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Derivatives
Definition and Notation
f ( x + h) - f ( x)
If y = f ( x ) then the derivative is defined to be f ¢ ( x ) = lim .
h ®0 h

If y = f ( x ) then all of the following are If y = f ( x ) all of the following are equivalent
equivalent notations for the derivative. notations for derivative evaluated at x = a .
df dy d df dy
f ¢ ( x ) = y¢ = = = ( f ( x ) ) = Df ( x ) f ¢ ( a ) = y ¢ x =a = = = Df ( a )
dx dx dx dx x =a dx x =a

Interpretation of the Derivative

If y = f ( x ) then, 2. f ¢ ( a ) is the instantaneous rate of
1. m = f ¢ ( a ) is the slope of the tangent change of f ( x ) at x = a .
line to y = f ( x ) at x = a and the 3. If f ( x ) is the position of an object at
equation of the tangent line at x = a is time x then f ¢ ( a ) is the velocity of
given by y = f ( a ) + f ¢ ( a )( x - a ) . the object at x = a .

Basic Properties and Formulas

If f ( x ) and g ( x ) are differentiable functions (the derivative exists), c and n are any real numbers,
d
1. ( c f )¢ = c f ¢ ( x ) 5. (c) = 0
dx
2. ( f ± g )¢ = f ¢ ( x ) ± g ¢ ( x ) 6.
d n
( x ) = n x n-1 – Power Rule
dx
3. ( f g )¢ = f ¢ g + f g ¢ – Product Rule d
7. ( )
f ( g ( x )) = f ¢ ( g ( x )) g¢ ( x )
æ f ö¢ f ¢ g - f g ¢ dx
4. ç ÷ = – Quotient Rule This is the Chain Rule
èg ø g2

Common Derivatives
d d d x
dx
( x) = 1
dx
( csc x ) = - csc x cot x
dx
( a ) = a x ln ( a )
d d d x
dx
( sin x ) = cos x
dx
( cot x ) = - csc2 x
dx
( e ) = ex
d d 1 d 1
dx
( cos x ) = - sin x
dx
( sin -1 x ) =
dx
( ln ( x ) ) = , x > 0
x
1 - x2
d d 1
dx
( tan x ) = sec2 x d
( cos -1 x ) = -
1
dx
( ln x ) = x , x ¹ 0
dx 1 - x2
d d 1
dx
( sec x ) = sec x tan x d
( tan -1 x ) =
1
dx
( log a ( x ) ) =
x ln a
, x>0
dx 1 + x2
 Chain Rule Variants
The chain rule applied to some specific functions.
1.
d
dx
( ) n -1
éë f ( x ) ùû = n éë f ( x ) ùû f ¢ ( x )
n
5.
d
dx
( )
cos éë f ( x ) ùû = - f ¢ ( x ) sin éë f ( x ) ùû

2.
dx
e (
d f ( x)
)
= f ¢( x)e ( )
f x
6.
d
dx
( )
tan ëé f ( x ) ûù = f ¢ ( x ) sec 2 éë f ( x ) ùû

f ( x)
¢ d
3.
d
(
ln éë f ( x ) ùû = ) 7. ( sec [ f ( x)]) = f ¢( x) sec [ f ( x)] tan [ f ( x)]
dx f ( x) dx
d f ¢( x)
4.
d
( )
sin ëé f ( x ) ûù = f ¢ ( x ) cos éë f ( x ) ùû 8. (
tan -1 éë f ( x ) ùû = )
1 + éë f ( x ) ùû
2
dx dx

