect to x is equal to the
inv erse or reciprocal of deriv ative of x with respect to y. That is,

dy 1 dx
 , w here 0
dx dx dy
dy

Parametric Function Rule

If y is a differentiable function of u defined by y = f(u) and if x is a differentiable

function of u defined by x = g(u) or both x & y are differentiable function of u, then y is
a differentiable function of x.

Or equivalently, if y = f(u) and x = g(u) then the derivative of y with respect to x is

equal to the quotient of derivative of y w ith respect to u and the derivative of x with
respect to u . That is,
dy
dy du dx
 , w here 0
dx dx du
du

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2.6 Higher Derivatives of Parametric Equations

Steps in finding the second derivative of parametric equations:

Consider y = f(u) and x = f(u), w here u is the parameter.

1. Find the first derivative of y with respect to x (w hich is equal to the quotient of
derivative of y with respect to u and the derivative of x with respect to u. )
That is,
dy
dy du dx
 , w here 0
dx dx du
du

2. Again, differentiate the result with respect to the parameter.

That is,

d  dy 
 
du  dx 

d2 y
3. To obtain the second derivative, , multiply the result from step 2 by the
dx 2
dx
reciprocal of .
du
That is,

d2 y 1  d  dy 
  
dx 2
dx  du  dx 
du