Derivatives

Definition. Let y = f(x) be a function. The derivative

of f is the function whose value at x is the limit
f’(x) = lim f(x+h) – f(x)
h  h
provided this limit exists.
If this limit exists for each x in an open interval I,
then we say that f is differentiable on I.
 Definition
Example: f(x) = x2 + 2x + 8
f(x+h) – f(x) [(x+h)2 + 2(x+h)+8]-[x2 + 2x+8]
lim
h0 h = lim
h0 h

= lim [(x2+2xh+h2)+2x+2h+8]-[x2+2x+8]
h0 h

[2xh + h2 + 2h]
= limh0 h
= limh0
2x + h + 2

= 2x + 2
 Definition
Example: f(x) = x2 + 9x + 1
f(x+h) – f(x) [(x+h)2 + 9(x+h)+1]-[x2 + 9x + 1]
lim
h0 h = lim
h0 h

= lim [(x2+2xh+h2)+9x+9h+1]-[x2+9x+1]
h0 h

[2xh + h2 + 9h]
= limh0 h
= limh0
2x + h + 9

= 2x + 9
 One-sided Derivative
Definition. Let y = f(x) be a function and let a be in
the domain of f. The right-hand derivative of f at
x = a is the limit
f’+(x) =lim f(a+h)h – f(a)
h +

and the left-hand derivative of f at x = a is the limit

f’-(x) = lim f(a+h)h – f(a)

h -
 Definition
The function f is differentiable on the interval I if
•when I has a right-hand endpoint a, then the left-
hand derivative of f exists at x = a,
•when I has a left-hand endpoint b, then the right-
hand derivative of f exists at x = b, and
•f is differentiable at all other points of I.
 Definition
Example: Calculate the derivative of f(x) = |x| at
x = 0.
f(0+h) – f(0) 0+h – 
lim
h  0+ h = limh0
+ h
h
= lim
h0 h
+ = 1 Since h>0
f(0+h) – f(0) 0+h – 
lim
h  0- h = lim
h0
- h
h
= lim
h0 h
- = -1 Since h<0
 Definition
2

f(x) = |x|
1.5

Since the right-hand and the

0.5
left-hand derivatives are
different, the function f is
not differentiable at x = 0.

-2 -1 1 2
 Notations
If y = f(x), then all of the following are equivalent
notations for the derivative

Dy
f’(x) = y’ = df dy = d (f(x)) = Df(x) =
dx = dx dx lim
Dx  0+ Dx
 Notations
If y = f(x), all of the following are equivalent
notations for the derivative evaluated at x = a

f’(a) = y’|x=a = df = dy d (f(a)) = Df(a)

|
dx x=a dx |x=a
= dx
 Interpretations
If y = f(x), then m = f’(a) is the slope of the tangent
line to y = f(x) at x=a and the equation of the
tangent line is given by y=f(a)+f’(a)(x-a)

Example: let f(x) = x2

f’(x) = 2x
Then 2 = f’(1) is the slope of the tangent line to x2 at
x=1 and the equation of the tangent line is given
by y=1+2(x-1) y=2x - 1
 Interpretations
Suppose we want to find the equation of the line
tangent to x2 when a = 1.5. Then 3 = f’(1.5) is the
slope of the tangent line at x=1.5 and the
equation of the tangent line is given by
y=f(1.5)+ f’(1.5)(x-1.5) y = (1.5)2 + f’(1.5)(x-
1.5)
y = 2.25 + 3(x-1.5)
y = 2.25 + 3x - 4.5
y = 3x - 2.25
 Interpretations
4
f(x) = x2
f(x) = 3x - 2.25
3
f(x) = 2x-1

0.5 1 1.5 2
 Interpretations
If f’(a) is the instantaneous rate of change of f(x) at
x=a

If f’(x) is the position of an object at time x, then

f’(a) is the velocity of the object at x=a
Properties and Formulas
d (xn) = nxn-1 (cf)’ = cf’(x) for any constant c
dx
Example: f(x) = x2 f’(x) = 2x
f(x) = 2x3 f’(x) = 6x2
f(x) = x f’(x) = 1
f(x) = 4x-1 f’(x) = - 4x-2
f(x) = x¾ f’(x) = (¾)x -¼
f(x) = 2x½ f’(x) = x -½
Properties and Formulas
d (c) = 0 (f + g)’ = f’(x) + g’(x)
dx
Example: f(x) = x2 + 2x + 8
f’(x) = 2x + 2
g(x) = x2 + 9x + 1
g’(x) = 2x + 9
Properties and Formulas
(f g)’ = f’(x)g(x) + g’(x)f(x)

