Derivatives of Logarithmic Functions
Derivatives of Logarithmic Functions
So far, we have learned how to differentiate a variety of functions, including trigonometric, inverse, and implicit functions.
In this section, we explore derivatives of exponential and logarithmic functions. As we discussed in Introduction to
Functions and Graphs, exponential functions play an important role in modeling population growth and the decay
of radioactive materials. Logarithmic functions can help rescale large quantities and are particularly helpful for rewriting
complicated expressions.
4 3 < 4 π < 4 4, 4 3.1 < 4 π < 4 3.2, 4 3.14 < 4 π < 4 3.15,
4 3.141 < 4 π < 4 3.142, 4 3.1415 < 4 π < 4 3.1416 ,….
x 4x x 4x
43 64 4 3.141593 77.8802710486
We also assume that for B(x) = b x, b > 0, the value B′ (0) of the derivative exists. In this section, we show that by
making this one additional assumption, it is possible to prove that the function B(x) is differentiable everywhere.
We make one final assumption: that there is a unique value of b > 0 for which B′ (0) = 1. We define e to be this
unique value, as we did in Introduction to Functions and Graphs. Figure 3.33 provides graphs of the functions
y = 2 x, y = 3 x, y = 2.7 x, and y = 2.8 x. A visual estimate of the slopes of the tangent lines to these functions at 0
provides evidence that the value of e lies somewhere between 2.7 and 2.8. The function E(x) = e x is called the natural
exponential function. Its inverse, L(x) = log e x = ln x is called the natural logarithmic function.
324 Chapter 3 | Derivatives
For a better estimate of e, we may construct a table of estimates of B′ (0) for functions of the form B(x) = b x. Before
doing this, recall that
x x x
B′ (0) = lim b − b = lim b x− 1 ≈ b x− 1
0
x→0 x−0 x→0
for values of x very close to zero. For our estimates, we choose x = 0.00001 and x = −0.00001 to obtain the estimate
b b −0.00001 − 1 < B′ (0) < b 0.00001 − 1 b b −0.00001 − 1 < B′ (0) < b 0.00001 − 1
−0.00001 0.00001 −0.00001 0.00001
2 0.693145 < B′ (0) < 0.69315 2.7183 1.000002 < B′ (0) < 1.000012
2.7 0.993247 < B′ (0) < 0.993257 2.719 1.000259 < B′ (0) < 1.000269
2.71 0.996944 < B′ (0) < 0.996954 2.72 1.000627 < B′ (0) < 1.000637
2.718 0.999891 < B′ (0) < 0.999901 2.8 1.029614 < B′ (0) < 1.029625
2.7182 0.999965 < B′ (0) < 0.999975 3 1.098606 < B′ (0) < 1.098618
The evidence from the table suggests that 2.7182 < e < 2.7183.
The graph of E(x) = e x together with the line y = x + 1 are shown in Figure 3.34. This line is tangent to the graph of
E(x) = e x at x = 0.
Now that we have laid out our basic assumptions, we begin our investigation by exploring the derivative of
B(x) = b x, b > 0. Recall that we have assumed that B′ (0) exists. By applying the limit definition to the derivative we
conclude that
0+h
B′ (0) = lim b − b 0 = lim b h − 1 . (3.28)
h→0 h h→0 h
x+h
B′ (x) = lim b − bx Apply the limit definition of the derivative.
h→0 h
x h x
= lim b b − b Note that b x + h = b x b h.
h→0 h
b x(b h − 1)
= lim Factor out b x.
h→0 h
h
= b x lim b − 1 Apply a property of limits.
h→0 h
0+h
= b x B′ (0) Use B′ (0) = lim b − b 0 = lim b h − 1 .
h→0 h h→0 h
We see that on the basis of the assumption that B(x) = b x is differentiable at 0, B(x) is not only differentiable everywhere,
but its derivative is
B′ (x) = b x B′ (0). (3.29)
For E(x) = e x, E′ (0) = 1. Thus, we have E′ (x) = e x. (The value of B′ (0) for an arbitrary function of the form
B(x) = b x, b > 0, will be derived later.)
E′ (x) = e x.
In general,
d ⎛e g(x)⎞ = e g(x) g′ (x).
dx ⎝ ⎠
Example 3.74
tan(2x)
Find the derivative of f (x) = e .
Solution
Using the derivative formula and the chain rule,
f ′ (x) = e
tan(2x) d ⎛⎝tan(2x)⎞⎠
dx
tan(2x)
=e sec 2 (2x) · 2.
Example 3.75
x 2
Find the derivative of y = ex .
Solution
Use the derivative of the natural exponential function, the quotient rule, and the chain rule.
