Differentiability and The Chain Rule

Mathematics 21

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman)

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For today

1 Differentiability

2 The Chain Rule

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 2 / 31
For today

1 Differentiability

2 The Chain Rule

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Differentiability

Definitions

1. A function f is said to be differentiable at x = x0 if its derivative f 0 ( x0 ) at

x = x0 exists.
2. A function f is differentiable on ( a, b) if f is differentiable at every real
number in ( a, b).
3. A function f is differentiable everywhere if it is differentiable at every real
number.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 4 / 31
Differentiability

Example
(
x , x≥0
Determine if f ( x ) = | x | = is differentiable at x = 0.
−x , x < 0

f 0 (0) = ?

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Differentiability

Definitions
Let the function f ( x ) be defined at x = x0 .
0 ( x ), is given by
1. The derivative from the left of f ( x ) at x = x0 , denoted f − 0

0 f ( x ) − f ( x0 )
f− ( x0 ) = lim ,
x → x0− x − x0

if the limit exists.

0 ( x ), is given by
2. The derivative from the right of f ( x ) at x = x0 , denoted f + 0

0 f ( x ) − f ( x0 )
f+ ( x0 ) = lim ,
x → x0+ x − x0

if the limit exists.

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Differentiability

Remark

1. The derivative from the left [right] is also referred to as the left-hand derivative
[right-hand derivative], or simply left derivative [right derivative].
0 ( x ) and f 0 ( x ) exist
2. The function f is differentiable at x = x0 if and only if f − 0 + 0
and
0 ( x ) = f 0 ( x ) = f 0 ( x ).
f− 0 + 0 0

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 7 / 31
Example
(
x , x≥0
Determine if f ( x ) = | x | = is differentiable at x = 0.
−x , x < 0

Solution. We compute the derivatives from the left and from the right at x = 0.

0 f ( x ) − f (0) 0 f ( x ) − f (0)
f− (0) = lim f+ (0) = lim
x →0− x−0 x →0+ x−0
−x − 0 x−0
= lim = lim
x →0− x x →0+ x
= −1 = 1

=⇒ f −0 (0) 6= f +0 (0)

∴ f ( x ) is not differentiable at x = 0.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 8 / 31
Example
(
1 2
2x + 24 , x<4
Determine if f ( x ) = √ is differentiable at x = 4.
16 x , x≥4

We compute the derivatives from the left and from the right at x = 4.
√
0 ( 21 x2 + 24) − 32 0 16 x − 32
f− (4) = lim f+ (4) = lim
x →4 − x−4 x → 4+ x−4
1 2
√ √
x − 8 x−2 x+2
= lim 2 = lim 16 · √
x →4 − x − 4 x → 4+ x−4 x+2
1 ( x + 4) −
(x 4) x−4
= lim = lim 16 √
x →4 2
− x−4
 
 x → 4+  −
(x 4)( x + 2)
= 4 = 4

0 (4) = f 0 (4) = 4 =⇒ f ( x ) is differentiable at x = 4 and f 0 (4) = 4.

f− +

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Differentiability and Continuity

Theorem
If f is differentiable at x = x0 , then f is continuous at x = x0 .

Remarks

If f is discontinuous at x = x0 , then f is not differentiable at x = x0 .

If f is continuous at x = x0 , it does not mean that f is differentiable at x = x0 .
If f is not differentiable at x = x0 , it does not mean that f is not continuous at
x = x0 .

Example
Consider the function f ( x ) = | x |. Observe that
f is continuous at x = 0, and
f is not differentiable at x = 0.
Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 10 / 31
Geometric Interpretation of Differentiability

Geometrically, if f is differentiable at x = x0 , then the graph of f has a

non-vertical tangent line at x = x0 .

Remarks
A function f is not differentiable at x = x0 if one of the following is true:
f is discontinuous at x = x0
the graph of f has a vertical tangent line at x = x0
the graph of f has no well-defined tangent line at x = x0 , i.e., the graph of f
has a corner or cusp at x = x0 .

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 x0 x0 x0

Figure 1: Instances where a function fails to be differentiable at x = x0 .

