Calculus 1 Lecture Notes

Lecture Note #9

Section (3.3): Differentiation Rules

Dr. Mohammed A. Matar

December 2, 2022
CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

In this section we streamline the computation of derivatives by establishing rules of differ-

entiation that will allow us to quickly compute derivatives of complicated functions.

1 Powers, multiples, Sums, and Differences

Suppose f, g are two differentiable functions, c is a constant, and n is any real number. Then
we are introducing the following theorems.

Theorem 3.3.A. Derivative of a Constant Function.

If f has the constant value f (x) = c, then

df d
= [c] = 0.
dx dx

d
Note. The rule [c] = 0 is another way to say that the values of constant functions never
dx
change and that the slope of a horizontal line is zero at every point.

Theorem 3.3.B. Derivative Power Rule for Positive Integers.

If n is a positive integer, then
d n
[x ] = nxn−1 .
dx

Notes.
d
• Theorem 3.3.B is to be interpreted as [x] = 1 , even though with n = 1 we have
dx
nxn−1 = 1x0 which is 1 except at 0 where it is undefined (since “00 ” is not defined).

• The Power Rule is actually valid for all real numbers n, not just for positive integers.

Theorem 3.3.C. Derivative Power Rule (General Version).

If n is any real number, then
d n
[x ] = nxn−1 .
dx

for all x where the powers xn and xn−1 are defined.

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

Note. Given that derivatives are defined in terms of limits, it is not surprising that some
of the rules of differentiation are similar to rules of limits.

Example 1.1

Differentiate the following powers of x.

√ 1 √
(a) x3 (b) x2/3 (c) x 2
(d) (e) x−4/3 (f ) x2+π
x4

Solution
d 3
(a) (x ) = 3x3−1 = 3x2 .
dx
d 2/3 2 2
(b) (x ) = x(2/3)−1 = x−1/3 .
dx 3 3
d √2 √ √
(c) (x ) = 2x 2−1 .
dx
d 1 d −4 4
(d) ( 4) = (x ) = −4x−4−1 = −4x−5 = − 5 .
dx x dx x
d −4/3 4 4
(e) (x ) = − x(−4/3)−1 = − x−7/3 .
dx 3 3
d √ 2+π d 1+π/2 π 1 √
(f ) ( x )= (x ) = (1 + )x1+π/2−1 = (2 + π) xπ .
dx dx 2 2

Theorem 3.3.D. Derivative Constant Multiple Rule

If u is a differentiable function of x, and c is a constant, then

d du
[cu] = c .
dx dx

Example 1.2

(a) The derivative formula

d
(3x2 ) = 3 ∗ 2x = 6x
dx

says that if we rescale the graph of y = x2 by multiplying each y-coordinate by 3, then

we multiply the slope at each point by 3.

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

(b) Negative of a function. The derivative of the negative of a differentiable function u is

the negative of the function’s derivative. The Constant Multiple Rule with c = −1 gives

d d d du
(−u) = (−1 ∗ u) = −1 [u] = − .
dx dx dx dx

Theorem 3.3.E. Derivative Sum Rule

If u and v are differentiable functions of x, then their sum u + v is differentiable at every point
where u and v are both differentiable. At such points,

d du dv
[u + v] = + .
dx dx dx

Notes.

• Combining the Sum Rule with the Constant Multiple Rule gives the Difference Rule,

d d du dv du dv
[u − v] = [u + (−1)v] = + (−1) = − .
dx dx dx dx dx dx

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

• The Sum Rule also extends to finite sums of more than two functions. If u1 , u2 ,..., un are
differentiable at x,then

d du1 du2 dun

[u1 + u2 + ... + un ] = + + ... + .
dx dx dx dx

Example 1.3

4
Find the derivative of the polynomial y = x3 + x2 − 5x + 1.
3
Solution

dy d 3 4 d 2 d d
= (x ) + (x ) − 5 (x) + (1)
dx dx 3 dx dx dx
4 8
= 3x2 + ∗ (2x) − 5 = 3x2 + x − 5.
3 3

Example 1.4

Find the derivative of w = 3z 7 − 7z 3 + 21z 2 .

Solution

dw d dw 7 dw dw
= [3z 7 − 7z 3 + 21z 2 ] = [3z ] + [−7z 3 ] + [21z 2 ]
dz dz dz dz dz
dw dw dw
= 3 [z 7 ] − 7 [z 3 ] + 21 [z 2 ]
dz dz dz
= 3[7z 7−1 ] − 7[3z 3−1 ] + 21[2z 2−1 ]

= 21x6 − 21z 2 + 42z

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

Example 1.5

12 4 1
Find the derivative of r = − 3 + 4.
θ θ θ
Solution
       
dr d 12 4 1 d 12 d 4 d 1
= − 3+ 4 = + − 3 +
dθ dθ θ θ θ dθ θ dθ θ dθ θ4
     
d 1 d 1 d 1
= 12 −4 3
+
dθ θ dθ θ dθ θ4
d  −1  d  −3  d  −4 
= 12 θ −4 θ + θ
dθ dθ dθ
= 12 −θ−1−1 − 4 −3θ−3−1 + −4θ−4−1 = −12θ−2 + 12θ−4 − 4θ−5
     

−12 12 4
= 2
+ 4 − 5
θ θ θ

Example 1.6

Find the derivative of y = x−3/5 + π 3/2

Solution

dy d  −3/5 d  −3/5  d  3/2 

+ π 3/2 =

= x x + π
dx dx dx dx
3
= (−3/5)x−(3/5)−1 + [0] = − x−8/5
 
5

Example 1.7

Does the curve y = x4 − 2x2 + 2 have any horizontal tangent lines? If so, where?
Solution
The horizontal tangent lines occur where the slope dy/dx is zero. We have

dy d  4
x − 2x2 + 2 = 4x3 − 4x.

