Calculus (1) (Math 105)

4.3 Derivatives of Exponential

and Logarithmic Functions

Page 1 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

4.3 The Derivative of Exponential Functions
▪ Derivative of the Natural Exponential Function

Theorem 1:

For any real number 𝑥,

𝑑
(𝑒 𝑥 ) = 𝑒 𝑥 (1)
𝑑𝑥

▪ Derivative of the Natural Logarithm Function

Since we know the exponential function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑒 𝑥 is differentiable everywhere, we

can apply Theorem in Sec 4.2 to find the derivative of its inverse 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = ln⁡ 𝑥 :

1 1
(𝑓 −1 )′ (𝑥) = = −1 (𝑥)
𝑓 ′ (𝑓 −1 (𝑥)) 𝑒𝑓
1
⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡= ⁡, 𝑥 > 0.
𝑒 ln 𝑥
1
⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡=
𝑥

Theorem 2:

For any positive real number 𝑥,

𝑑 1
(ln 𝑥) = .⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡(2)
𝑑𝑥 𝑥

The Chain Rule extends this formula to positive functions 𝑢(𝑥) :

Theorem 3:

For any positive functions 𝑢(𝑥),

𝑑 1
(ln 𝑢) = 𝑢′ ⁡⁡,⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡𝑢 > 0.⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡(3)
𝑑𝑥 𝑢
𝑑𝑢
Where 𝑢′ =
𝑑𝑥

Page 2 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 1

𝑑
Find [ln(𝑥 2 + 1)].
𝑑𝑥

Solution

Using the derivative of logarithmic function with 𝑢 = 𝑥 2 + 1 we obtain

𝑑 1 𝑑 2 1 2𝑥
[ln⁡(𝑥 2 + 1)] = 2 ⋅ [𝑥 + 1] = 2 ⋅ 2𝑥 = 2
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 + 1 𝑑𝑥 𝑥 +1 𝑥 +1

When possible, the properties of logarithms (See Sec 1.5) should be used to convert
products, quotients, and exponents into sums, differences, and constant multiples
before differentiating a function involving logarithms.

Example 2

𝑑 𝑥 2 sin⁡ 𝑥
Find [ln⁡ ( )]
𝑑𝑥 √1+𝑥

Solution

𝑑 𝑥 2 sin 𝑥 𝑑
[ln ( )] = [ln(𝑥 2 sin 𝑥) − ln(√1 + 𝑥⁡)]
𝑑𝑥 √1 + 𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 2
1
= [ln(𝑥 ) + ln(sin 𝑥) − ln(𝑥 + 1⁡)2 ]
𝑑𝑥

𝑑 1
= [2 ln 𝑥 + ln(sin 𝑥) − ln(1 + 𝑥)]
𝑑𝑥 2

2 cos 𝑥 1
= + −
𝑥 sin 𝑥 2(1 + 𝑥)

2 1
= + cot 𝑥 −
𝑥 2 + 2𝑥

3𝑥 + 4
= cot 𝑥 −
2 + 2𝑥

Page 3 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

In this example, we used the logarithm properties:

(1) ln 𝑥𝑦 = ln 𝑥 + ln 𝑦
𝑥
(2) ln = ln 𝑥 − ln 𝑦
𝑦

(3) ln 𝑥 𝑟 = 𝑟⁡ln 𝑥

Checkpoint 1

Find the derivative.

𝑥−1
(a) 𝑦 = ln(𝑒 𝑥 + 𝑥 3 ) 𝑦 = ln⁡ √
𝑥+1
Answer:
1
(b) 𝑦 ′ =
𝑥 2 −1⁡

Solution

Page 4 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

An important derivative:

• The Figure below shows the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = ln⁡ |𝑥|.

• This function is important because it "extends" the domain of the natural
logarithm function in the sense that the values of ln|𝑥|⁡and ln⁡ 𝑥 are the same for
𝑥 > 0, but ln⁡ |𝑥| is defined for all nonzero values of 𝑥, and ln⁡ 𝑥 is only defined
for positive values of 𝑥.

• The derivative of ln⁡ |𝑥| for 𝑥 ≠ 0 can be obtained by considering the cases

𝑥 > 0 and 𝑥 < 0 separately:

Case 𝑥 > 0.

In this case |𝑥| = 𝑥, so

𝑑 𝑑 1
[ln⁡ |𝑥|] = [ln⁡ 𝑥] =
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑥

Case 𝑥 < 0.

