Mathematics for

Engineering: Calculus

Chapter 3: DERIVATIVES
Department of Mathematics, FPT University
DERIVATIVES

3.1
Defining the Derivatives

In this section, we will learn:

How the derivative can be interpreted as a rate
of change in any of the sciences or engineering.
THE TANGENT PROBLEM Example 1

Find an equation of the tangent line to the parabola

y = x2 at the point P(1,1).
 We will be able to find an equation of the tangent line
as soon as we know its slope m.

x -1
2
mPQ =
x -1
THE TANGENT PROBLEM Example 1

The slope of the tangent line is said to be the limit of

the slopes of the secant lines.
x2 - 1
lim mPQ = m lim =2
Q®P x ®1 x - 1

The equation of the tangent

line through (1, 1) as:

y = 2x -1
TANGENTS 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.
THE VELOCITY PROBLEM Example 2

Investigate the example of a falling ball.

 Suppose that a ball is dropped

from the upper observation
deck of the CN Tower in
Toronto, 450 m above the
ground.

 Find the velocity of the ball

after 5 seconds.
THE VELOCITY PROBLEM Example 2

If the distance fallen after t seconds is denoted by s(t) and

measured in meters, then Galileo’s law is expressed by
the following equation.

s(t) = 4.9t2
 THE VELOCITY PROBLEM

change in position
average velocity =
time elapsed
s  5.1  s  5 
  49.49 m/s
0.1

Thus, the (instantaneous)

velocity after 5 s is:

v = 49 m/s
VELOCITIES Definition

We define the velocity (or instantaneous velocity) v(a) at

time t = a to be the limit of these average velocities:

f ( a + h) - f ( a )
v(a) = lim
h ®0 h
DERIVATIVES Definition

The derivative of a function f at a number a,

denoted by f’(a), is:

f ( a + h) - f ( a )
f '(a) = lim
h ®0 h
if this limit exists. Or

f ( x) - f ( a)
f '(a) = lim
x®a x-a
DERIVATIVES

3.2
The Derivative as a Function
DERIVATIVES

In the preceding section, we considered the derivative of a

function f at a fixed number a:

f ( a + h) - f ( a )
f '(a) = lim
h ®0 h
If we replace a in Equation 1 by a variable x, we obtain:

f ( x + h) - f ( x )
f '( x) = lim
h®0 h
OTHER NOTATIONS

Some common alternative notations for the derivative are

as follows:

dy df d
f '( x) = y ' = = = f ( x) = Df ( x) = Dx f ( x)
dx dx dx

The symbols D and d/dx are called differentiation operators.

The symbol dy/dx is called Leibniz notation

 OTHER NOTATIONS

If we want to indicate the value of a derivative dy/dx in Leibniz

notation at a specific number a, we use the notation

dy dy 
or
dx x a dx  x a
which is a synonym for f’(a).
 OTHER NOTATIONS Definition

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

It is differentiable on an open interval D if it is

differentiable at every number in the
interval D.
 HOW CAN A FUNCTION FAIL TO BE DIFFERENTIABLE?

Theorem

If f is differentiable at a,

then f is continuous at a.

This theorem states that, if f is not continuous at a,

then f is not differentiable at a.
 HIGHER DERIVATIVES

If f is a differentiable function, then its derivative f’ is also a

function.
So, f’ may have a derivative of its own, denoted by
(f’)’= f’’.

This new function f’’ is called the second derivative of f.

d æ dy ö d y 2

ç ÷=
dx è dx ø dx 2
 HIGHER DERIVATIVES

The process can be continued.

 In general, the nth derivative of f is denoted by f(n) and is
obtained from f by differentiating n times.
 If y = f(x), we write:
n
d y
y (n)
= f ( n)
( x) = n
dx
DERIVATIVES

3.3 Differentiation Rules

3.5 Derivatives of Trigonometric
functions
3.9 Derivatives of Exponential
and Logarithmic functions
 3.3 DIFFERENTIATION RULES
Constant function

In Leibniz notation, we write this rule as follows.

d
(c ) = 0
dx

(Reference Pages, p.5)

3.3 DIFFERENTIATION RULES
Differentiation formulas

Here’s a summary of the differentiation formulas we have

learned so far.

d
dx
c  0
d n
dx
 x   nx n 1

 cf  '  cf '  f  g  '  f ' g '  f  g  '  f ' g '

'
 f  gf ' fg '
 fg  '  fg ' gf '   2
 
g g
3.5 DERIVATIVES OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS
3.9 DERIVATIVES OF EXPONENTIAL AND
LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS
 TANGENT AND NORMAL LINES Example 12
Find equations of the tangent line and normal line
to the curve
y  x /(1  x 2 )

at the point (1, ½).