=
dx dx

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

dy
Now solve the equation = 0 for x:
dx

4x3 − 4x = 0

4x(x2 − 1) = 0

4x(x − 1)(x + 1) = 0

x = 0, 1, −1

The curve y = x4 − 2x2 + 2 has horizontal tangents at x = 0, 1, and −1.

2 products and Quotients

Theorem 3.3.F. Derivative product Rule

If u and v are differentiable at x, then so is their product uv, and

d dv du ′ ′
[uv] = u + v = (u)[v ] + (v)[u ].
dx dx dx

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

Example 2.1

Differentiate f (x) = (4x3 − 5x2 + 4)(7x2 − x).

Solution
By the Derivative Product Rule, Theorem 3.3.F, we have

′ d
f (x) = [(4x3 − 5x2 + 4)(7x2 − x)]
dx
d d
= (4x3 − 5x2 + 4) [(7x2 − x] + (7x2 − x) [4x3 − 5x2 + 4]
dx dx
= (4x3 − 5x2 + 4)[14x − 1] + (7x2 − x)[12x2 − 10x]

We can simplify this, but prefer to leave it in its current form.

Theorem 3.3.G. Derivative Quotient Rule

If u and v are differentiable at x and if v(x) ̸= 0, then the quotient u/v is differentiable at x,
and
du dv
d h u i v dx − u dx
′ ′
(v)[u ] − (u)[v ]
= =
dx v v2 (v)2

Example 2.2

t2 − 1
Find the derivative of y =
t3 + 1
Solution
We apply the Quotient Rule as:

dy (t3 + 1) ∗ (2t) − (t2 − 1) ∗ (3t)

=
dt (t3 + 1)2
2t4 + 2t − 3t4 + 3t2
=
(t3 + 1)2
−t4 + 3t2 + 2t
= .
(t3 + 1)2

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

Example 2.3

t2 − 1
Differentiate f (t) =
t2 + t − 2
Solution
By the Derivative Quotient Rule:
 2 
df d t −1
=
dt dt t2 + t − 2
(t2 + t − 2) ∗ (2t) − (t2 − 1) ∗ (2t + 1)
=
(t2 + t − 2)2

Example 2.4

(x2 + x)(x2 − x + 1)
Differentiate u(x) =
x4
Solution
We treat this as a quotient with a product in the numerator. We have

d (x2 + x)(x2 − x + 1)
 
′
u (x) =
dx x4
d d
[(x2 + x)(x2 − x + 1)](x4 ) − ((x2 − x + 1)(x2 − x + 1)) [x4 ]
= dx dx
(x2 )2
[[2x + 1](x2 − x + 1) + (x2 + x)[2x − 1]](x4 ) − ((x2 + x)(x2 − x + 1))[4x3 ]
=
x4

3 Second- and Higher-Order Derivatives

′
• If y = f (x) is a differentiable function, then its derivative f (x) is also a function.

′ ′
• If f is also differentiable, then we can differentiate f to get a new function of x denoted
′′
by f .

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

′′
• The function f is called the second derivative of f because it is the derivative of the
first derivative.

′
d2 y
 
′′ d dy dy ′′
f (x) = 2 = = = y = D2 (f )(x) = Dx2 f (x).
dx dx dx dx

Example 3.1

Find the first four derivatives of y = x3 − 3x2 + 2

Solution

′
First derivative: y = 3x2 − 6x
′′
Second derivative: y = 6x − 6
′′′
Third derivative: y = 6

Fourth derivative: y (4) = 0.

Note. All polynomial functions have derivatives of all orders. In this example, the fifth and
later derivatives are all zero.

Example 3.2

′
Assume that functions f and g are differentiable with f (2) = 3, f (2) = −1, g(2) = −4, and
′ f (x) + 3
g (2) = 1. Find an equation of the line perpendicular to the graph of F (x) = at
x − g(x)
x = 2.
Solution
′
First, we find F (x) using the Derivative Quotient Rule
  ′ ′
′ d f (x) + 3 [f (x) + 0](x − g(x)) − (f (x) + 3)[1 − g (x)]
F (x) = =
dx x − g(x) (x − g(x))2
′ ′
f (x)(x − g(x)) − (f (x) + 3)(1 − g (x))
=
(x − g(x))2

′ ′
f (2)(2 − g(2)) − (f (2) + 3)(1 − g (2))
′ (−1)(2 + 4) − (3 + 3)(1 − 1)
So when x = 2,F (2) = 2
=
(2 − g(2)) (2 + 4)2

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CHAPTER 3 Derivatives

−6 1
= =− .
36 6
′
• Now F (2) = −1/6 is the slope of a line tangent to the graph y = F (x) at x = 2.

′
• So the slope of a line perpendicular to y = F (x) is the negative reciprocal of F (2) =
−1/6 and so the slope of the desired line is m = 6.
f (2) + 3 6
• F (2) = = = 1.
2 − g(2) 6
• A point on the desired line is (x1 , y1 ) = (2, F (2)) = (2, 1).

• From the point-slope equation of a line, the desired line is y − y1 = m(x − x1 ) or

y − (1) = (6)(x − (2)) or y = 6x − 11 .

Theorem 3.3.H. Derivative of the Natural Exponential Function.

d x
[e ] = ex .
dx

Example 3.3

Differentiate f (x) = x + 5ex .

Solution

′ d d d
f (x) = [x + 5ex ] = [x] + [5ex ]
dx dx dx
= [1] + 5[ex ] = 1+5ex

THE END

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