In this case |𝑥| = −𝑥, so it follows that

𝑑 𝑑 1 𝑑 1 1
[ln|𝑥|] = [ln(−𝑥)] = ⋅ [−𝑥] = (−1) =
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 (−𝑥) 𝑑𝑥 (−𝑥) 𝑥

Since the same formula results in both cases, we have shown that

𝑑 1
[ln⁡ |𝑥|] = ⁡ if 𝑥 ≠ 0
𝑑𝑥 𝑥

Page 5 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 3

𝑑
Find (ln|sin 𝑥|).
𝑑𝑥

Solution

𝑑 1 𝑑 cos⁡ 𝑥
[ln⁡ |sin⁡ 𝑥|] = ⋅ [sin⁡ 𝑥] = = cot⁡ 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 sin⁡ 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 sin⁡ 𝑥

Checkpoint 2

(a) Find 𝑦′ if 𝑦 = ln⁡|𝑥 2 − 1|.

(b) Prove that the function 𝑦 = ln⁡ 𝑏𝑥 has the same derivative as the function 𝑦 =
ln⁡ 𝑥 for any constant 𝑏, provided that 𝑏𝑥 > 0.

Solution

Page 6 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 ▪ The Derivatives of 𝑎𝑢 and log 𝑎 ⁡ 𝑢

Derivatives of 𝑎𝑢 :
𝑥)
We start with the equation 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑒 ln⁡(𝑎 = 𝑒 𝑥ln⁡ 𝑎 , 𝑎 > 0, which was seen in Section
1.6:

𝑑 𝑥 𝑑 𝑥ln 𝑎
(𝑎 ) = 𝑒
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑𝑢
= 𝑒 𝑥ln 𝑎 ⋅ (𝑥 ln 𝑎)⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡ ( 𝑒 𝑢 = 𝑒 𝑢 )
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= 𝑎 𝑥 ln⁡ 𝑎. ⁡

Theorem 4:

If 𝑎 > 0, then 𝑎 𝑥 is a differentiable function of 𝑥 and

𝑑 𝑥
𝑎 = 𝑎 𝑥 ln 𝑎 ⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡(4)
𝑑𝑥

Note that

This equation shows why 𝑒 𝑥 is the preferred exponential function in calculus. If 𝑎 = 𝑒,

then ln⁡ 𝑎 = 1 and the derivative of 𝑎 𝑥 simplifies to

𝑑 𝑥
𝑒 = 𝑒 𝑥 ln 𝑒 ⁡ = 𝑒 𝑥
𝑑𝑥

With the Chain Rule, we get a more general form for the derivative of a general
exponential function 𝑎𝑢 .
Theorem 5:

If 𝑎 > 0 and 𝑢 is a differentiable function of 𝑥, then 𝑎𝑢 is a differentiable function of 𝑥 and

𝑑 𝑢 𝑑𝑢
(𝑎 ) = 𝑎𝑢 ln 𝑎 ⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡(5)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Page 7 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 4

Find
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
(a) 3𝑥 (b) 3−𝑥 (c) 3sin⁡ 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Solution

Here are some derivatives of general exponential functions.

𝑑
(a) 3𝑥 = 3𝑥 ln⁡ 3
𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑
(b) 3−𝑥 = 3−𝑥 (ln⁡ 3) (−𝑥) = −3−𝑥 ln⁡ 3
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑
(c) 3sin 𝑥 = 3sin 𝑥 (ln 3) (sin 𝑥) = 3sin 𝑥 (ln 3) cos 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Checkpoint 3

Find the derivative of 𝑦 with respect to the given independent variable.

2
(a) 𝑦 = 5√𝑥 (b) 𝑦 = 2𝑠 (c) 𝑦 = (𝜋 − 1)ln 𝑥⁡⁡

Solution

Page 8 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 Derivatives of log 𝑎 ⁡ 𝑢 :

To find the derivative of log 𝑎 ⁡ 𝑢 for an arbitrary base (𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1), we start with the
change-of-base formula for logarithms (reviewed in Section 1.6) and express log 𝑎 ⁡ 𝑢
in terms of natural logarithms,

ln 𝑥
log 𝑎 𝑥 = .
ln 𝑎

Taking derivatives, we have

𝑑 𝑑 ln⁡ 𝑥
log 𝑎 ⁡ 𝑥 = ( )
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ln⁡ 𝑎
1 𝑑
= ⋅ ln 𝑥 ⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡(ln 𝑎 ⁡ is a constant.)
ln⁡ 𝑎 𝑑𝑥
1 1
= ⋅
ln⁡ 𝑎 𝑥
1
=
𝑥ln⁡ 𝑎

If 𝑢 is a differentiable function of 𝑥 and 𝑢 > 0, the Chain Rule gives a more general
formula.