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Theorem on left and right derivatives

Theorem
1. If f is continuous at x = x0 from the left and lim f 0 ( x ) exists, then
−
x → x0
0 ( x ) = lim f 0 ( x ).
f− 0
x → x0−

2. If f is continuous at x = x0 from the right and lim f 0 ( x ) exists, then

x → x0+
0 ( x ) = lim f 0 ( x ).
f+ 0
x → x0+

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Example
Determine if
(
x2
, x < −1
f (x) =
−1 − 2x , x ≥ −1
is differentiable at x0 = −1.

Solution. We first check continuity of f ( x ) at x = −1.

f (−1) = 1
lim f ( x ) = lim f ( x ) = 1
x →−1− x →−1+

∴ f ( x ) is continuous at x = −1.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 14 / 31
 (
x2 , x < −1
f (x) =
−1 − 2x , x ≥ −1

We have
(
2x , x < −1
f 0 (x) =
−2 , x > −1.
Thus,

0
f− (−1) = lim f 0 ( x ) = 2(−1) = −2
x →−1−
0
f+ (−1) = lim f 0 ( x ) = −2
x →−1+

0 (−1) = f 0 (−1) = −2,

f− +
=⇒ f ( x ) is differentiable at x = −1 and f 0 (−1) = −2

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Example
Determine if the following function is differentiable at x = 1:
(
x2 + x + 2 , x≤1
g( x ) =
3x , x>1

Solution. We first check continuity of g( x ) at x = 1.

g (1) = 4
2
lim ( x + x + 2) = 4
x →1−
lim 3x = 3
x →1+

∴ g is discontinuous at x = 1

Hence, g is not differentiable at x = 1.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 16 / 31
Example
Determine if the following function is differentiable at x = 1:
(
x2 + x + 2 , x≤1
g( x ) =
3x , x>1

Solution. Note:
(
2x + 1 , x<1
g0 ( x ) =
3 , x>1

Observe that lim g0 ( x ) = 3 and lim g0 ( x ) = 3. However, g0 (3) does not exist.
x →1− x →1+
A function f must be cont. from the left [right] at x0 before we conclude that
0 ( x ) = lim f 0 ( x ) [ f 0 ( x ) = lim f 0 ( x )].
f− 0 + 0
x → x0− x → x0+

∴ g( x ) is not differentiable at x = 1.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 17 / 31
For today

1 Differentiability

2 The Chain Rule

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The Chain Rule

Theorem (Chain Rule)

If a function g is differentiable at x = x0 and a function f is differentiable at g( x0 ),
then f ◦ g is differentiable at x = x0 and

( f ◦ g)0 ( x0 ) = f 0 ( g( x0 )) · g0 ( x0 ).

Remark
The chain rule can also be stated in the following manner:
If y = f (u) and u = g( x ) , then

dy dy du
= · or Dx [ f (u)] = f 0 (u) Dx [u].
dx du dx

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 19 / 31
The Chain Rule

Example
Find Dx [(2x )5 ].

Solution: Note that (2x )5 = ( f ◦ g)( x ) where f ( x ) = x5 and g( x ) = 2x.

We have

f 0 ( x ) = 5x4 and g0 ( x ) = 2.

Using the chain rule,

Dx [(2x )5 ] = f 0 ( g( x )) · g0 ( x ) = 5[ g( x )]4 · 2 = 160x4 .

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The Chain Rule

Example
Determine Dx [sin(2x )].

Solution: We have sin(2x ) = ( f ◦ g)( x ) where f ( x ) = sin x and g( x ) = 2x.

So,

f 0 ( x ) = cos x and g0 ( x ) = 2

and by the chain rule,

Dx [sin(2x )] = f 0 ( g( x )) · g0 ( x ) = (cos[ g( x )]) · (2) = 2 cos(2x ).

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 21 / 31
The Chain Rule

Example
Find h0 ( x ) if h( x ) = 2 sin( x2 ).

Solution: Note that h( x ) = ( f ◦ g)( x ) where f ( x ) = 2 sin x and g( x ) = x2 .

Now,

f 0 ( x ) = 2 cos x and g0 ( x ) = 2x.

Using the chain rule,

h0 ( x ) = f 0 ( g( x )) · g0 ( x ) = (2 cos g( x )) · (2x ) = 4x cos x2 .

