11:

The Rule for Differentiation

The Rule for Differentiation

The Gradient of a Straight Line
The gradient of a straight line is given by

y 2 y1
m
x 2 x1
where ( x1 , y1 )

and ( x 2 , y 2 )

are points on the line

The Rule for Differentiation

e.g. Find the gradient of the line joining the
points with coordinates ( 1, 1 ) and ( 3, 7 )
Solution:

y 2 y1
m
x 2 x1

7 1 6
m
3
31 2
difference in the
y-values

( 3, 7 )x
7-1=6

( 1, 1 )x

3-1=2
difference in the
x-values

The Rule for Differentiation

The gradient of a straight line is given by

the difference in the

m
the difference in the

y - values
x values

We use this idea to get the gradient at a point on a

curve
Gradients are important as they measure the rate
of change of one variable with another. For the
graphs in this section, the gradient measures how y
changes with x

This branch of Mathematics is called

Calculus

The Rule for Differentiation

The Gradient at a point on a Curve
Definition: The gradient of a point on a curve equals
the gradient of the tangent at that point.
e.g.

y x2

12

(2, 4)x

3
Tangent at (2, 4)
The gradient of the tangent at (2, 4) is m
So, the gradient of the curve at (2, 4) is 4

12
3

The Rule for Differentiation

The gradient changes as we move along a curve
e.g.

y x2

m 6

The Rule for Differentiation

y x2

m 4

The Rule for Differentiation

y x2

m 2

The Rule for Differentiation

y x2

m0

The Rule for Differentiation

y x2

m2

The Rule for Differentiation

y x2

m4

The Rule for Differentiation

y x2

m6

The Rule for Differentiation

For the curve y x 2 we have the following gradients:
Point on the curve

Gradient

6
(2, 4)
4
(1, 1)
2
At every point,
( 0, 0the
) gradient is 0twice the x-value
( 1, 1)
2
( 2, 4)
4
( 3, 9)
6
(3, 9)

The Rule for Differentiation

For the curve y x 2 we have the following gradients:
Point on the curve

( 3, 9)

Gradient

6
( 2, 4)
4
( 1, 1)
2
At every point,
( 0, 0the
) gradient is 0twice the x-value
( 1, 1)
2
( 2, 4)
4
( 3, 9 )
6

The Rule for Differentiation

At every point on y x 2 the gradient is twice
the x-value
This rule can be written as

dy
2x
dx

The notation comes from the idea of the gradient

of a line being
the d ifference in the y -values
the d ifference in the x - values

The Rule for Differentiation

At every point on y x 2 the gradient is twice
the x-value
This rule can be written as

dy
2x
dx

The notation comes from the idea of the gradient

of a line being
the d ifference in the y -values
the d ifference in the x - values

dy
is read as dy by dx
dx
The function giving the gradient of a curve is called
the gradient function

The Rule for Differentiation

Other curves and their gradient functions

dy
yx
3x 2
dx
dy
3 a curve of
4
The rule for the
gradient
function
4xof
yx
dydx
the form
n
nx n 1
y x is
dx dy 5x 4
5
y

power to the front and

dx multiply
3

subtract 1 from the power

Although this rule wont be proved, we can illustrate

it fory x 3
by sketching the gradients at points on
the curve

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x

Gradient of

y x3

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x
(2, 12) x

Gradient of

y x3

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x
(2, 12) x
(1, 3)

Gradient of

y x3

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x
(2, 12) x
(1, 3)

(0,0)

Gradient of

y x3

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x
(2, 12) x
(1, 3)

(0,0)

Gradient of

(1, 3)

y x3

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x
(2, 12) x
(1, 3)

x
x

(0,0)

Gradient of

(1, 3)

y x3

( 2, 12)

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x

(2, 12) x
(1, 3)

x
x

(0,0)

Gradient of

(1, 3)

y x3

( 2, 12)

( 3, 27 )

The Rule for Differentiation

y x3

dy
dx

(3, 27) x
(2, 12) x
(1, 3)

x
x
x

(0,0)

dy
3x 2
dx

(1, 3)

( 2, 12)

( 3, 27 )

