Compute the derivative by definition: The four step procedure

Given a function f (x), the definition of f 0 (x), the derivative of f (x), is

provided the limit exists. The derivative function f 0 (x) is sometimes also called a slopepredictor function. The following is a four-step process to compute f 0 (x) by definition.
Input: a function f (x)
Step 1 Write f (x + h) and f (x).
Step 2 Compute f (x + h) f (x). Combine like terms. If h is a common factor of the
terms, factor the expression by removing the common factor h.
f (x + h) f (x)
Step 3 Simply
. As h 0 in the last step, we must cancel the zero factor
h
h in the denominator in Step 3.
f (x + h) f (x)
Step 4 Compute lim
by letting h 0 in the simplified expression.
h0
h

Example 1 Let f (x) = ax2 + bx + c. Compute f 0 (x) by the definition (that is, use the four
step process).
Solution: Step 1, write
f (x+h) = a(x+h)2 +b(x+h)+c = a(x2 +2xh+h2 )+bx+bh+c = ax2 +2axh+ah2 +bx+bh+c.
Step 2: Use algebra to single out the factor h.
f (x+h)f (x) = (ax2 +2axh+ah2 +bx+bh+c)(ax2 +bx+c) = 2axh+ah2 +bh = h(2ax+ah+b).
Step 3: Cancel the zero factor h is the most important thing in this step.
h(2ax + ah + b)
f (x + h) f (x)
=
= 2ax + ah + b.
h
h
Step 4: Let h 0 in the resulted expression in Step 3.
f 0 (x) = lim

h0

f (x + h) f (x)
= lim 2ax + ah + b = 2ax + 0 + b = 2a + b.
h0
h

Example 2 Let f (x) =

1
. Compute f 0 (x) by the definition (that is, use the four step
x+1

Solution: Step 1, write

1
1
=
.
(x + h) + 1
x+h+1

Step 2: Use algebra to single out the factor h.

1
1
(x + 1) (x + h + 1)
h

=
=
.
x+h+1 x+1
(x + h + 1)(x + 1)
(x + h + 1)(x + 1)

Step 3: Cancel the zero factor h is the most important in this step.
f (x + h) f (x)
1
1
1
1
h
1
=

=
=
.
h
h x+h+1 x+1
h (x + h + 1)(x + 1)
(x + h + 1)(x + 1)


Step 4: Let h 0 in the resulted expression in Step 3.

f 0 (x) = lim

Example 3 Let f (x) =

2x + 5. Compute f 0 (x) by the definition (that is, use the four

step process).
Solution: Step 1, write
f (x + h) =

2(x + h) + 5 =

2x + 2h + 5.

Step 2: Use algebra to single out the factor h. Here we need the identity (A + B)(A B) =
A2 B 2 to get rid of the square root so that h can be factored out.
f (x+h)f (x) =

(2x + 2h + 5) (2x + 5)
2h

2x + 2h + 5 2x + 5 =
=
.
2x + 2h + 5 + 2x + 5
2x + 2h + 5 + 2x + 5

Step 3: Cancel the zero factor h is the most important thing in this step.
f (x + h) f (x)
1
2h
2

=
.
=
h
h
2x + 2h + 5 + 2x + 5
2x + 2h + 5 + 2x + 5


Step 4: Let h 0 in the resulted expression in Step 3.

h0

2
2
f (x + h) f (x)
1

=
= lim
=
.
h0
h
2x + 0 + 5 + 2x + 5
2x + 5
2x + 2h + 5 + 2x + 5

Find an equation of the tangent line (using the 4-step procedure to find
slopes)
Given a curve y = f (x) and a point (x0 , y0 ) on it, an equation of the line tangent to
the curve y = f (x) at the point (x0 , y0 ) is
y y0 = f 0 (x0 )(x x0 ),
provided the f 0 (x0 ) exists. (Therefore, f 0 (x0 ) is the slope of the tangent line at (x0 , y0 )).

Example 1 Let f (x) = 4x2 + 5x + 6. Find an equation of the line tangent to the curve
y = f (x) at (1, 15). Compute f 0 (1) by the definition (that is, use the four step process).
Solution: Step 1, write
f (1 + h) = 4(1 + h)2 + 5(1 + h) + 6 = 4(1 + 2h + h2 ) + 5 + 5h + 6 = 15 + 13h + 4h2 .
Step 2: Use algebra to single out the factor h.
f (1 + h) f (1) = (15 + 13h + 4h2 ) 15 = 13h + 4h2 = h(13 + 4h).
Step 3: Cancel the zero factor h is the most important thing in this step.
f (x + h) f (x)
h(13 + 4h)
=
= 13 + 4h.
h
h
Step 4: Let h 0 in the resulted expression in Step 3.
f (x + h) f (x)
= lim 13 + 4h = 13 + 0 = 13.
h0
h0
h

f 0 (x) = lim
Therefore, the answer is

y 15 = 13(x 1).
1
. Find an equation of the line tangent to the curve y = f (x)
x+1
at the point where x = 2. Compute f 0 (2) by the definition (that is, use the four step
Example 2 Let f (x) =

process).
Solution: Step 1, write
f (2 + h) =

1
1
=
.
(2 + h) + 1
2+h+1
3

Step 2: Use algebra to single out the factor h.