⎛ x2 ⎞ x2
⎝e · 2⎠x · x − 1 · e
y′ = Apply the quotient rule.
x2
e x ⎛⎝2x 2 − 1⎞⎠
2
= Simplify.
x2
Example 3.76
A colony of mosquitoes has an initial population of 1000. After t days, the population is given by
A(t) = 1000e 0.3t. Show that the ratio of the rate of change of the population, A′ (t), to the population, A(t) is
constant.
Solution
First find A′ (t). By using the chain rule, we have A′ (t) = 300e 0.3t. Thus, the ratio of the rate of change of the
population to the population is given by
0.3t
A′ (t) = 300e 0.3t = 0.3.
1000e
The ratio of the rate of change of the population to the population is the constant 0.3.
3.51 If A(t) = 1000e 0.3t describes the mosquito population after t days, as in the preceding example, what
is the rate of change of A(t) after 4 days?
dy 1 (3.30)
= .
dx x
328 Chapter 3 | Derivatives
More generally, let g(x) be a differentiable function. For all values of x for which g′ (x) > 0, the derivative of
h(x) = ln ⎛⎝g(x)⎞⎠ is given by
Proof
If x > 0 and y = ln x, then e y = x. Differentiating both sides of this equation results in the equation
dy
ey = 1.
dx
dy
Solving for yields
dx
dy
= 1.
dx e y
Finally, we substitute x = e y to obtain
dy 1
= .
dx x
We may also derive this result by applying the inverse function theorem, as follows. Since y = g(x) = ln x is the inverse
of f (x) = e x, by applying the inverse function theorem we have
dy
= ⎛ 1 ⎞ = ln 1 = 1.
dx f ′ ⎝g(x)⎠ e x x
Using this result and applying the chain rule to h(x) = ln ⎛⎝g(x)⎞⎠ yields
h′ (x) = 1 g′ (x).
g(x)
□
dy 1
The graph of y = ln x and its derivative = are shown in Figure 3.35.
dx x
Example 3.77
Solution
Use Equation 3.31 directly.
Example 3.78
⎛ 2 ⎞
Find the derivative of f (x) = ln x sin x .
⎝ 2x + 1 ⎠
Solution
At first glance, taking this derivative appears rather complicated. However, by using the properties of logarithms
prior to finding the derivative, we can make the problem much simpler.
⎛ 2 ⎞
f (x) = ln ⎝x sin x ⎠ = 2ln x + ln(sin x) − ln(2x + 1) Apply properties of logarithms.
2x + 1
f ′ (x) = 2x + cot x − 2 Apply sum rule and h′ (x) = 1 g′ (x).
2x + 1 g(x)
Now that we can differentiate the natural logarithmic function, we can use this result to find the derivatives of y = log b x
and y = b x for b > 0, b ≠ 1.
dy (3.32)
= 1 .
dx x lnb
More generally, if h(x) = log b ⎛⎝g(x)⎞⎠, then for all values of x for which g(x) > 0,
g′ (x) (3.33)
h′ (x) = .
g(x)lnb
ii. If y = b x, then
330 Chapter 3 | Derivatives
dy (3.34)
= b x lnb.
dx
g(x)
More generally, if h(x) = b , then
g(x) (3.35)
h′ (x) = b g″(x)lnb.
Proof
Example 3.79
x
Find the derivative of h(x) = x3 .
3 +2
Solution
Use the quotient rule and Derivatives of General Exponential and Logarithmic Functions.
3 x ln3(3 x + 2) − 3 x ln3(3 x)
h′ (x) = Apply the quotient rule.
(3 x + 2) 2
x
= 2 ·x3 ln32 Simplify.
(3 + 2)
Example 3.80
Find the slope of the line tangent to the graph of y = log 2 (3x + 1) at x = 1.
Solution
dy
To find the slope, we must evaluate at x = 1. Using Equation 3.33, we see that
dx
dy 3
= .
dx ln2(3x + 1)
By evaluating the derivative at x = 1, we see that the tangent line has slope
dy
dx | x=1
= 3 = 3 .
4ln2 ln16
Logarithmic Differentiation
At this point, we can take derivatives of functions of the form y = ⎛⎝g(x)⎞⎠ n for certain values of n, as well as functions
g(x)
of the form y = b , where b > 0 and b ≠ 1. Unfortunately, we still do not know the derivatives of functions such as
x π
y = x or y = x . These functions require a technique called logarithmic differentiation, which allows us to differentiate
f (x)
any function of the form h(x) = g(x) . It can also be used to convert a very complex differentiation problem into a
simpler one, such as finding the derivative of y = x x2x +3 1 . We outline this technique in the following problem-solving
e sin x
strategy.
dy
3. Differentiate both sides of the equation. On the left we will have 1y .
dx
dy
4. Multiply both sides of the equation by y to solve for .
dx
5. Replace y by h(x).
Example 3.81
tan x
Find the derivative of y = ⎛⎝2x 4 + 1⎞⎠ .
