Preface

The author will most likely be unavailable for a complete thorough presentation of materials
hence this reviewer was designed to be used as a self study tool by the reader. It is expected
that the reader have some proficiency with solving basic limits and the squeeze theorem.
Complete guided solutions will be provided in sample problems to provide the reader insights
on how to differentiate functions using the increment method. Solutions wont be provided to
actual working problems to encourage the reader to solve for the problems themselves (or para
tawagin mo ako ehe).

1.0 Definition of a derivative

A derivative of a function f is defined in terms of limits as

f ( x + x) − f ( x)
f '( x) = lim
→0 x

y
This stems from a direct generalization of the slope formula x
. In this case delta x is set to
approach 0 in order to allow for the formula to be generalized to all types of curves

This means that the derivative of a function evaluated at a point C will equal the slope of the
tangent line of the curve f at point C. That is to say that f’(c) is equal to the slope of the tangent
line of f(c)

For instance:

f ( x) = x3
f '( x) = 3 x 2
The slope of f at x=2 will be f’(2)=3(2)^2=3(4)=12
1.1 Raising x to a fractional power
Note: For the sake of simplicity delta x shall be referred to simply as h

Sample problems:

3 3
1. x or x
x+h − 3 x
3
lim notice that the numerator is in the form (a − b)
h →0 h
( ) ( )( ) ( )
2 2
3
x+h − x 3
3
x+h + 3
x+h 3
x + 3
x
lim •
( x+h) +( x + h )( x ) + ( x )
h →0 2 2
h 3 3 3 3

x+h−x h
= lim
(( )( ) ( ) ) (( )( ) ( ) )
lim
) ( ) (
h →0 2 2 h →0 2 2
h 3
x+h + 3
x+h 3
x + 3
x h 3
x+h + 3
x+h 3
x + 3
x

1 1 1
= = f '( x) =
( ) ( )( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2 2 2 2 2
3
x+0 + 3
x+0 3
x + 3
x 3
x + 3
x + 3
x 3 3
x

1
2. f ( x) = x 2

x+h − x
f '( x) = lim
h →0 h
x+h − x x+h + x
lim
h →0 h x+h + x
x+h−x h 1
= lim = lim = lim
h →0
h x+h + x( h →0
h ) ( x+h + x ) h →0 x+h + x
1 1 1
= = =
x+0 + x x+ x 2 x
Whenever you have an expression in the numerator in the form n
x − n y we simply observe the
ff:

We set n x − n y = (a − b) and multiply them by a factor that will allow them to be expressed as a
difference of powers

Now you try!

Solve for the derivatives of the following using increment method
f ( x) = 4 x

( )
3
f ( x) = − x

f ( x) = 3 2 x 2

( )
−3
f ( x) = 4
3x
−1
f ( x) =
2x
x +5
f ( x) =
x +7 2

3
x2 + 1
f ( x) =
x+2
1.2 Exponentials
Note: It is expected that the reader already be comfortable working with logarithms and exponentials.
Contact the author if otherwise. It is also important to note that there are multiple definitions of e and
are as follows

1
e = lim ( n + 1) n
n→0

f ( x) = e x
e x+h − e x
f '( x) = lim
h →0 h
e x eh − e x e x ( e h − 1)
= lim = lim (notice we can factor the e x out of the limit)
h →0 h h →0 h

= e lim
x ( e h − 1)
h →0 h
Let e − 1 = n  e h = n + 1
h

Notice that as h → 0 n → 0
ln e h = ln( n + 1)
h = ln(n + 1)
We now rewrite the limit in terms of n
n 1
e x lim = e x lim
n → 0 ln( n + 1) n →0 1
( ln(n + 1) )
n
1
= e x lim 1
(power rule of logarithms)
n →0
ln ( n + 1) n
1
Note that e is defined as lim ( n + 1) n
n →0

1 ex ex
x
e lim = = = ex
n → 0 ln e ln e 1
f ( x) = 2 x
2x+h − 2x
f '( x) = lim
h →0 h
2 x 2h − 2 x 2 x ( 2h − 1)
= lim = lim
h →0 h h →0 h
x
2 lim
( 2h − 1)
h →0 h
Let 2 − 1 = n  2h = n + 1
h

Notice that as h → 0 n → 0
ln 2h = ln( n + 1)
h ln 2 = ln(n + 1)
ln(n + 1)
h=
ln 2
We now rewrite the limit in terms of n
n ln 2 1
2 x lim = 2 x lim =2 x ln 2 lim
n → 0 ln( n + 1) n →0 1 n →0 1
ln(n + 1) ln( n + 1)
ln 2 n n
1 ln 2 ln(2)
= 2 x ln 2 lim 1
= 2x = 2x = 2 x ln 2
n →0 ln e 1
ln(n + 1) n
Now you try!
Solve for the derivatives of the following using increment method
f ( x ) = 3x
f ( x) = e x +1
f ( x) = e 2 x
f ( x) = 2 x
2

1
f ( x) =
e +1
x

ex + x2
f ( x) =
x − 2x

1.3 Logarithmic functions

f ( x) = ln( x)
ln( x + h) − ln x
f '( x) = lim
h →0 h
 x+h
ln  
= lim 
x 
(quotient rule of logarithms)
h →0 h
1
1  x+h  x + h h
= lim ln   = lim ln   (power rule of logarithms)
h →0 h
 x  h →0  x 
1 1 x x 1
 h h  h h x  h h x
lim ln 1 +  = lim ln 1 +  = lim ln 1 + 
h →0
 x h →0
 x h →0
 x
x
x h
1  h 1 h 1
= lim ln 1 +  = lim ln 1 + 
h →0 x
 x x h →0  x

 h
x
Let u = notice that as h approaches 0 u approaches infinity
h
Rewriting the limit in terms of u we have
u
1  1 1
lim ln 1 +  = ln(e) (definition of e)
x u →
 u x
1
=
x
f ( x) = log 2 ( x)
log 2 ( x + h) − log 2 ( x)
f '( x) = lim
h →0 h
 x+h
log 2  
= lim  x 
(quotient rule of logarithms)
h →0 h
1
1  x+h  x + h h
= lim log 2   = lim log 2   (power rule of logarithms)
h →0 h
 x  h →0  x 
1 1 x x 1
 h h  h h x  h h x
lim log 2 1 +  = lim log 2 1 +  = lim log 2 1 + 
h →0
 x h →0
 x h →0
 x
x

x   h

1  h  h 1  1 
= lim log 2 1 +  = lim log 2 1 + 
h →0 x
 x x h →0  x

 h
x
Let u = notice that as h approaches 0 u approaches infinity
h
Rewriting the limit in terms of u we have
u
1  1 1
lim log 2 1 +  = log 2 (e) (definition of e)
x u →  u x
ln e
log 2 (e) ln 2
= = (change of base rule)
x x
1
1
= ln 2 =
x x ln 2
Now you try!
Solve for the derivatives of the following using increment method
f ( x) = log 3 ( x)
f ( x) = ln( x + 4)
f ( x) = log 4 ( x 2 )
f ( x) = ln ( x 2 + 1)
ln( x + 3)
f ( x) =
ex
e x + ln x
f ( x) =
log 2 ( x3 + 5 ) − 2 x