Mathematics 4

Basic Calculus

Derivatives
 Tangent Lines and Rate of Change

Derivatives
 Tangent Lines

The notion of a limit may be used to find the equation of a tangent line to a
curve.

Derivatives
 Tangent Lines

Equation of secant line:

𝑓 𝑥 −𝑓 𝑎
𝑚𝑃𝑄 =
𝑥−𝑎

Derivatives
 Tangent Lines

Definition. The tangent line to the

curve 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) at the point 𝑃(𝑎, 𝑓(𝑎))
is the line through P with slope
𝑓 𝑥 −𝑓 𝑎
𝑚 = lim 𝑥−𝑎
𝑥→𝑎

provided that this limit exists.

Derivatives
 Example

Find an equation of the tangent line to the parabola 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 at the point 𝑃(1,1).

Derivatives
 Tangent Lines

(Alternative) Definition. The tangent line to the curve 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) at the point
𝑃(𝑎, 𝑓(𝑎)) is the line through P with slope

𝑓 𝑎+ℎ −𝑓 𝑎
𝑚 = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
where ℎ = 𝑥 − 𝑎, provided that this limit exists.

Derivatives
 Tangent Lines

Derivatives
 Example

Find an equation of the tangent line to the parabola 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 at the point 𝑃 1,1
using the alternative formula.

Derivatives
Mathematics 4
Basic Calculus

Derivative
 Derivative

The function 𝑓′ defined by the formula

𝑓 𝑥+ℎ −𝑓 𝑥
𝑓′ 𝑥 = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
is called the derivative of 𝑓 with respect to 𝑥.
The term “derivative” is used because the function 𝑓 is derived from the
function 𝑓 by a limiting process.

Derivatives
 Derivative

• 𝑓′ is a function

• Domain of 𝑓′: all 𝑥 in the domain of 𝑓 for which the limit exists.

• 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) gives the slope or rate of change at every 𝑥 in the function f.

Derivatives
 Derivative

Other Notations:
𝒅𝒚 𝑑𝑓 𝑑
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝒚′ = = = 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐷𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐷𝑥 𝑓(𝑥)
𝒅𝒙 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑𝑦 Δ𝑦
= lim
𝑑𝑥 ∆𝑥→0 Δ𝑥

Derivatives
 Example

Find the derivative with respect to 𝑥 of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 and use it to find the

equation of the tangent line to 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 at 𝑥 = 2.

Derivatives
 Example

Derivatives
 Tangent Line

Finding an Equation for the Tangent Line to 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) at 𝑥 = 𝑎:

1. Evaluate 𝑓(𝑎); the point of tangency is (𝑎, 𝑓(𝑎)).

2. Find 𝑓′(𝑥) and evaluate 𝑓′(𝑎), which is the slope 𝑚 of the line.

3. Substitute the value of the slope 𝑚 and the point (𝑎, 𝑓(𝑎)) into the
point-slope form of the line

𝑦−𝑓(𝑎)
4. 𝑚 = 𝑓′ 𝑎 =
𝑥−𝑎

Derivatives
 Remarks

• At each value of 𝑥, the tangent line to a linear function 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏

coincides with the line itself and hence, all tangent lines to linear
functions have slope m.

• Geometrically, if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏, then 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑚 for all x.

Derivatives
 Example

Find 𝑓′ if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 3 − 𝑥. Then
discuss the relationship between the
graphs of 𝑓 and 𝑓’.

Derivatives
 Example

Find 𝑓′ if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥. Then state the domain of 𝑓 ′ .

3
Given the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥.

𝑑𝑦
1. Find 𝑑𝑥 .

2. Compute for 𝑓′(2).

3
3. Find an equation of the tangent line to the graph of 𝑓 at 2, 2 .

Derivatives
 Example

• Given the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥. • Given the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 3 .

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
1. Find . 1. Find .
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

2. Compute for 𝑓′(2). 2. Compute for 𝑓′(2).

3. Find an equation of the tangent 3. Find an equation of the tangent
line to the graph of 𝑓 at 𝑥 = 2. line to the graph of 𝑓 at 𝑥 = 2.

Derivatives
 Mathematics 4
Basic Calculus

Differentiability and Continuity

 Differentiability

• The process of computing the derivative 𝑓 ′ of a function 𝑓 is called

differentiation.

• A function 𝑓 is differentiable at 𝒂 if 𝑓′(𝑎) exists.

• It is differentiable on an open interval (𝒂, 𝒃) [or (𝑎, ∞), or (−∞, 𝑎), or

(−∞, ∞)] if it is differentiable at every number on that interval.

• If a function is differentiable at every number in its domain, it is called a

differentiable function.

Derivatives
 Example

3
• Is 𝑓 𝑥 = a differentiable function?
𝑥
(𝑓′(𝑥) exists for all 𝑥 in the Domain of 𝑓?)

• Is𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 a differentiable function?