332 Chapter 3 | Derivatives
Solution
Use logarithmic differentiation to find this derivative.
tan x
ln y = ln⎛⎝2x 4 + 1⎞⎠ Step 1. Take the natural logarithm of both sides.
ln y = tan x ln ⎛⎝2x 4 + 1⎞⎠ Step 2. Expand using properties of logarithms.
1 dy = sec 2 x ln ⎛2x 4 + 1⎞ + 8x 3 · tan x Step 3. Differentiate both sides. Use the
y dx ⎝ ⎠
2x 4 + 1 product rule on the right.
dy ⎛ ⎞
= y · sec 2 x ln ⎛⎝2x 4 + 1⎞⎠ + 8x
3
dx ⎝ 4
2x + 1
· tan x
⎠ Step 4. Multiply by y on both sides.
tan x ⎛
dy ⎛ 4
+ 1⎞⎠ sec 2 x ln ⎛⎝2x 4 + 1⎞⎠ + 8x 3 · tan x⎞ Step 5. Substitute y = ⎛⎝2x 4 + 1⎞⎠
tan x
dx
= ⎝2x ⎝ 2x 4 + 1 ⎠ .
Example 3.82
Solution
This problem really makes use of the properties of logarithms and the differentiation rules given in this chapter.
Example 3.83
Solution
The process is the same as in Example 3.82, though with fewer complications.
3.9 EXERCISES
For the following exercises, find f ′ (x) for each function. ln x
y = ⎛⎝x 2 − 1⎞⎠
350.
331. f (x) = x 2 e x
351. y = x cot x
332. f (x) = e −x
x 352. y = x + 11
3
x2 − 4
333. 3 ln x
f (x) = e x
y = x −1/2 ⎛⎝x 2 + 3⎞⎠
353. 2/3
(3x − 4) 4
334. f (x) = e 2x + 2x
336. f (x) = 10 x x = −1. Graph both the function and the tangent line.
ln10
355. [T] Find the equation of the line that is normal to the
337. f (x) = 2 4x + 4x 2 graph of f (x) = x · 5 x at the point where x = 1. Graph
both the function and the normal line.
338. f (x) = 3 sin3x
356. [T] Find the equation of the tangent line to the graph
339. f (x) = x π · π x of x 3 − x ln y + y 3 = 2x + 5 at the point where x = 2.
dy
(Hint: Use implicit differentiation to find .) Graph both
340. f (x) = ln ⎛4x 3 + x⎞ dx
⎝ ⎠
the curve and the tangent line.
342. f (x) = x 2 ln9x a. Determine the points on the graph where the
tangent line is horizontal.
343. f (x) = log(sec x) b. Determine the points on the graph where y′ > 0
and those where y′ < 0.
log 7 ⎛⎝6x 4 3⎞⎠
344. 5
f (x) = +
345. 2−4
f (x) = 2 x · log 3 7 x
346. y = x x
347. y = (sin2x) 4x
348. y = (ln x) ln x
349. log 2 x
y=x
358. The formula I(t) = sint is the formula for a 360. [T] An isotope of the element erbium has a half-life of
t
e approximately 12 hours. Initially there are 9 grams of the
decaying alternating current. isotope present.
a. Complete the following table with the appropriate a. Write the exponential function that relates the
values. amount of substance remaining as a function of t,
measured in hours.
t sint
et b. Use a. to determine the rate at which the substance
is decaying in t hours.
0 (i) c. Use b. to determine the rate of decay at t = 4
hours.
π (ii)
2 361. [T] The number of cases of influenza in New York
City from the beginning of 1960 to the beginning of 1961 is
modeled by the function
π (iii) 2 − 0.87t
N(t) = 5.3e 0.093t , (0 ≤ t ≤ 4),
where N(t) gives the number of cases (in thousands) and
3π (iv)
2 t is measured in years, with t = 0 corresponding to the
beginning of 1960.
0 33,131
10 60,515
20 96,373
30 123,706
40 202,300
50 312,710
60 515,547
70 813,669
364. [T] Using the exponential best fit for the data, write a
table containing the derivatives evaluated at each year.
365. [T] Using the exponential best fit for the data, write a
table containing the second derivatives evaluated at each
year.
CHAPTER 3 REVIEW
KEY TERMS
acceleration is the rate of change of the velocity, that is, the derivative of velocity
amount of change the amount of a function f (x) over an interval ⎡⎣x, x + h⎤⎦ is f (x + h) − f (x)
differentiable on S a function for which f ′(x) exists for each x in the open set S is differentiable on S
logarithmic differentiation is a technique that allows us to differentiate a function by first taking the natural logarithm
of both sides of an equation, applying properties of logarithms to simplify the equation, and differentiating implicitly
marginal cost is the derivative of the cost function, or the approximate cost of producing one more item
marginal profit is the derivative of the cost function, or the approximate profit obtained by producing and selling one
more item
marginal revenue is the derivative of the revenue function, or the approximate revenue obtained by selling one more
item
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