1
1
(2 + 1) (2 + h + 1)
h

=
=
.
2+h+1 2+1
(2 + h + 1)(2 + 1)
(3 + h)(3)

Step 3: Cancel the zero factor h is the most important in this step.
1
1
1
1
h
1
f (2 + h) f (2)
=

=
=
.
h
h 3+h 3
h (3 + h)(3)
(3 + h)(3)


Step 4: Let h 0 in the resulted expression in Step 3.

f 0 (x) = lim

Therefore, the slope m = 91 . As y0 = f (2) = 13 , the answer is

Example 3 Let f (x) =

1
1
= (x 2).
3
9

2x + 5. Find an equation of the line tangent to the curve

y = f (x) at the point where x = 2. Compute f 0 (2) by the definition (that is, use the four
step process).
Solution: Step 1, write
f (2 + h) =

2(2 + h) + 5 =

4 + 2h + 5 =

9 + 2h.

Step 2: Use algebra to single out the factor h. Here we need the identity (A + B)(A B) =
A2 B 2 to get rid of the square root so that h can be factored out.
f (x + h) f (x) =

9 + 2h

(9 + 2h) 3
2h
9=
=
.
9 + 2h + 3
9 + 2h + 3

Step 3: Cancel the zero factor h is the most important thing in this step.
f (x + h) f (x)
2
1
2h

.
=
=
h
h
9 + 2h + 3
9 + 2h + 3


Step 4: Let h 0 in the resulted expression in Step 3.

f 0 (x) = lim

Therefore, the slope m = 13 . As y0 = f (2) = 3, the answer is

2
be given.
x1
(a) Use definition of the derivative to find f 0 (x).
Example 4: Let f (x) =

(b) Find an equation of the line tangent to the curve y = f (x) at the point where x = 3.
Solution: (a) Step 1: Compute
f (x + h) =

2
2
=
.
(x + h) 1
x+h1

Step 2: Compute the difference f (x + h) f (x). (We must have h as a common factor in
the result).
2
2
x1
x+h1

=2
2
x+h1 x1
(x 1)(x + h 1)
(x 1)(x + h 1)
(x 1) (x + h 1)
h
= 2
=2
.
(x 1)(x + h 1)
(x 1)(x + h 1)

f (x + h) f (x) =

Step 3: Use the result in Step 2 to form and simplify the ratio (the denomination h must
be cancelled with the numerator h).
f (x + h) f (x)
h
1
1
=2
=2
.
h
(x 1)(x + h 1) h
(x 1)(x + h 1)
Step 4: Find the answer by letting h 0:
f (x + h) f (x)
1
1
2
= lim 2
=2
=
.
h0
h0 (x 1)(x + h 1)
h
(x 1)(x + 0 1)
(x 1)2

f 0 (x) = lim

(b) First compute f (3) = 2/(3 1) = 1. At the point (3, 1), the slope of tangent line is
f 0 (3) = (2)/(3 1)2 = 1/2. Therefore an equation of the tangent line is
y1=

1
(x 3).
2

1
be given.
x+2
(a) Use definition of the derivative to find f 0 (x).
Example 5: Let f (x) =

(b) Find an equation of the line tangent to the curve y = f (x) at the point where x = 1.
Solution: (a) Step 1: Compute
1
1
.
=
(x + h) + 2
x+h+2

f (x + h) = p

Step 2: Compute the difference f (x + h) f (x). (We must have h as a common factor in
the result). We shall utilizes the formula (A + B)(A B) = A2 B 2 (which, as we have
seen, is a useful tool to deal with square roots).
f (x + h) f (x) =
=
=
=

1
x+2
x+h+2
1

x+2
x+h+2
x+h+2 x+2
x+h+2 x+2

x+2 x+h+2
x+2 x+h+2 x+2+ x+h+2

=
x+h+2 x+2
x+h+2 x+2
x+2+ x+h+2
(x + 2) (x + h + 2)

x + h + 2 x + 2( x + 2 + x + h + 2)
h

x + h + 2 x + 2( x + 2 + x + h + 2)

Step 3: Use the result in Step 2 to form and simplify the ratio (the denomination h must
be cancelled with the numerator h).
f (x + h) f (x)
h

=
=

1
h

h x + h + 2 x + 2( x + 2 + x + h + 2)
1

.
x + h + 2 x + 2( x + 2 + x + h + 2)

Step 4: Find the answer by letting h 0:

lim

h0

f (x + h) f (x)
h

h0
x + h + 2 x + 2( x + 2 + x + h + 2)
1
1

=
.
=
x + 0 + 2 x + 2( x + 2 + x + 0 + 2)
2(x + 2) x + 2
=

lim

1
= 1. At the point (1, 1), the slope of tangent line
(1) + 2
1
1

is f 0 (1) =
=
. Therefore an equation of the tangent line is
2
2(1 + 2) 1 + 2
(b) First compute f (1) = p

y1=

1
(x (1)).
2