Higher Order Derivatives

The Second Derivative is denoted as The nth Derivative is denoted as
d2 f dn f
f ¢¢ ( x ) = f ( 2) ( x ) = 2 and is defined as f ( n) ( x ) = n and is defined as
dx dx
f ¢¢ ( x ) = ( f ¢ ( x ) )¢ , i.e. the derivative of the ¢
( )
f ( n) ( x ) = f ( n -1) ( x ) , i.e. the derivative of
first derivative, f ¢ ( x ) . the (n-1)st derivative, f ( n -1) x . ( )
Implicit Differentiation
¢
Find y if e 2 x -9 y
+x y =
3 2
sin ( y ) + x . Remember y = y ( x ) here, so products/quotients of x and y
11
will use the product/quotient rule and derivatives of y will use the chain rule. The “trick” is to
differentiate as normal and every time you differentiate a y you tack on a y¢ (from the chain rule).
After differentiating solve for y¢ .

e 2 x -9 y ( 2 - 9 y¢ ) + 3 x 2 y 2 + 2 x3 y y¢ = cos ( y ) y¢ + 11
11 - 2e 2 x -9 y - 3x 2 y 2
2e 2 x -9 y
- 9 y¢e 2 x -9 y
+ 3x y + 2 x y y¢ = cos ( y ) y¢ + 11
2 2 3
Þ y¢ = 3
2 x y - 9e2 x -9 y - cos ( y )
( 2 x y - 9e x
3 2 -9 y
- cos ( y ) ) y¢ = 11 - 2e2 x -9 y - 3x 2 y 2

Increasing/Decreasing – Concave Up/Concave Down

Critical Points
x = c is a critical point of f ( x ) provided either Concave Up/Concave Down
1. If f ¢¢ ( x ) > 0 for all x in an interval I then
1. f ¢ ( c ) = 0 or 2. f ¢ ( c ) doesn’t exist.
f ( x ) is concave up on the interval I.
Increasing/Decreasing 2. If f ¢¢ ( x ) < 0 for all x in an interval I then
1. If f ¢ ( x ) > 0 for all x in an interval I then
f ( x ) is concave down on the interval I.
f ( x ) is increasing on the interval I.
2. If f ¢ ( x ) < 0 for all x in an interval I then Inflection Points
x = c is a inflection point of f ( x ) if the
f ( x ) is decreasing on the interval I.
concavity changes at x = c .
3. If f ¢ ( x ) = 0 for all x in an interval I then
f ( x ) is constant on the interval I.
 Extrema
Absolute Extrema Relative (local) Extrema
1. x = c is an absolute maximum of f ( x ) 1. x = c is a relative (or local) maximum of
if f ( c ) ³ f ( x ) for all x in the domain. f ( x ) if f ( c ) ³ f ( x ) for all x near c.
2. x = c is a relative (or local) minimum of
2. x = c is an absolute minimum of f ( x )
f ( x ) if f ( c ) £ f ( x ) for all x near c.
if f ( c ) £ f ( x ) for all x in the domain.
1st Derivative Test
Fermat’s Theorem If x = c is a critical point of f ( x ) then x = c is
If f ( x ) has a relative (or local) extrema at
1. a rel. max. of f ( x ) if f ¢ ( x ) > 0 to the left
x = c , then x = c is a critical point of f ( x ) .
of x = c and f ¢ ( x ) < 0 to the right of x = c .
Extreme Value Theorem 2. a rel. min. of f ( x ) if f ¢ ( x ) < 0 to the left
If f ( x ) is continuous on the closed interval of x = c and f ¢ ( x ) > 0 to the right of x = c .
[ a, b] then there exist numbers c and d so that, 3. not a relative extrema of f ( x ) if f ¢ ( x ) is
1. a £ c, d £ b , 2. f ( c ) is the abs. max. in the same sign on both sides of x = c .
[ a, b] , 3. f ( d ) is the abs. min. in [ a, b] . 2nd Derivative Test
If x = c is a critical point of f ( x ) such that
Finding Absolute Extrema
To find the absolute extrema of the continuous f ¢ ( c ) = 0 then x = c
function f ( x ) on the interval [ a, b ] use the 1. is a relative maximum of f ( x ) if f ¢¢ ( c ) < 0 .
following process. 2. is a relative minimum of f ( x ) if f ¢¢ ( c ) > 0 .
1. Find all critical points of f ( x ) in [ a, b] . 3. may be a relative maximum, relative
2. Evaluate f ( x ) at all points found in Step 1. minimum, or neither if f ¢¢ ( c ) = 0 .
3. Evaluate f ( a ) and f ( b ) .
4. Identify the abs. max. (largest function Finding Relative Extrema and/or
value) and the abs. min.(smallest function Classify Critical Points
value) from the evaluations in Steps 2 & 3. 1. Find all critical points of f ( x ) .
2. Use the 1st derivative test or the 2nd
derivative test on each critical point.