REMARK: Tangent line (Δ) equation

at M(x,y)  (C): y = f(x)
  : y  f '  x0  x  x0   f  x0 
 TANGENT AND NORMAL LINES

Tangent line of the graph of this curve at (1,1/2) is:

y  x 1
4
3
4

© Thomson Higher Education

DERIVATIVES

3.4
Derivatives as Rates of
change
DERIVATIVES
 RATES OF CHANGE Example

Let D(t) be the US national debt at time t. The table gives

approximate values of this function by providing end-of-
year estimates, in billions of dollars, from 1980 to 2000.

Interpret and estimate the value of D’(1990).

The derivative D’(1990) means the rate of

change of D with respect to t when t =1990,
that is, the rate of increase of the national
debt in 1990.
RATES OF CHANGE Example

By Equation 5, D(t ) - D(1990)

D '(1990) = lim
t ®1990 t - 1990
So, we compute and tabulate values of the difference
quotient as follows.
RATES OF CHANGE Example

We estimate that the rate of increase of

the national debt in 1990 was the average of
these two numbers—namely D '(1990) » 303
billion dollars per year.
DERIVATIVES

3.6
The chain rule
 THE CHAIN RULE

If g is differentiable at x and f is differentiable at g(x),

the composite function F = f ◦ g is differentiable at x
and F’ is given by the product:

F’(x) = f’(g(x)) • g’(x)

 In Leibniz notation, if y = f(u) and u = g(x) are both
differentiable functions, then:

dy dy du
=
dx du dx
Let f(x)=g(sin3x). Find f’ in terms of
g’.
A 3cos3xg’(x)

B 3cos3xg’(sin3x)

C cos3xg’(sin3x)

Answer: b
Suppose h(x)=f(g(x)) and f(2)=3, g(2)=1,
g’(2)=1, f’(2)=2, f’(1)=5.
Find h’(2).
A 1
B 2
C 3
D 4
E 5
Answer: e
DERIVATIVES

3.6
Implicit Differentiation
IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

The graphs of f and g are the upper and lower

semicircles of the circle
x2 + y2 = 25.
 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION METHOD

Instead, we can use the method of implicit differentiation.

 This consists of differentiating both sides

of the equation with respect to x and then
solving the resulting equation for y’.
IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION Example 1
a. If x2 + y2 = 25, find
dy .
dx

b. Find an equation of the tangent to the

circle x2 + y2 = 25 at the point (3, 4).

d 2 d
( x + y ) = (25)
2

dx dx
d 2 d 2
(x ) + ( y ) = 0
dx dx
IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION Example 1 a
Remembering that y is a function of x and
using the Chain Rule, we have:
d 2 d 2 dy dy
(y ) = (y ) = 2y
dx dy dx dx
dy
2x + 2 y =0
dx
dy dy x
Then, we solve this equation for : =-
dx dx y
 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION E. g. 1 b—Solution 1

At the point (3, 4) we have x = 3 and y = 4.

dy 3
So, =-
dx 4
 Thus, an equation of the tangent to the circle at (3, 4)
is: y – 4 = – ¾(x – 3) or 3x + 4y = 25.
 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION Example 4

Find y” if x4 + y4 = 16.

Differentiating the equation implicitly with

respect to x, we get 4x3 + 4y3y’ = 0.
IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION E. g. 4—Equation 3

Solving for y’ gives:

x 3
y' = - 3
y
IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION Example 4
To find y’’, we differentiate this expression
for y’ using the Quotient Rule and
remembering that y is a function of x:

d æ x ö 3
y (d / dx)( x ) - x (d / dx)( y )
3 3 3 3
y '' = ç - 3 ÷ = -
dx è y ø ( y 3 )2
y 3 × 3x 2 - x3 (3 y 2 y ')
=-
y 6
 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION Example 4

If we now substitute Equation 3 into

this expression, we get:
æ x ö
3
3x y - 3x y ç - 3 ÷
2 3 3 2

è y ø
y '' = -
y 6

3( x y + x )
2 4 6
3x ( y + x )
2 4 4
=- =-
y 7
y 7
IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION Example 4

However, the values of x and y must satisfy

the original equation x4 + y4 = 16.

So, the answer simplifies to:

3x (16)
2
x 2
y '' = - = -48 7
y 7
y
Thanks