The Rule for Differentiation

The gradients of the functions y x and y 1
can also be found by the rule but as they
represent straight lines we already know their
gradients

y 1

yx
gradient = 1

gradient = 0

The Rule for Differentiation

Summary of Gradient Functions:

y
1
x

dy
dx
0

x2

1
2x

x3

3x 2

4x 3

5x

The Rule for Differentiation

The Gradient Function and Gradient at a Point
e.g.1 Find the gradient of the curve y x
point (2, 12).
Solution:

y x3

dy
3x 2
dx

dy
At x = 2, the gradient m
3( 2) 2
dx
12

at the

The Rule for Differentiation

Exercises
1. Find the gradient of the curve y x 4 at the
point where x 1

dy
4x 3
dx

Solution:

At x = - 1, m = -4

2. Find the gradient of the curve y x 3 at the

1 1
point
,
2 8

Solution:

dy
3x 2 At x
dx

1
2

, m 3

1 2
2

3
4

The Rule for Differentiation

The process of finding the gradient function is

called differentiation.
The gradient function is called the derivative.
The rule for differentiating can be extended to
curves of the form
where a is a constant.

y ax n

The Rule for Differentiation

More Gradient Functions
3

e.g. Multiplying y x by 2 multiplies the gradient by 2

yx

tangent at x = 1

gradient = 3

The Rule for Differentiation

3

e.g. Multiplying y x by 2 multiplies the gradient by 2

y 2x 3
tangent at x = 1

gradient = 6

yx

tangent at x = 1

gradient = 3

The Rule for Differentiation

Multiplying x n by a constant, multiplies
the gradient by that constant
e.g.

y 2x

dy
2 3x2
dx

6x 2

The Rule for Differentiation

The rule can also be used for sums and differences

of terms.

1 3
2
y

5
x
7x 3
e.g.
2
1
dy
2

3
x

5 2x 7
2
dx
3 2
x 10 x 7
2

The Rule for Differentiation

Using Gradient Functions
e.g. Find the gradient at the point where x = 1 on
the curve
3

y 3x 2x x 4

Solution:
Differentiating to find the gradient function:

dy
9x2 4x 1
dx
2

When x = 1, gradient m = 9(1) 4(1) 1

m 12

The Rule for Differentiation

SUMMARY
The gradient at a point on a curve is defined as
the gradient of the tangent at that point
The function that gives the gradient of a curve
at any point is called the gradient function
The process of finding the gradient function is
called differentiating
The rule for differentiating terms of the form

y ax

is

dy
anx n1
dx

power to the front and multiply

subtract 1 from the power

The Rule for Differentiation

Exercises

Find the gradients at the given points on

the following curves:
1.

y 2 x 3 5 x 2 7 x 3 at the point ( 1, 1)
dy
6 x 2 10 x 7 When x 1, m 3
dx

2.

y 4 x 3 x 2 x 4 at the point ( 1, 5)
dy
12 x 2 6 x 2 When x 1, m 4
dx

3.

y 12 x 2 2 x 1 at the point ( 2, 1)
dy
When x 2, m 0
x2
dx

The Rule for Differentiation

Exercises

Find the gradients at the given points on

the following curves:
4. y ( x 2)( x 4)

at ( 1, 9)

( Multiply out the brackets before using the rule )

dy
2x 2
y x 2x 8
dx
2

x3 2x
5. y
x

at

When x 1 , m 0

( 2, 2 )

(Divide out before using the rule )

x3 2x
y

x
x

When

dy
2x
y x 2
dx
x2 m4
2

The Rule for Differentiation

The Rule for Differentiation

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The Rule for Differentiation

SUMMARY
The gradient at a point on a curve is defined as
the gradient of the tangent at that point
The function that gives the gradient of a curve
at any point is called the gradient function
The process of finding the gradient function is
called differentiating
The rule for differentiating terms of the form

y ax

is

dy
anx n1
dx

power to the front and multiply

subtract 1 from the power

The Rule for Differentiation

e.g.

y 2x

dy
2 3x2
dx

6x 2
1 3
2
y

5
x
7x 3
e.g.
2
1
dy

3x2 5 2x 7
2
dx
3 2
x 10 x 7
2

The Rule for Differentiation

Using Gradient Functions
e.g. Find the gradient at the point where x = 1 on
the curve
3

y 3x 2x x 4

Solution:
Differentiating to find the gradient function:

dy
9x2 4x 1
dx
When x = 1, gradient m = 9(1) 2 4(1) 1

m 12