Differentiation Techniques:

The Product and Quotient

Rules 1.6
OBJECTIVE
• Differentiate using the Product and the
Quotient Rules.
• Use the Quotient Rule to differentiate the
average cost, revenue, and profit functions.

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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
THEOREM 5: The Product Rule

Let F ( x)  f ( x)  g ( x). Then,

d
F ( x)   f ( x)  g ( x) 
dx
d d
F ( x)  f ( x)  g ( x)  g ( x)  f ( x)
dx dx
The derivative of a product is the first factor times the
derivative of the second factor, plus the second factor
times the derivative of the first factor.
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Example 1: Find
d  4
dx 
 x  2 x 3
 7  3 x 2
 5 x  .


d  4
dx 
 x  2 x 3
 7  3 x 2
 5 x   

 x 4
 2 x 3
 7  6 x  5  
 3 x 2
 5 x 
 4 x 3
 6 x 2


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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Quick Check 1
Use the Product Rule to differentiate each of the following
functions. Do not simplify.

a.) y  (2 x5  x  1)(3x  2)

b.) y  ( x  1)( 5 x  x)

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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Quick Check 1 Solution
a.) y  (2 x5  x  1)(3x  2)
d d d
Using the Product Rule:  f  x   g  x   f  x    g  x   g  x    f  x 
dx dx dx
We get: y  (2 x5  x  1)(3x11  0)  (3x  2)(5  2 x 51  x11  0)

y  3(2 x5  x  1)  (3x  2)(10 x 4  1)

b.) y   x 1  5
xx 
Again, using the Product Rule, we get:
 1 15 1 11   1 1
1 
y   ( x  1)  x  x   ( 5 x  x )  x 2  0 
5  2 
 1 

y  x  1 
5 x

5 4
 1  5 x  x 


 1 
2 x 
 
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
THEOREM 6: The Quotient Rule
N ( x)
If Q( x)  , then,
D( x)
D( x)  N ( x)  N ( x)  D( x)
Q( x) 
 D( x)
2

The derivative of a quotient is the denominator times

the derivative of the numerator, minus the numerator
times the derivative of the denominator, all divided by
the square of the denominator.
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
x 2  3x
Example 2: Differentiate f ( x)  .
x 1

( x  1)(2 x  3)  ( x 2  3x)(1)
f ( x) 
( x  1) 2
2 x 2  5 x  3  x 2  3x
f ( x) 
( x  1) 2
x2  2 x  3
f ( x) 
( x  1) 2

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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules

Quick Check 2
1  3x
a.) Differentiate: f ( x )  . Simplify your result.
x 2
2

b.) Show that

d  ax  1 a b
  
dx  bx  1   bx  12

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1.6 Differentiation Techniques: 1  3x
f ( x)  2
The Product and Quotient Rules x 2
Quick Check 2 Solution
d d
g ( x)  [ f ( x)]  f ( x)  [ g ( x)]
a.) Using the Quotient Rule: d  f ( x)  dx dx
   2
dx  g ( x)  [ g ( x)]

( x 2  2)(0  3)  (1  3x)(2 x  0)
We get: f ( x) 
( x 2  2)2

3x 2  6  2 x  6 x 2
f ( x) 
x4  4 x2  4

3x 2  2 x  6
f ( x)  4
x  4 x2  4

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 1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Quick Check 2 Solution Concluded
d d
g ( x)  [ f ( x)]  f ( x)  [ g ( x)]
b.) Using the Quotient Rule: d  f ( x)   dx dx
dx  g ( x)  [ g ( x)]2

We know that: d  ax  1   (bx  1)(a)  (ax2  1)(b)

dx  bx  1   bx  1
(abx  a)  (abx  b)

(bx  1) 2
abx  a  abx  b

(bx  1) 2
a b

(bx  1) 2

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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
DEFINITION:

If C(x) is the cost of producing x items, then the

C ( x)
average cost of producing x items is .
x
If R(x) is the revenue from the sale of x items, then the
R( x)
average revenue from selling x items is .
x
If P(x) is the profit from the sale of x items, then the
P( x)
average profit from selling x items is .
x
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Example 3: Paulsen’s Greenhouse finds that
the cost, in dollars, of growing x hundred geraniums is
given by C ( x)  200  100  4 x . If the revenue from
the sale of x hundred geraniums is given by
R ( x)  120  90  x , find each of the following.

a) The average cost, the average revenue, and the

average profit when x hundred geraniums are grown
and sold.
b) The rate at which average profit is changing when
300 geraniums are being grown.
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Example 3 (continued):
a) We let AC, AR, and AP represent average cost,
average revenue, and average profit.
C ( x) 200  100  4 x
AC ( x)  
x x
R( x) 120  90  x
A R ( x)  
x x
P ( x) R ( x)  C ( x) 120  90  x  200  100  4 x
A P ( x)   
x x x4
80  90  x  100  x
A P ( x) 
x
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Example 3 (continued):
b) First we must find AP  x  . Then we can substitute
3 (hundred) into AP  x  .
80  90  x  100  4 x
A ( x ) 
AP  x   P
x
 
1 2
1

1 4
3
  1 1

x  90  x  100  x    80  90  x  100  x   1
2 4

 2 4   

x2
1 1 1 1
45 x  25 x  80  90 x  100 x
2 4 2 4

x2
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Example 3 (concluded):
1 1

 80  45 x  75 x 2 4
AP ( x) 
x2
1 1

 80  45(3)  75(3) 2 4
AP (3) 
32
AP (3)  11.196
Thus, at 300 geraniums, Paulsen’s average profit is
increasing by about $11.20 per plant.
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1.6 Differentiation Techniques:
The Product and Quotient Rules
Section Summary
• The Product Rule is:
d d d
 f ( x)  g ( x)  f ( x)  [ g ( x)]  g ( x)  [ f ( x)]
dx dx dx
• The Quotient Rule is:
d d
  g ( x )  [ f ( x )]  f ( x )  [ g ( x)]
d f ( x) dx dx

dx  g ( x)  [ g ( x)]2
• Be careful to note the order in which you write out the factors when
using the Quotient Rule. Because the Quotient Rule involves
subtraction and division, the order in which you perform the
operations is important.
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