Theorems in

Differentiation

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 𝑦
Theorem 14. The Constant Rule
If 𝑐 is a constant and if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑐 for all 𝑥, then 4
𝑦=3
𝑓′ 𝑥 =0 3

2
𝑓(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 ) − 𝑓(𝑥)
Proof. 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 1
𝑐−𝑐 𝑥
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
−3 −2 −1 1 2 3
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = lim 0
∆𝑥→0

𝑓′ 𝑥 = 0 ∎
Example. Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 3.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜.
By Theorem 14,
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 0.
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Proof. Theorem 15. The Power Rule
𝑓(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 ) − 𝑓(𝑥) If 𝑛 is any number and if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 𝑛 , then
𝑓′ 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
𝑛 𝑛 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1
′
𝑥 + ∆𝑥 −𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
Using Binomial Theorem to 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 𝑛 , we have
𝑛 𝑛 − 1 𝑛−2
𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 ∆𝑥 + 𝑥 ∆𝑥 2
+ … + 𝑛𝑥 ∆𝑥 𝑛−1
+ ∆𝑥 𝑛
− 𝑥𝑛
2!
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0
∆𝑥

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Proof. Theorem 15. The Power Rule
𝑓(𝑥 + ∆𝑥 ) − 𝑓(𝑥) If 𝑛 is any number and if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 𝑛 , then
𝑓′ 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
𝑛 𝑛 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1
′
𝑥 + ∆𝑥 −𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
𝑛, Example. Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 20 .
Using Binomial Theorem to 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 we have
𝑛 𝑛 − 1 𝑛−2 By Theorem 15,
𝑛−1 2 𝑛−1 𝑛
𝑛𝑥 ∆𝑥 + 𝑥 ∆𝑥 + … + 𝑛𝑥 ∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥
′ 2! 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 20𝑥 20−1
𝑓 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0
∆𝑥 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 20𝑥 19
𝑛 𝑛 − 1 𝑛−2
∆𝑥 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑥 ∆𝑥 + … + 𝑛𝑥 ∆𝑥 𝑛−2
+ ∆𝑥 𝑛−1
2! 1
𝑓′ 𝑥 = lim Example. Let ℎ 𝑡 = 𝑡 .
4
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
By Theorem 15,
1 1−1
𝑛 𝑛 − 1 𝑛−2 ℎ′ 𝑡 = 𝑡4
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = lim 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑥 ∆𝑥 + … + 𝑛𝑥 ∆𝑥 𝑛−2
+ ∆𝑥 𝑛−1 = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 4
∆𝑥→0 2! 1 −3
ℎ′ 𝑡 = 𝑡 4
∎ 4
1
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Proof.
𝑔(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑑 𝑑
𝑔′ 𝑥 = lim Example. Find 4𝑥 7 . Example. What is −8𝑡 3 ?
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑡
𝑐𝑓(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − 𝑐𝑓(𝑥) By Theorem 16, By Theorem 16,
𝑔′ 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
𝑑 𝑑 7 𝑑 3 = −8 ∙
𝑑 3
𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 4𝑥 7 = 4 ∙ 𝑥 −8𝑡 𝑡
𝑔′ 𝑥 = lim 𝑐 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
= 4 ∙ 7𝑥 6 = −8 ∙ 3𝑡 2
𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥
𝑔′ 𝑥 = lim 𝑐 ∙ lim = 28𝑥 6 = −24𝑡 2
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥

𝑔′ 𝑥 = 𝑐 ∙ 𝑓′(𝑥) ∎
Theorem 16. The Constant Multiple Rule
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 If 𝑓 is a function, 𝑐 is a constant, and 𝑔 is a function defined by
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑎 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑐 ∙ 𝑓(𝑥) then if 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 exists,
𝑑 𝑑 𝑔′ 𝑥 = 𝑐 ∙ 𝑓′(𝑥)
𝑐∙𝑓 𝑥 =𝑐∙ 𝑓 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
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Theorem 17. The Sum Rule
If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by
ℎ 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑑 5
Example. Find 𝑥 +4 𝑥+7 .
then if 𝑓′(𝑥) and 𝑔′(𝑥) exist, ℎ′ 𝑥 = 𝑓′ 𝑥 + 𝑔′(𝑥. ) 𝑑𝑥
By Theorem 17,
Proof.
ℎ(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − ℎ(𝑥) 𝑑 5 𝑑 𝑑
ℎ′ 𝑥 = lim 𝑥 + 4 𝑥 + 7
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − [𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 ] 4
′
ℎ 𝑥 = lim = 5𝑥 4 + +0
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 2 𝑥

𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 2
ℎ′ 𝑥 = lim + = 5𝑥 4 +
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥
ℎ′ 𝑥 = lim + lim 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑤𝑜
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠.
ℎ′ 𝑥 = 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 + 𝑔′ 𝑥 ∎ 𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑥)
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 𝑑 1 Theorem 18. The Difference Rule
Example. Find − 2 − 33 𝑦 .
𝑑𝑦 𝑦 If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by
By Theorem 18, ℎ 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔(𝑥)

