MAT 121:DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
DIFFERENTIATION OF EXPONENTIAL, LOGARITHMIC
AND TRIG FUNCTIONS
November 25, 2024 1/8
Derivatives of exponential functions
Exponential Functions: If f (x) = ax then
f ′ (x) = f ′ (0) · ax = ln a · ax
Proof:
Using the definition of derivative we have:
f (x + h) − f (x)
f ′ (x) = lim
h→0 h
ax+h − ax
= lim
h→0 h
ax ah − ax
= lim
h→0 h
(ah − 1)
= ax lim
h→0 h
= f ′ (0) · ax
Later we will see that f ′ (0) = ln a by using the Chain Rule.
November 25, 2024 2/8
Derivatives of exponential functions
Recall from a previous lecture that the motivation for the definition of e ≈ 2.771828 · · · stems
from the fact that the slope of the tangent line of e x at x = 0 is equal to 1. That is:
Slope of e x at x = 0
If f (x) = e x , then f ′ (0) = 1.
This gives a very nice derivative rule for e x !
Derivative of e x Rule: (e x )′ = e x
In order to differentiate logarithmic functions we need a new technique.
(In particular, implicit differentiation which we cover later).
November 25, 2024 3/8
Derivatives of logarithmic functions
Derivatives of logarithms
1
Logarithmic Functions: If f (x) = loga x, then f ′ (x) = .
x ln a
Proof:
Rather than using the definition of derivative as before (it gets complicated if you do), we
will use implicit differentiation along with other derivative rules that we previously proved.
Let y = loga x so that
ay = x.
Then differentiating implicitly and using the derivative of an exponential formula, we have:
dy
ay (ln a) = 1.
dx
dy
Solving for dx
gives:
dy 1
=
dx ay ln a
1
=
x ln a
November 25, 2024 4/8
Derivatives of logarithmic functions
Derivative of the natural logarithm
If a = ein the previous formula then we get:
d 1
(ln x) =
dx x
We can also combine these formulas with chain rule to get more general formulas:
d f ′ (x) d f ′ (x)
(loga f (x)) = and (ln f (x)) =
dx f (x) ln a dx f (x)
Example
Find the derivative of y = ln(cos x).
Solution: Taking the derivative using the chain rule gives:
dy − sin x
=
dx cos x
= − tan x
November 25, 2024 5/8
Derivatives of logarithmic functions
Example
Use the chain rule and definition of absolute value to prove:
d 1 d f ′ (x)
ln |x| = and ln |f (x)| = .
dx x dx f (x)
Solution: Let f (x) = ln |x|, then by definition of absolute value,
ln x if x > 0,
f (x) =
ln(−x) if x < 0.
Thus, the derivative is:
1
if x > 0,
x
f ′ (x) = 1 1
(−1) = if x < 0.
−x x
1
Therefore, f ′ (x) = x
for all x ̸= 0.
The second formula is a direct application of the chain rule.
November 25, 2024 6/8
Derivatives of trigonometric functions
Sine Function: (sin x)′ = cos x
Proof:
Let f (x) = sin x. Using the definition of derivative we have:
f (x + h) − f (x)
f ′ (x) = lim
h→0 h
sin(x + h) − sin x
= lim
h→0 h
[sin x cos h + cos x sin h] − sin x
= lim
h→0 h
[sin x cos h − sin x] + [cos x sin h]
= lim
h→0 h
cos h − 1 sin h
= lim sin x · lim + lim cos x · lim
h→0 h→0 h h→0 h→0 h
= sin x · 0 + cos x · 1
= cos x
sin x cos x − 1
Recall: lim = 1 and lim =0
x→0 x x→0 x
November 25, 2024 7/8
Derivatives of trigonometric functions
A similar proof works for the cosine function:
d
(cos x) = − sin x.
dx
Using quotient rule we get formulas for the other trigonometric ratios.
Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions
d d
(sin x) = cos x (csc x) = − csc x cot x
dx dx
d d
(cos x) = − sin x (sec x) = sec x tan x
dx dx
d d
(tan x) = sec2 x (cot x) = − csc2 x
dx dx
November 25, 2024 8/8