Derivatives
 Differentiability

Two common ways in which a function that is continuous at 𝑎 can fail to be

differentiable at 𝑎:

Derivatives
 Differentiability

Derivatives
 Example

1
• Show that 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 is not differentiable at 0 even though it is continuous there.
3

Derivatives
 One-sided Derivative

• If the function 𝑓 is defined at 𝑎, then the derivative from the right of 𝑓 at 𝑎,

denoted by 𝑓+′ 𝑎 is defined by
′
𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑓(𝑎)
𝑓+ 𝑎 = lim+
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥−𝑎
• If the function 𝑓 is defined at 𝑎, then the derivative from the left of 𝑓 at 𝑎,
denoted by 𝑓−′ 𝑎 is defined by
′
𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑓(𝑎)
𝑓− 𝑎 = lim−
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥−𝑎
• The function 𝑓 is only differentiable at 𝑎 if 𝑓+′ 𝑎 and 𝑓−′ 𝑎 both exist and are
equal.

Derivatives
 Example

• Where is the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 differentiable?

Derivatives
 Continuity

• If 𝑓 is differentiable at 𝑎, then 𝑓 is continuous at 𝑎.

• How can a function fail to be differentiable?

Derivatives
 Mathematics 4
Basic Calculus

Differentiation Techniques
 Derivative of a Constant Function

If 𝑐 is a constant function and if 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒄 for all 𝑥, then 𝒇′(𝒙) = 𝟎

Differentiation Technique
 Power Rule

• If 𝑛 is a positive integer and if 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝒏 , then

𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝒏𝒙𝒏−𝟏

Differentiation Technique
 Power Rule (Negative Integer Powers)

If 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙−𝒏 where −𝑛 is a negative integer and 𝑥 ≠ 0, then

𝒇′ 𝒙 = −𝒏𝒙−𝒏−𝟏

Differentiation Technique
 Constant Multiple Rule

• If 𝑔 is a function, 𝑐 is a constant, and 𝑓 is a function defined by 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒄 ∙ 𝒈(𝒙),

then if 𝑔′(𝑥) exists,
𝒇′ (𝒙) = 𝒄 ∙ 𝒈′(𝒙)

Differentiation Technique
 Sum Rule

• If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by 𝒉(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙),
then if 𝑓′(𝑥) and 𝑔′(𝑥) exist,
𝒉′ (𝒙) = 𝒇′ (𝒙) + 𝒈′ (𝒙)

• The derivative of the sum of two functions is the sum of their derivatives.

Differentiation Technique
 Difference Rule

• If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by 𝒉 𝒙 = 𝒇 𝒙 − 𝒈(𝒙),

then if 𝑓′(𝑥) and 𝑔′(𝑥) exist,
𝒉′ 𝒙 = 𝒇′ 𝒙 − 𝒈′ (𝒙)

• The derivative of the difference of two functions is the difference of their

derivatives.

Differentiation Technique
 Example

Find the derivative of the following functions:

1. 𝑓 𝑥 = 5

2. 𝑔 𝑥 =𝑥
3
3. ℎ 𝑥 = 7𝑥

4. 𝑖 𝑥 = 5𝑥 7

5. 𝑗 𝑥 = 7𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 3 + 8𝑥 + 5

6. 𝑘 𝑥 = 𝑥 8 + 12𝑥 5 − 4𝑥 4 + 10𝑥 3 − 6𝑥 + 5

Differentiation Technique
 Product Rule

• If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by 𝒉 𝒙 = 𝒇 𝒙 𝒈(𝒙),

then if 𝑓′(𝑥) and 𝑔′(𝑥) exist,

𝒉′ 𝒙 = 𝒇 𝒙 𝒈′ 𝒙 + 𝒈 𝒙 𝒇′ (𝒙)

Differentiation Technique
 Quotient Rule

𝒇 𝒙
• If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by 𝒉 𝒙 = 𝒈 ,
𝑥

where 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0 then if 𝑓′(𝑥) and 𝑔′(𝑥) exist,

′ ′
′
𝒈 𝒙 𝒇 𝒙 − 𝒇 𝒙 𝒈 𝒙
𝒉 𝒙 =
(𝒈 𝒙 )𝟐

Differentiation Technique
 Example

Find the derivative of the following functions:

1. 𝑓′ if 𝑓 𝑥 = (4𝑥 2 − 1)(7𝑥 3 + 𝑥)

2. 𝑔′ if 𝑔 𝑥 = 2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 3𝑥 5 + 𝑥 2
𝑑𝑦
3. 𝑑𝑡
if ℎ 𝑡 = (1 + 𝑡) 𝑡

2𝑥 3 +4
4. 𝐷𝑥 2
𝑥 +1

𝑑𝑦 𝑥 2 +𝑥−2
5. if 𝑦 =
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 3 +6

Differentiation Technique
 Example

Find the derivative of the following functions:

1. 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 −3
3
2. 𝑔 𝑥 =
𝑥5

1
3. ℎ 𝑥 = 3
𝑥2

Differentiation Technique
 Summary

Differentiation Technique
 References

• Leithold, L. (2002). The Calculus 7. Singapore: Pearson Education Asia Pte.

Ltd.
• Stewart, J. (2015). Calculus, 8th Ed. Boston, MA, USA: CENGAGE
Learning
• Anton, H., Bivens, I., and Davis S. (2009). Calculus: Early Transcendentals
9th Ed. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Derivatives