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

𝑑 1
− 2 − 33 𝑦
𝑑𝑦 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
Proof.
𝑑 −1 𝑑 1 ℎ(𝑥 + ∆𝑥) − ℎ(𝑥)
= 𝑦 − 0 − 3𝑦 3 ℎ′ 𝑥 = lim
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
1 −2 ′
𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − [𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 ]
−2
= −1𝑦 − 3 ∙ 𝑦 3 ℎ 𝑥 = lim
3 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
1 1 𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥
=− 2 − 3 ℎ′ 𝑥 = lim −
𝑦 𝑦2 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑤𝑜 ′

𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥
ℎ 𝑥 = lim − lim
𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠. ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 ℎ′ 𝑥 = 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 − 𝑔′ 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ∎
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 Theorem 19. The Product Rule 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑤𝑜
𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒
If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒
ℎ 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 ∙ 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒
𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.
then if 𝑓′(𝑥) and 𝑔′(𝑥) exist, ℎ′ 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′ 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 .
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
𝑓 𝑥 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑓 𝑥 ∙ 𝑔 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑥) ∙ 𝑓(𝑥)
Proof. Left as an exercise. 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Theorem 20. The Quotient Rule

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑤𝑜
𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑡𝑠 If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions and if ℎ is the function defined by
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙
𝑓 𝑥
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ 𝑥 = , where 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠
𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟. then if 𝑓′(𝑥) and 𝑔′(𝑥) exist,

𝑔 𝑥 ∙
𝑑
𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑓(𝑥) ∙
𝑑
𝑔(𝑥) 𝑔 𝑥 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′(𝑥)
𝑑 𝑓 𝑥
= 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ℎ′ 𝑥 =
𝑑𝑥 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑔 𝑥 2 𝑔 𝑥 2

Polytechnic University of the Philippines Proof. Left as an exercise.

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 𝑑 𝑡3 + 𝑡
Example. If ℎ 𝑥 = 2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 3𝑥 5 + 𝑥2 , find ℎ′ 𝑥 . Example. Find .
𝑑𝑡 𝑡 2 + 1
Solution 1. Applying Theorem 19,
Solution 1. Applying Theorem 20,
Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 6𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 Let 𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑡 3 + 𝑡 𝑓 ′ 𝑡 = 3𝑡 2 +1
𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑥 5 + 𝑥 2 𝑔′ 𝑥 = 15𝑥 4 + 2𝑥 𝑔 𝑡 = 𝑡2 + 1 𝑔′ 𝑡 = 2𝑡
′
ℎ′ 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′ 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 . 𝑔 𝑡 𝑓 𝑡 − 𝑓 𝑡 𝑔′(𝑡)
ℎ′ 𝑡 =
ℎ′ 𝑥 = (2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 )(15𝑥 4 + 2𝑥) + (3𝑥 5 + 𝑥 2 ) (6𝑥 2 − 8𝑥) 𝑔 𝑡 2
Expanding, we have (𝑡 2 + 1) (3𝑡 2 + 1) −(𝑡 3 + 𝑡) (2𝑡)
7 4 6 3
ℎ′(𝑥) = (30𝑥 + 4𝑥 − 60𝑥 − 8𝑥 ) + (18𝑥 − 24𝑥 + 6𝑥 − 8𝑥 ) 7 6 4 3 ℎ′ 𝑡 =
𝑡2 + 1 2

ℎ′ 𝑥 = 48𝑥 7 − 84𝑥 6 + 10𝑥 4 − 16𝑥 3 (3𝑡 4 + 4𝑡 2 + 1) − (2𝑡 4 + 2𝑡 2 )

ℎ′ 𝑡 =
Solution 2. By FOIL method, 𝑡2 + 1 2

ℎ 𝑥 = 2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 3𝑥 5 + 𝑥 2 = 6𝑥 8 − 12𝑥 7 + 2𝑥 5 − 4𝑥 4 𝑡 4 + 2𝑡 2 + 1 𝑡2 + 1 2
ℎ′ 𝑡 = = 2 2
=1
𝑡2 +1 2 𝑡 +1
ℎ′ 𝑥 = 6 ∙ 8𝑥 7 − 12 ∙ 7𝑥 6 + 2 ∙ 5𝑥 4 − 4 ∙ 4𝑥 3
ℎ′ 𝑥 = 48𝑥 7 − 84𝑥 6 + 10𝑥 4 − 16𝑥 3 Solution 2.
𝑑 𝑡3 + 𝑡 𝑑 𝑡 2 + 1 (𝑡) 𝑑
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= (𝑡) = 1
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𝑑𝑡 𝑡 + 1 𝑑𝑡 𝑡 𝑑𝑡