Example: f(x) = x2 (2x2 + 4x + 2)

f’(x) = 2x (2x2 + 4x + 2) + (4x + 4) x2
= (4x3 + 8x2 + 4x) + (4x3 + 4x2)
= 8x3 + 12x2 + 4x
Properties and Formulas
Example: f(x) = (x+2)(4x3 + 3x + 1)
f’(x) = 1(4x3 + 3x + 1) + (12x2 + 3) (x + 2)
= 4x3 + 3x + 1 + (12x3 + 3x + 24x2 + 6)
= 16x3 + 24x2 + 6x + 7
Properties and Formulas
Example: f(x) = (x3+1)(2x3 + 5x2 + 9)
f’(x) = (3x2)(2x3+5x2+9)+(6x2+10x)(x3+1)
= 6x5+15x4+27x2+6x5+10x4+6x2+10x
= 12x5+25x4+ 33x2+10x
Properties and Formulas
f = f’g – g’f
( g )’ g2
Example: f(x) = x+1
x2
1(x2) – 2(x)(x+1)
f’(x) = x4
x2 – 2x2-2x
= x4
– x2-2x – x-2 –1 2
= x4 = x3 = x2 - x3
Properties and Formulas
x2 - 2x - 8
Example: f(x) = x+1
(2x-2)(x+1) – 1(x2 - 2x – 8)
f’(x) = (x + 1)2
2x2 - 2x + 2x - 2 - x2 + 2x + 8
= x2 + 2x + 1
x2 - 2x + 6
= x2 + 2x + 1

(2x - 2) (x2 - 2x – 8)
= (x + 1) - (x + 1)2
Properties and Formulas
x2 + 2x + 1
Example: f(x) = x+1
(2x+2)(x+1) – 1(x2 + 2x + 1)
f’(x) = (x + 1)2
2x2 + 2x + 2x + 2 - x2 - 2x - 1
= x2 + 2x + 1
x2 + 2x + 1
= x2 + 2x + 1
= 1
Properties and Formulas
d (f’(g(x))) = f’(g(x))g’(x)
dx
Example: f(x) = (x3+1)2
f’(x) = 2(x3+1)(3x2)
= 6x5 + 6x2
f(x) = (x3+1) (x3+1)
f’(x) = 3x2(x3+1) + 3x2(x3+1)
= 3x5 + 3x2 + 3x5 + 3x2
Properties and Formulas
Example: f(x) = (x-2)(x3+1)3
f’(x) = (1)(x3+1)3 + 3(x3+1)2(3x2)(x-2)
= (1)(x3+1)3 + 3(x3+1)2(3x2)(x-2)
= x9+3x6+3x3+1+9x9-18x8+18x6-
36x5+ 9x3- 18x2
= 10x9 - 18x8 + 21x6 - 36x5 +12x3
- 18x2 + 1
Properties and Formulas
x+1
Example: f(x) = (x – 2)2
(x – 2)2(1) – 2(x-2)(1)(x+1)
f’(x) = (x - 2)4
x2 - 4x + 4 + 2x2 - 2x - 4
= (x - 2)4
3x2 - 6x
= (x - 2)4
1 2x + 2
= (x - 2)2 - (x - 2)3
Alternative Solutions
For product rule, we could simplify the polynomial
by expanding the factors and then take the derivative

Example: f(x) = x2 (2x2 + 4x + 2)

= 2x4 + 4x3 + 2x2
f’(x) = 8x3 + 12x2 + 4x
Alternative Solutions
Example: f(x) = (x+2)(4x3 + 3x + 1)
= 4x4 + 8x3 + 3x2 + 7x + 2
f’(x) = 16x3 + 24x2 + 6x + 7
Alternative Solutions
Example: f(x) = (x3+1)(2x3 + 5x2 + 9)
= 2x6+5x5+ 9x3+ 2x3+5x2+9
= 2x6+5x5+ 11x3+5x2+9
f’(x) = 12x5+25x4+ 33x2+10x
Alternative Solutions
For quotient rule, recall that fractional functions can
be expressed as a product by taking the negative of
the denominator’s exponent
Example: f(x) = x+1
x2
= (x-2)(x+1)

f’(x) = -2(x-3)(x+1) + (1)(x-2)

= -2x-2-2x-3 + x-2
= -x-2-2x-3
–1 2
= x2 - x3
Alternative Solutions
x2 - 2x - 8
Example: f(x) = x+1
= (x+1)-1 (x2 - 2x – 8)

f’(x) = -1(x+1)-2 (x2-2x-8)+(2x-2)(x+1)-1

(x2 - 2x – 8) (2x - 2)
= - (x + 1)2 + (x + 1)
Alternative Solutions
x+1
Example: f(x) = (x – 2)2
= (x - 2)-2 (x + 1)
= -2(x - 2)-3 (x + 1) + (1) (x - 2)-2
2x + 2 1
= - (x - 2)3 + (x - 2)2
Alternative Solutions
By simplifying, the original polynomial, we will
always arrive at the answer through the simplest
solution
x2 + 2x + 1
Example: f(x) = x+1
= (x+1)(x+1)
x+1
= x+1

f’(x) = 1