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The Chain Rule

Example
dy √
Find if y = x3 − tan x.
dx
√
Solution: We let y = u and u = x3 − tan x.
Thus,

dy dy du 1 3x2 − sec2 x
= · = √ · (3x2 − sec2 x ) = √ .
dx du dx 2 u 2 x3 − tan x

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The Chain Rule

Example
dy
Find if y = (2x − 1)100 (2 − x )200 .
dx

Solution:

dy
= 100(2x − 1)99 · 2 · (2 − x )200
dx
+(2x − 1)100 · 200(2 − x )199 · (−1)
= (2x − 1)99 (2 − x )199 [200(2 − x ) − 200(2x − 1)]
= 600(1 − x )(2x − 1)99 (2 − x )199 .

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 24 / 31
The Chain Rule

Example
5
" #
(2x 2 + 2)4
Find Dx √ .
2x − csc x

Solution:
" 5
# √ 5 5 √
(2x 2 + 2)4 ( 2x − csc x ) · Dx [(2x 2 + 2)4 ] − (2x 2 + 2)4 · Dx [ 2x − csc x ]
Dx √ = √
2x − csc x ( 2x − csc x )2

√ 5 3 5
 
( 2x − csc x ) · 4(2x 2 + 2)3 · (5x 2 ) − (2x 2 + 2)4 · √1 · 2 + csc x cot x
2 2x
= √ .
( 2x − csc x )2

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The Chain Rule

Remarks

1. The chain rule can also be extended to a finite composition of functions.

To illustrate,
( f 1 ◦ f 2 ◦ f 3 )0 ( x ) = f 10 (( f 2 ◦ f 3 )( x )) · f 20 ( f 3 ( x )) · f 30 ( x )

2. It may help to think that :

“The derivative of f ( g( x )) is the derivative of the outside function evaluated at
the inside function times the derivative of the inside function.“

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The Chain Rule

Example
Dx [sin(tan2 x )]

Solution: Observe that F ( x ) = sin(tan2 x ) = ( f ◦ g ◦ h)( x ), where

f ( x ) = sin x, g( x ) = x2 , h( x ) = tan x

f 0 ( x ) = cos x, g0 ( x ) = 2x, h0 ( x ) = sec2 x.

Thus,

F0 (x) = f 0 (( g ◦ h)( x )) · g0 (h( x )) · h0 ( x )

= cos(( g ◦ h)( x )) · 2(h( x )) · sec2 x
= cos(tan2 x ) · 2(tan x ) · sec2 x

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 27 / 31
The Chain Rule

Example
Find Dx [sin(tan2 x )].

Solution:

Dx [sin(tan2 x )] = cos(tan2 x ) · 2(tan x ) · sec2 x

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The Chain Rule

Example
Find Dx [cos2 (cot 4x )]

Solution:

Dx [cos2 (cot 4x )] = 2 cos(cot 4x ) · (− sin(cot 4x )) · (− csc2 4x ) · (4)

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Differentiability and The Chain Rule Mathematics 21 29 / 31
The Chain Rule

Example
√
Find f (4) ( x ) if f ( x ) = 2x − 3.

Solution.
1 1 1
f 0 (x) = (2x − 3)− 2 · (2) = (2x − 3)− 2
2
1 3 3
f 00 ( x ) = − (2x − 3)− 2 · (2) = − (2x − 3)− 2
2
3 5 5
f 000 ( x ) = (2x − 3)− 2 · (2) = 3 (2x − 3)− 2
2
15 7 7
f (4) ( x ) = − (2x − 3)− 2 · (2) = −15 (2x − 3)− 2
2

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Exercises

dy
1. Find if y = ( x + tan x )4 .
dx √
2. Find f 0 ( x ) if f ( x ) = sin(2x3 − 3x ).
π
3. Find the slope of the tangent line to the graph of f ( x ) = cos 2x at x = .
4
4. Given  √

 2 3 x − x2 , x≥1
f (x) = ,
 tan( x2 − 1) − 5x2/3

, x<1
find f 0 (1), if it exists.
5. Determine Dx4 [ cos(4x ) ].

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