Mean Value Theorem

If f ( x ) is continuous on the closed interval [ a, b ] and differentiable on the open interval ( a, b )
f (b) - f ( a )
then there is a number a < c < b such that f ¢ ( c ) = .
b-a

Newton’s Method
f ( xn )
If xn is the nth guess for the root/solution of f ( x ) = 0 then (n+1)st guess is xn +1 = xn -
f ¢ ( xn )
provided f ¢ ( xn ) exists.
 Related Rates
Sketch picture and identify known/unknown quantities. Write down equation relating quantities
and differentiate with respect to t using implicit differentiation (i.e. add on a derivative every time
you differentiate a function of t). Plug in known quantities and solve for the unknown quantity.
Ex. A 15 foot ladder is resting against a wall. Ex. Two people are 50 ft apart when one
The bottom is initially 10 ft away and is being starts walking north. The angle q changes at
pushed towards the wall at 14 ft/sec. How fast 0.01 rad/min. At what rate is the distance
is the top moving after 12 sec? between them changing when q = 0.5 rad?

We have q ¢ = 0.01 rad/min. and want to find

x¢ is negative because x is decreasing. Using
x¢ . We can use various trig fcns but easiest is,
Pythagorean Theorem and differentiating,
x x¢
x 2 + y 2 = 152 Þ 2 x x¢ + 2 y y¢ = 0 sec q = Þ sec q tan q q ¢ =
50 50
After 12 sec we have x = 10 - 12 ( 14 ) = 7 and We know q = 0.05 so plug in q ¢ and solve.
x¢
so y = 152 - 7 2 = 176 . Plug in and solve sec ( 0.5 ) tan ( 0.5 )( 0.01) =
for y¢ . 50
7 x¢ = 0.3112 ft/sec
7 ( - 14 ) + 176 y¢ = 0 Þ y¢ = ft/sec Remember to have calculator in radians!
4 176
Optimization
Sketch picture if needed, write down equation to be optimized and constraint. Solve constraint for
one of the two variables and plug into first equation. Find critical points of equation in range of
variables and verify that they are min/max as needed.
Ex. We’re enclosing a rectangular field with Ex. Determine point(s) on y = x 2 + 1 that are
500 ft of fence material and one side of the closest to (0,2).
field is a building. Determine dimensions that
will maximize the enclosed area.

Minimize f = d 2 = ( x - 0 ) + ( y - 2 ) and the

2 2

Maximize A = xy subject to constraint of constraint is y = x 2 + 1 . Solve constraint for

x + 2 y = 500 . Solve constraint for x and plug
x 2 and plug into the function.
into area.
x2 = y - 1 Þ f = x2 + ( y - 2)
2
A = y ( 500 - 2 y )
x = 500 - 2 y Þ
= y -1 + ( y - 2) = y 2 - 3 y + 3
2
= 500 y - 2 y 2
Differentiate and find critical point(s). Differentiate and find critical point(s).
A¢ = 500 - 4 y Þ y = 125 f ¢ = 2y -3 Þ y = 32
nd
By 2 deriv. test this is a rel. max. and so is By the 2nd derivative test this is a rel. min. and
the answer we’re after. Finally, find x. so all we need to do is find x value(s).
x = 500 - 2 (125 ) = 250 x 2 = 32 - 1 = 12 Þ x = ± 12
The dimensions are then 250 x 125. The 2 points are then ( 1
2 )
, 32 and - ( 1
2
, 32 )