Lesson 6: Differentiation

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Find The derivative of a function using limit definition

2. Evaluate the specific derivative of a function at a number included in its domain
3. Analyze whether a function is differentiable or not.
4. Apply appropriate differentiation formulas in finding derivatives

DIFFERENTIATION
One of the most essential processes of calculus uses the limit concept in its
definition is called differentiation.
Calculus grew out of four major problems that early mathematicians were working
on during the seventeenth century and these are the following:
1. The Tangent Line Problem 3. The Maximum and Minimum
Problem
2. The Velocity and Acceleration Problem 4. The Area Problem

THE TANGENT LINE PROBLEM

The problem of finding the tangent line at a point P is stemmed from the
problem of finding the slope of the tangent line at point P. This slope can be
approximated using a secant line passing through the point of tangency and a
second point on the curve.
(c , f (c )) ( c + Δx , f ( c + Δx ) )
If is the point of tangency and is a second point on
the graph of f, then the slope of the secant line through the two points is given by the
substitution into the slope formula.
y 2− y 1 Δy f ( c + Δx ) −f ( x ) f ( c+ Δx )−f ( c )
m= = = =
x 2−x 1 Δx ( c + Δx ) −x Δx
(slope of secant
line)
As we choose points closer and closer to the point of tangency, the more
accurate approximation
of the slope of the tangent line that we will obtain. Tangent line approximation is
shown in the figure below:
 A. DEFINITION OF TANGENT LINE WITH SLOPE m:
If f is defined on an open interval containing c, and if the limit
Δy f ( c+ Δx )−f ( c )
lim = lim =m
Δx →0 Δx Δx → 0 Δx (c , f (c ) )
exists, then the line passing through with slope
(c , f (c ))
m is the tangent line to the graph of f at the point .

It should be noted that the definition of the tangent line to a graph of f does not include the
possibility of a vertical tangent line. For vertical tangent lines, we shall use the following
definition.

B. DEFINITION OF VERTICAL TANGENT LINE:

f ( c + Δx )−f ( c )
lim =±∞
Δx→0 Δx x=c

If f is continuous at c and , then the vertical line

(c , f (c ))
passing through is a vertical tangent line to the graph of f.

EXAMPLE A: Find the slope(s) of the tangent line(s) of the graph of the function at the
indicated point(s).

f ( x )=2 x−3 ( 2,1 )

1. at the point .

2
f ( x )=x +1 ( 0,1 ) (−1,2 )

2. at the points and

 C. DEFINITION OF THE DERIVATIVE OF A FUNCTION:

f ( x + Δx )−f ( x )
f ' ( x )= lim
Δx→ 0 Δx
The derivative of f at x is given by provided that the
limit exists, For all x for which the limit exists, then f ‘ (read “f prime”) is a function of x.
The function f is said to be differentiable at x if the derivative exists at x and is said to be
differentiable on an open interval (a,b) if it is differentiable at every point in the interval.

From the definition above, we see that the derivative of a function is again, a
function. The process of finding the derivative of a function is called differentiation. It is the
underlying operation of differential calculus

y=f ( x )
NOTE: If the function f is defined by the equation , then the derivative of a function
at a number x can be denoted by any of the following symbols:
dy d
f ' (x) ,
dx
, Dx f , Dx ( f ( x ) ) , D x y ,
dx
[f ( x)] , y'

EXAMPLE B: Find the derivative of the following functions by the limit process.
3
f ( x )=x +2 x
1.

f ( x )=√ x
2. 2.

D. DIFFERENTIABILITY AND CONTINUITY

This section investigates and illustrates the relationship between
differentiability and continuity.
 f ( x )−f ( c )
f ' ( c )=lim
x →c x−c
Suppose the derivative of f at c in alternative form is . Then
the existence of this limit in its alternative form requires that the one-sided limits
f ( x )−f ( c ) f ( x )−f ( c )
f '_ ( c ) = lim f ' + ( c ) = lim
x → c− x−c x → c+ x−c
and exist and are equal. These one-
sided limits are called the derivatives from the left and from the right, respectively.

[ a,b ]
Moreover, it follows that f is differentiable on the closed interval if it is
( a,b )

differentiable on interval and if the derivative from the right at a and the
derivative from the left at b both exist.

THEOREM: DIFFERENTIABLITY IMPLIES CONTINUITY

x=c x=c
If f is differentiable at , then f is continuous at .
x=c
EXAMPLE C: Use the alternative form of the derivative to find the derivative at (if it
exists).
2
2 f ( x )=
f ( x )=x −5 x
1. , c=3 2. , c=5

E. THEOREMS ON DIFFERENTIATION (BASIC DIFFERENTIATION RULES)

Finding the derivative of a function using the definition poses a tedious and a
complicated task. We can find relief from using such technique by applying some of the
basic theorems of differentiation.
THEOREM 1: (Constant Rule)
f (x )=c f ' ( x )=0
If for all x where c is a constant, then .
THEOREM 2: (Power Rule)
 n n−1
f (x )=x f ' ( x )=nx
If n is a rational number and , then .

THEOREM 3: (Constant Multiple Rule)

g ( x ) =c⋅f ( x )
If f is differentiable at x and , where c is a constant, then g is
g ' ( x ) =c⋅f ' ( x )
differentiable at x and .

THEOREM 4: (Sum and Difference Rules)

h ( x ) = f ( x ) ±g ( x )
If f and g are differentiable at x and , then h is differentiable at x
h ' ( x ) = f ' ( x )±g ' ( x )
and .

THEOREM 5: (Product Rule)

h ( x )=f ( x )⋅g ( x )
If f and g are differentiable at x and , then h is differentiable at x and
h ' ( x ) = f ( x )⋅g' ( x ) + g ( x )⋅f ' ( x )
.

THEOREM 6: (Quotient Rule)

f (x )
h ( x )= with g ( x ) ≠0
g(x)
If f and g are differentiable at x and , then h is differentiable
f ' ( x )⋅g ( x ) − g ' ( x )⋅f ( x ) D x [ f ( x ) ]⋅g ( x ) − D x [ g ( x ) ]⋅f ( x )
h' (x) = h' (x) =
[g ( x )] 2 [ g (x )] 2
at x and or .

THEOREM 7: (Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions)

f ( x )=sin x f ' ( x )=cos x f ( x )=cot x
a. If , then . d. If , then
2
f ' ( x )=−csc x
.
f ( x )=cos x f ' ( x )=−sin x f ( x )=sec x
b. If , then . e. If , then
f ' ( x )=sec x tan x
.
 2
f ( x )=tan x f ' ( x )=sec x f ( x )=csc x
c. If , then f. If , then
f ' ( x )=−csc x cot x
.

THEOREM 8: (Chain Rule)

y=f (u ) u=g ( x )

If is a differentiable function of u and is a differentiable function of

dy dy du
= ⋅
y=f ( g ( x ) ) dx du dx

x, then is a differentiable function of x and or equivalently,

d
dx
[ f ( g ( x ) ) ]=f ' ( g ( x ) )⋅g ' ( x )
.

EXAMPLE 4: Find the derivative of the function using the basic differentiation rules.
x 2 ( x −2 )4
3 f ( x )=
y=( 4 x−1 ) 2
1. 3. 5.
h ( x )=√ cos2 ( 6 x+1 )
3

2.
f ( x )=sec x
2
4.
3
g ( x ) =sin ( x +1 )
6.
y=
√ 2x
x+1

EXAMPLE 5: Evaluate the derivative of the function at a given point.

g ( x ) =√ x 2+6 x−2 ; ( 3,5 )