Theorem 6:

For 𝑎 > 0 and 𝑎 ≠ 1,

𝑑 1 1 𝑑𝑢
log 𝑎 𝑢 = ∙ ∙ ⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡(6)
𝑑𝑥 ln 𝑎 𝑢 𝑑𝑥

Example 5

Find 𝑦′.

𝑥 2 𝑥+1 ln⁡ 3
(a) 𝑦 = log 5 ⁡ 𝑒 (b) 𝑦 = log 4 ⁡ 𝑥 + log 4 ⁡ 𝑥 (c) 𝑦 = log 3 ⁡ (( ) )
𝑥−1

Solution

Page 9 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

(a) 𝑦 = log 5 ⁡ 𝑒 𝑥

1 1 𝑑 𝑥
𝑦′ = (𝑒 )
ln 5⁡⁡⁡ 𝑒 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
1 1 𝑥
= 𝑒
ln 5⁡⁡⁡ 𝑒 𝑥
1
=
ln 5⁡⁡⁡

⁡ (b) 𝑦 = log 4 𝑥 + log 4 𝑥 2

1 1 1 1 𝑑 2
𝑦′ = ∙ + ∙ ∙ (𝑥 )
ln 4 𝑥 ln 4 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
1 1 1
= + ∙ ∙ 2𝑥
𝑥 ln 4 ln 4 𝑥 2
1 2 3
= + =
𝑥 ln 4 𝑥 ln 4 𝑥 ln 4

(c)

𝑥 + 1 ln 3
𝑦 = log 3 (( ) )
𝑥−1

𝑥+1
= (ln 3) log 3 ( )
𝑥−1

= (ln 3)[⁡log 3 (𝑥 + 1) − log 3 (𝑥 − 1)]

Now, we can easily find 𝑦 ′ as follows:

1 1 𝑑 1 1 𝑑
𝑦 ′ = (ln 3) [ ∙ ∙ (𝑥 + 1) − ∙ ∙ (𝑥 − 1)]
ln 3 𝑥 + 1 𝑑𝑥 ln 3 𝑥 − 1 𝑑𝑥

1 1 1 1
= (ln 3) [ ∙ (1) − ∙ (1)]
ln 3 𝑥 + 1 ln 3 𝑥 − 1

1 1 2
= − =
𝑥 + 1 𝑥 − 1 1 − 𝑥2

Page 10 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Checkpoint 4

Find 𝑦′

7𝑥 ln⁡ 5
(a) 𝑦 = 3log 8 ⁡(log 2 ⁡ 𝑡) (b) 𝑦 = 𝜃sin⁡(log 7 ⁡ 𝜃) (c) 𝑦 = log 5 ⁡ √( )
3𝑥+2
Answers:
1 cos(log7 𝜃) 1
(a) 𝑦 ′ = (b) 𝑦 ′ = sin⁡(log 7 𝜃) + (c) 𝑦 ′ =
𝑡(ln⁡ 2)2 log2 ⁡ 𝑡 ln 7 3𝑥 2 +2𝑥

Solution

Page 11 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Logarithmic Differentiation

• The derivatives of positive functions given by formulas that involve products,

quotients, and powers can often be found more quickly if we take the natural
logarithm of both sides before differentiating.
• This enables us to use the laws of logarithms to simplify the formulas before
differentiating.
• The process, called logarithmic differentiation, is illustrated in the next
example.

