Using a table of derivatives

In this unit we construct a Table of Derivatives of commonly occurring functions. This is done using the knowledge gained in previous units on dierentiation from rst principles. Rules, known as linearity rules, for constant multiples of functions, and for the sum/dierence of two functions are also given and illustrated with examples. Finally, the table is extended further by making use of the chain rule for dierentiating a function of a function. In order to master the techniques explained here it is vital that you undertake plenty of practice exercises so that they become second nature. After reading this text, and/or viewing the video tutorial on this topic, you should be able to: construct and use a table of derivatives of commonly occurring functions

Contents
1. Introduction 2. A Table of Derivatives 3. The constant multiplier rule 4. The addition and subtraction rules 5. Further extensions to the Table 2 2 2 3 4

c mathcentre August 27, 2004

1. Introduction
Other units have explained how to dierentiate all the common functions, such as xn , cos x, sin x, ex , ln x and so on. Usually this has been done from rst principles. In this unit we pull all these results together and construct a table of standard derivatives which you can consult as the need arises.

2. A Table of Derivatives
Commonly occurring functions and their derivatives are given in the Table below.

function f (x) derivative c x 2x xn sin x cos x ex ln x

df or f (x) dx 0 1 2 nxn1 cos x sin x ex 1 x

c is any constant

n is any real number

We can make this table more useful by extending the range of functions it includes. We can do this using rules, known as linearity rules: these are the constant multiplier rule and the addition rule.

3. The constant multiplier rule

Suppose we have a function f (x) and multiply it by a constant, c say. The derivative of this is given by the following rule: df d (c f (x)) = c dx dx In other words, we simply dierentiate the function and multiply the result by the constant c. Examples If y = 2 sin x then dy d = 2 (sin x) = 2 cos x. dx dx d dy = 5 (sin x) = 5 cos x. dx dx

If y = 5 sin x then

c mathcentre August 27, 2004

Proof from rst principles of the constant multiplier rule Consider the function g(x) = cf (x) where c is a constant. Using the denition of the derivative of g(x) we have g (x) = g(x + x) g(x) x0 x c f (x + x) c f (x) = lim x0 x c(f (x + x) f (x)) = lim x0 x lim

The constant c is unaected by the limiting process and so can be taken outside the limit: g (x) = c lim f (x + x) f (x) x0 x

But the term following the c on the right hand side is just the denition of the derivative of f (x). So we have df g (x) = c = c f (x) dx

Key Point
The constant multiplier rule: d df (c f (x)) = c dx dx

Exercise 1 Find the derivative of each of the following: a) 5x4 f) 2ex b) 12x c) 4x2 d) i) 8 cos x 2 sin x e) 3 cos x

g) 3 ln x

h) 7ex

j) 4 ln x

4. The addition and subtraction rules

The rst of these rules enables us to dierentiate the sum of two functions, e.g. f (x) + g(x). The rule states that to dierentiate this sum we simply dierentiate each term separately and then add the results: df dg d (f (x) + g(x)) = + dx dx dx 3
c mathcentre August 27, 2004

Similarly, if we have the dierence of two functions: df dg d (f (x) g(x)) = dx dx dx

Key Point
Sum and dierence rules: d df dg (f (x) g(x)) = dx dx dx

These rules can be added to the Table given on Page 2. Example Suppose we wish to dierentiate y = 2x3 6 cos x. We dierentiate each term separately, and make use of the constant multiplier rule: d 2x3 6 cos x dx d d (2x3 ) (6 cos x) dx dx d d 3 = 2 (x ) 6 (cos x) dx dx 2 = 2(3x ) 6( sin x) = 6x2 + 6 sin x =

5. Further extensions to the Table

In this section we extend the Table by looking at functions of the form sin mx, cos mx, emx and ln mx. Example dy . dx We begin by making the substitution u = mx. This simplies the original function to give y = sin u. Suppose we wish to dierentiate y = sin mx in order to nd To nd dy we use a rule (called the chain rule, or the function of a function rule) which states dx dy du dy = dx du dx This rule is dealt with at length in another unit. For now we will simply quote and use it. dy dy : since y = sin u it follows that = cos u. We need to calculate du du du du : since u = mx it follows that = m because m is a constant. We also need to calculate dx dx
c mathcentre August 27, 2004

Substituting into the chain rule we nd dy du dy = dx du dx = cos u m = m cos u = m cos mx since u = mx. dy We have shown that if y = sin mx then = m cos mx. dx In a similar way it is straightforward to show that if y = cos mx then Example Suppose we wish to dierentiate y = emx . Again, we substitute u = mx so that y = eu . We then use the chain rule: dy dy : since y = eu it follows that = eu . We need to calculate du du du du We also need to calculate : since u = mx it follows that = m because m is a constant. dx dx Substituting into the chain rule we nd dy du dy = dx du dx = eu m = meu = memx since u = mx. dy We have shown that if y = emx then = memx . dx Example Suppose we wish to dierentiate y = ln mx. Again, we substitute u = mx so that y = ln u. We then use the chain rule: dy dy 1 We need to calculate : since y = ln u it follows that = . du du u du du : since u = mx it follows that = m because m is a constant. We also need to calculate dx dx Substituting into the chain rule we nd dy dy du = dx du dx 1 m = u 1 = m mx 1 = x 1 dy = . We have shown that if y = ln mx for constant m, then dx x 5
c mathcentre August 27, 2004

dy = m sin mx. dx

This result could also have been obtained by using the laws of logarithms to rewrite y = ln mx as y = ln m + ln x. Then we could dierentiate this sum, term by term. The rst term has derivative zero. This is because the the logarithm of a constant is still a constant and so its 1 derivative is zero. The derivative of the second term is simply x . Example Suppose we wish to dierentiate y = ln(ax + b) where a and b are constants. This time we substitute u = ax + b so that y = ln u. We then use the chain rule: dy dy 1 We need to calculate : since y = ln u it follows that = . du du u du du We also need to calculate : since u = ax + b it follows that = a because a and b are dx dx constants. Substituting into the chain rule we nd dy du dy = dx du dx 1 a = u a = u a = ax + b since u = ax + b. We have shown that if y = ln(ax + b) for constants a and b, then

a dy = . dx ax + b

The results we have generated in the preceding sections can be added to the table of derivatives given on page 2 to produce a more complete and thereby more useful table: function f (x) derivative c x 2x xn sin x cos x ex ln x cf (x) f (x) g(x) sin mx cos mx emx ln mx ln(ax + b)
c mathcentre August 27, 2004

df or f (x) dx 0 1 2 nxn1 cos x sin x ex 1 x cf (x) f (x) g (x) m cos mx m sin mx memx
1 x a ax+b

c is any constant

n is any real number

c constant m is a constant m is a constant m is a constant

Exercise 2 Find the derivative of each of the following: a) sin 4x e) i) 2 sin 3x 4 sin 2x + 3 cos 3x b) e5x f) 4e2x j) e2x e2x c) g) k) cos 3x 4 cos(2x) ln 2x + 2 sin 3x d) ln 5x h) ln(3x + 2) l) 4 cos x 2 ln(x + 4)

Answers Exercise 1 a) 20x3 f) 2ex b) 12 c) 8x3 d) 8 sin x e) 3 sin x 4 3 h) 7ex i) 2 cos x j) g) x x

Exercise 2 a) 4 cos 4x h) 3 3x + 2 b) 5e5x c) 3 sin 3x d) 1 x e) 6 cos 3x f) 8e2x k) g) 8 sin(2x)

i) 8 cos 2x 9 sin 3x j) 2e2x + 2e2x

1 2 + 6 cos 3x l) 4 sin x x x+4

c mathcentre August 27, 2004