Differentiation

DIFFERENTIATION

Derivatives:
Derivatives are the functions which are used to measure rates at which
things change. We define derivatives as limiting
values of average change, just we define slope of
curves as limiting values of slopes of secants.
Q(x+ x, f(x+ x))
If y=f(x)
 y = f ( x + x) − f ( x) y =f(x+ x)- f(x)

y f ( x + x) − f ( x)
So, slope of secant PQ = = .
x x P(x, f(x))
As Q→P then slope of secant PQ will equal to slope x

of tangent of the curve f(x) at P and x→0

x x+ x

y f ( x + x) − f ( x)
 lim slope of secant PQ = = lim = slope of tangent of
Q→P x x → 0 x
the curve f(x) at P. And this is called the definition of derivative of the
dy d
function f(x) and this denoted by y , f (x) , , f (x) , and Dx f (x) .
dx dx

dy f ( x + x ) − f ( x )
 f ( x ) = = lim .
dx x → 0 x
The process of calculating a derivative is called differentiation. We
consider that the derivative is found if the limit exists and finite at a certain
point.

Example: Find the derivative of the function f ( x) = x 2 using the definition of

derivative.
dy f ( x + x) − f ( x) ( x + x) 2 − x 2
Sol.: = f `( x) = lim = lim
dx x → 0 x x → 0 x
x + 2 x.x + x − x
2 2 2
x(2 x + x)
= lim = lim = lim (2 x + x) = 2 x .
x→0 x x→0 x x→0

Example: Using the definition of derivative, differentiate f ( x) = x .

dy f ( x + x) − f ( x) x + x − x x + x + x
Sol.: = f `( x) = lim = lim *
dx x → 0 x x → 0 x x + x + x
x + x − x x 1
= lim = lim == lim
x→0 x( x + x + x ) x→0 x( x + x + x ) x→0 ( x + x + x )

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

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 Differentiation

Laws of derivatives:
d
1. c =0, where c is a constant.
dx
d
2. x n = n.x n−1 .
dx
3. If U and V are two functions of x then:
d dU
(a) (c * U ) = c * , where c is a constant.
dx dx
d dU dV
(b) (U  V ) =  .
dx dx dx
d dV dU
(c) (U *V ) = U +V .
dx dx dx
d dU
(d) (U n ) = nU n−1 * .
dx dx
dU dV
V −U
d U
(e) ( ) = dx 2 dx .
dx V V

dy
Example: If y = x3 + 7 x 2 − 5x + 4 , find .
dx
dy d 3 d d d
Sol.: = ( x ) + (7 x 2 ) − (5 x) + (4)
dx dx dx dx dx
= 3x + 2 * 7 x − 5 + 0 = 3x + 14 x − 5 .
2 2

Higher order derivatives:

dy
The derivative: y  = is the first derivative of y with respect to x. The
dx
first derivative may also be a differentiable function of x. If so its derivative:
2
d dy d y
y  = ( )= ,
dx dx 2
dx
is the second derivative of y with respect to x. If y`` is also a differentiable
function of x, its derivative:
2 3
d d d y d y
y  = ( y ) = ( )= ,
dx dx dx 2 dx
3
is the third derivative of y with respect to x. The names continue as you
imagine with
d n −1 d d n −1 y dny
yn = ( y ) = ( n −1 ) = n ,
dx dx dx dx
is the nth derivative of y with respect to x for any positive integer n.

Example: The first four derivatives of y = x3 − 3x 2 + 2 are:

First derivative: y  = 3 x 2 − 6 x .

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 Differentiation

Second derivative: y = 6 x − 6 .

Third derivative: y  = 6 .
Fourth derivative: y = 0 .
The function has derivatives of all orders, but the fifth and subsequent order
derivatives are all zero.

Implicit differentiation:
dy
In some cases, it is difficult or impossible to solve y = f(x), so to find
dx
for such cases, implicit differentiation will be use.

dy
Example: Find of the following:
dx
1. x 2 + y 2 = 1.
dy dy dy − 2 x dy − x
Sol.: 2 x + 2 y * =0  2y * = −2 x  =  = .
dx dx dx 2y dx y

2. 2 y = x 2 + 3xy 2
dy dy dy dy dy
Sol.: 2 = 2 x + 3x(2 y ) + 3 y 2  2 − 6 xy = 2x + 3y2  (2 − 6 xy) = 2 x + 3 y 2
dx dx dx dx dx
dy 2 x + 3 y 2
 = .
dx 2 − 6 xy

d2y
Example: Find if 2 x3 − 3 y 2 = 7 .
dx 2
dy
Sol.: to find :
dx
dy dy
2 x3 − 3 y 2 = 7  6x2 − 6 y =0  6y = 6x2
dx dx
2 2
dy dy 6 x x
 6y = 6x2  = = = y` where y ≠ 0.
dx dx 6 y y

d2y
We now apply the Quotient Rule to find or y  .
dx 2
2
2 dy 2 x
2 y ( 2 x ) − x ( ) 2 xy − x ( )
d dy d x dx = y
So y = ( ) = ( ) = 2 2
dx dx dx y y y
2 xy 2 − x 4
= .
y3

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 Differentiation

The Chain Rule:

dy du
If y = f (u ) ; u = g (x) , and the derivatives and both exist then the
du dx
composite function defined by f ( g ( x)) has a derivative given by:
dy dy du
= *
dx du dx
1 dy
Example: Let y = u 2 + 1 ; u = + x 2 , find .
x dx
dy dy du
Sol.: = *
dx du dx
dy 2u u du 1
= = ; = − 2 + 2x
du 2 u 2 + 1 u2 +1 dx x
1
( + x2 )
dy u 1 x 1
 = * (2 x − 2 ) = * (2 x − 2 )
dx u2 +1 x 1
( + x 2 )2 + 1
x
x
Another solution:
1
Find you = y (u ( x)) = ( + x 2 ) 2 + 1
x
1 1 1 1
2( + x 2 ) * (− 2 + 2 x) ( + x 2 ) * (2 x − 2 )
dy
 = x x = x x
dx 1 1
2 ( + x 2 )2 + 1 ( + x 2 )2 + 1
x x

dy
Example: If y = (3x 2 − 7 x + 1)5 , use the chain rule to find .
dx
Sol.: We may express y as a composite function of x by letting:
y = u 5 and u = 3x 2 − 7 x + 1
dy dy du
So, = * = 5u 4 * (6 x − 7) = 5(3x 2 −7 x + 1) 4 (6 x − 7)
dx du dx

Derivative of Parametric Equations:

dy dx
If y = f (t ) and x = g (t ) , and the derivatives and both exist, then:
dt dt
dy dy dt
= y =
dx dx dt
dy  dy  dt
2
d y d d
and 2
= ( y) = =
dx dx dx dx dx dt
dy
Example: Find , if y = t 2 − 1 and x = 2t + 3 .
dx
dy dy dt
Sol.: =
dx dx dt

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 Differentiation

dy dx
So = 2t , and =2
dt dt
dy 2t x −3
 = =t = .
dx 2 2
Another solution:
x −3
From x = 2t + 3 find t =
2
x −3
2

Then: y =   −1
 2 
dy  x −3 1 x −3
 = 2 * = .
dx  2  2 2

d2y
Example: Find 2
, if x = t − t 2 and y = t − t 3 .
dx
dx dy
Sol.: = 1− 2t and = 1 − 3t 2
dt dt
1 − 3t
2
dy dy dt
 = y = =
dx dx dt 1 − 2t
dy  dt
2
d y
And 2
=
dx dx dt
dy  (1 − 2t )(−6t ) − (1 − 3t )(−2) 6t + 6t + 2
2 2
= =
(1 − 2t ) (1 − 2t )
2 2
dx
dy  dt 6t + 6t + 2
2 2
d y
 = = .
(1 − 2t )
2 3
dx dx dt

Tangent and normal lines:

Example: Dose the curve y = x4 − 2 x2 + 2 has any horizontal tangent? If so,
where?
Sol.: The horizontal tangents, if any, occur where the slope dy dx is zero. To
find these points, we should y

dy
= 4 x 3 − 2(2 x) = 4 x 3 − 4 x
3
1. Calculate dy dx :
dx
(0,2)
dy 2

2. Put =0  4x − 4x = 0
3

dx
1
dy (-1,1) (1,1)
3. Solve the equation = 0 for x.:
dx x
0
4 x3 − 4 x = 0  4 x( x 2 − 1) = 0 -2 -1 0 1 2

either 4x = 0  x=0 -1

or x −1 = 0
2
 x = 1
So the curve has horizontal tangents at x = 0, x = -1 and x = 1.

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 Differentiation

The corresponding points on the curve (calculated from the

equation y = x4 − 2 x2 + 2 ) are (0,2), (-1,1) and (1,1).

Example: Find the tangent and normal to the curve x 2 − xy + y 2 = 7 at the point
(-1,2).
dy
Sol.: We first use the implicit differentiation to find .
dx
x 2 − xy + y 2 = 7
dy dy dy
2x − (x + y) + 2 y =0  (2 y − x) = y − 2 x
dx dx dx
dy y − 2 x
 = .
dx 2 y − x
We then evaluate the derivative (slope of the curve) at x = -1 and y = 2 to
obtain:
dy y − 2x 2 − 2(−1) 2+2 4
= = = =
dx ( −1, 2) 2 y − x 2(2) − (−1) 4 + 1 5
So the tangent to the curve at the point (-1, 2) is:
4
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )  y − 2 = ( x − (−1))
5
4 4 4 14
 y= x+ +2  y = x+ .
5 5 5 5
And the normal to the curve at the point (-1, 2) is (slope of normal
is (-1/m)):
5
y − y1 = m( x − x1 )  y − 2 = − ( x − (−1))
4
5 5 5 3
 y=− x− +2  y =− x+ .
4 4 4 4

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