Example 6

Find 𝑦′ if
1
(𝑥 2 + 1)(𝑥 + 3)2
𝑦= , ⁡𝑥 > 1
𝑥−1

Solution

We take the natural logarithm of both sides and simplify the result with the algebraic

properties of logarithms in Section 1.5:

1
(𝑥 2 + 1)(𝑥 + 3)2
ln⁡ 𝑦 = ln⁡
𝑥−1
1
= ln⁡ ((𝑥 2 + 1)(𝑥 + 3)2 ) − ln⁡(𝑥 − 1)

1
2
= ln⁡(𝑥 + 1) + ln⁡(𝑥 + 3)2 − ln⁡(𝑥 − 1)

1
= ln⁡(𝑥 2 + 1) + ln⁡(𝑥 + 3) − ln⁡(𝑥 − 1).
2

We then take derivatives of both sides with respect to 𝑥, using Equation (3) on the left

Page 12 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 1 1 1 1 1
𝑦′ = 2 ⋅ 2𝑥 + ⋅ − .
𝑦 𝑥 +1 2 𝑥+3 𝑥−1

Next we solve for 𝑦′ :

2𝑥 1 1
𝑦′ = 𝑦 ( + − ).
𝑥 2 + 1 2𝑥 + 6 𝑥 − 1

Finally, we substitute for 𝑦 :

1
(𝑥 2 + 1)(𝑥 + 3)2 2𝑥 1 1
𝑦′ = ( 2 + − ).
𝑥−1 𝑥 + 1 2𝑥 + 6 𝑥 − 1

Checkpoint 5

The derivative of
3
𝑥 2 √7𝑥 − 14
𝑦= .
(1 + 𝑥 2 )4
Answer:
3
𝑑𝑦 𝑥 2 √7𝑥 − 14 2 1 8𝑥
= [ + − ]
𝑑𝑥 (1 + 𝑥 2 )4 𝑥 3𝑥 − 6 1 + 𝑥 2

Solution

Page 13 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 7

Differentiate 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 𝑥 , 𝑥 > 0.

Solution

We note that 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 𝑥 = 𝑒 𝑥ln⁡ 𝑥 , so differentiation gives

𝑑 𝑥ln 𝑥
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = (𝑒 )
𝑑𝑥
𝑑 𝑑
= 𝑒 𝑥ln 𝑥 (𝑥 ln 𝑥)⁡ ⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡(⁡ 𝑒 𝑢 , 𝑢 = 𝑥 ln 𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 4𝑥
1
= 𝑒 xln 𝑥 (ln 𝑥 + 𝑥 ⋅ )
𝑥
𝑥 (ln
=𝑥 𝑥 + 1). 𝑥>0

Checkpoint 6

2
Use logarithmic differentiation to differentiate 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 𝑥 , 𝑥 > 0.

Solution

Page 14 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 Appendix

Page 15 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

The Number 𝑒 Expressed as a Limit

In Section 1.5 we defined the number 𝑒 as the base value for which the exponential
function 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑥 has slope 1 when it crosses the 𝑦-axis at (0,1). Thus 𝑒 is the constant
that satisfies the equation

𝑒ℎ − 1
lim = ln⁡ 𝑒 = 1.
ℎ→0 ℎ

We now prove that 𝑒 can be calculated as a certain limit.

Theorem 7:

The Number 𝑒 as a Limit The number 𝑒 can be calculated as the limit

1
𝑒 = lim (1 + 𝑥)𝑥
𝑥→0

Proof
1
If 𝑓(𝑥) = ln⁡ 𝑥, then 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = , so 𝑓 ′ (1) = 1. But, by the definition of derivative,
𝑥

𝑓(1 + ℎ) − 𝑓(1) 𝑓(1 + 𝑥) − 𝑓(1)

𝑓 ′ (1) ⁡= lim = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ 𝑥→0 𝑥
ln⁡(1 + 𝑥) − ln⁡ 1 1
⁡= lim = lim ln⁡(1 + 𝑥)
𝑥→0 𝑥 𝑥→0 𝑥

⁡= lim ln⁡(1 + 𝑥)1/𝑥 = ln⁡ [lim (1 + 𝑥)1/𝑥 ]

𝑥→0 𝑥→0

Because 𝑓 ′ (1) = 1, we have

ln⁡ [lim (1 + 𝑥)1/𝑥 ] = 1

𝑥→0

Therefore, exponentiating both sides we get

lim (1 + 𝑥)1/𝑥 = 𝑒
𝑥→0

See the Figure below.

Page 16 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Approximating the limit in the previous Theorem by taking 𝑥 very small gives
approximations to 𝑒. Its value is 𝑒 ≈ 2.718281828459045 to 15 decimal places.

Important limits

𝑎ℎ − 1
lim = ln⁡ 𝑎.
ℎ→0 ℎ
In particular, when 𝑎 = 𝑒 we obtain

𝑒ℎ − 1
lim = ln⁡ 𝑒 = 1.
ℎ→0 ℎ

Page 17 of 17 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi