CALCULUS 1

Dr. THUC PHUNG TRONG

University of Technology–VNU Vietnam

Derivatives

Derivatives
Derivatives
Look at the graphs of the function f and g .
○ Both are increasing near x = 1.

y
g

1 x
Derivatives
Look at the graphs of the function f and g .
○ Both are increasing near x = 1.
○ Even though g is greater than f (i.e. g (x) > f (x)),
y the increasing speed (near x = 1) of g is less than that of f .

1 x
Derivatives
How can we measure the increasing speed of a function at a given point?

y
g

1 x
Derivatives
f (x) − f (1) g (x) − g (1)
lim and lim .
x→1 x −1 x→1 x −1
Which limit is bigger?
y
g

1 x x
Derivatives

We call the limit

f (x) − f (x0 )
lim
x→x0 x − x0
the derivative of f at x0 , denoted by f ′ (x0 ).

x0 x
Derivatives

We call the limit

f (x) − f (x0 )
lim
x→x0 x − x0
the derivative of f at x0 , denoted by f ′ (x0 ).

y Remember that f ′ (x0 ) measures

the rate of change of f at x = x0 .
f

x0 x
Derivatives
Look at the graph of the function f .

Which of the followings is true?

(a) f ′ (1) is a positive number.

(b) f ′ (1) is a negative number.

1 x
Derivatives
Look at the graph of the function f .

Which of the followings is true?

(a) f ′ (1) is a positive number.

(b) f ′ (1) is a negative number.

f
f (x)
f (1)

1 x x
Derivatives
Look at the graph of the function f .

Which of the followings is true?

(a) f ′ (1) is a positive number.

(b) f ′ (1) is a negative number.

f (1)
f (x)

x 1 x
Derivatives
Look at the graph of the function f .

Which of the followings is true?

(a) f ′ (1) is a positive number.

(b) f ′ (1) is a negative number.

1 x
Derivatives
Observation.

○ If f is decreasing near x = x1 then f ′ (x1 ) < 0.

○ If f is increasing near x = x2 then f ′ (x2 ) > 0.

f ′ (x1 ) < 0

f ′ (x2 ) > 0

x1 x2 x
Derivatives

Example.

Let f (x) = 8 − x 2 . Calculate f ′ (2).

f (x) = 8 − x 2

2
x
Derivatives

Example.

Let f (x) = 8 − x 2 . Calculate f ′ (2).

Answer.
f (x) − f (2)
f ′ (2) = lim
y x→2 x −2
(8 − x 2 ) − (8 − 22 )
= lim
x→2 x −2
4−x 2
= lim
f (x) = 8 − x 2 x→2 x −2
= lim − (x + 2) = −4 .
x→2

2
x
Derivatives
Example.
Choose correct statements from the followings (there
are possibly many correct statements).

y (a) f ′ (2) < 0 and g ′ (2) < 0.

(b) ∣f ′ (2)∣ < ∣g ′ (2)∣.

f (c) f ′ (2) > g ′ (2).

2 x
Derivatives
Example.
Choose correct statements from the followings (there
are possibly many correct statements).

y (a) f ′ (2) < 0 and g ′ (2) < 0.

(b) ∣f ′ (2)∣ < ∣g ′ (2)∣.

f (c) f ′ (2) > g ′ (2).

Answer. They are all correct.

2 x
Derivatives
Example.
A fly is moving in the air, its height at the time t (seconds) is

f (t) = t 3 + t 2 − 6t + 20 (meters)

above the ground.

(a) Calculate the velocity of the fly at the time t = 1.

(b) Calculate the speed of the fly at the time t = 1.

In physics, the velocity of an object at t = t0 is the rate of the change

in position of the object at t = t0 .
The speed is the absolute value of the velocity,

Speedt=t0 = ∣Velocityt=t0 ∣ .
Derivatives
Example.
A fly is moving in the air, its height at the time t (seconds) is

f (t) = t 3 + t 2 − 6t + 20 (meters)

above the ground.

(a) Calculate the velocity of the fly at the time t = 1.

In physics, the velocity of an object at t = t0 is the rate of the change

in position of the object at t = t0 .
Answer. (a) The velocity at t = 1 is

f ′ (1) = (3t 2 + 2t − 6)∣t=1 = −1 ( m/ s) .

Derivatives
Example.
A fly is moving in the air, its height at the time t (seconds) is

f (t) = t 3 + t 2 − 6t + 20 (meters)

above the ground.

(a) Calculate the velocity of the fly at the time t = 1.

In physics, the velocity of an object at t = t0 is the rate of the change

in position of the object at t = t0 .
Answer. (a) The velocity at t = 1 is

f ′ (1) = (3t 2 + 2t − 6)∣t=1 = −1 ( m/ s) .

Since f ′ (1) is negative, the fly is moving down at t = 1.

Derivatives
Example.
A fly is moving in the air, its height at the time t (seconds) is

f (t) = t 3 + t 2 − 6t + 20 (meters)

above the ground.

(b) Calculate the speed of the fly at the time t = 1.

The speed is the absolute value of the velocity,

Speedt=t0 = ∣Velocityt=t0 ∣ .

Answer. (b) The speed of the fly at t = 1 is

∣f ′ (1)∣ = ∣−1∣ = 1 ( m/ s) .
 CALCULUS 1

Dr. THUC PHUNG TRONG

University of Technology–VNU Vietnam

Derivatives

Derivatives
Derivatives
Find the equation of the line going through P and Q.

Q(a, f (a))

P(x0 , f (x0 ))

f (x)

x0 x
Derivatives
Find the equation of the line going through P and Q.

f (a) − f (x0 )
y y − f (x0 ) = (x − x0 )
a − x0

Q(a, f (a))

P(x0 , f (x0 ))

f (x)

x0 x
 x-a
Derivatives
Let Q → P, then the line going P and Q will approach the line with
the equation ? Then we let Q approach
0 a f (a) − xf (x ) x number m, then we defi
0 a→x0
y − f (x0 ) = (x − x0 ) ÐÐÐ→ ?
a − x0 amounts to saying that th
approaches P. See Figur
y t
Q
Q 1 Definition The ta
line through P with sl
P Q

provided that this lim

0 x0 a a x
 x-a
Derivatives
Let Q → P, then the line going P and Q will approach the line with
the equation ? Then we let Q approach
0 a f (a) − xf (x ) x
0 a→x0 number m, then we defi
y − f (x0 ) = (x − x0 ) ÐÐÐ→ y − f (x0 ) = f ′ (x0 ) (x − x0 )
a − x0 amounts to saying that th
approaches P. See Figur
y t
Q
Q 1 Definition The ta
line through P with sl
P Q

provided that this lim

0 x0 a a x
Derivatives

The line with the equation

y − f (x0 ) = f ′ (x0 ) (x − x0 )

is called the tangent line to y = f (x) at the point P (x0 , f (x0 )).

P(x0 , f (x0 ))

f (x)

x0 x
Derivatives

Example. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve

y = x 2 − 2x at the point P (−1, 3).

P(x0 , f (x0 ))

f (x)

x0 x
Derivatives

Example. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve

y = x 2 − 2x at the point P (−1, 3).
Answer. y + 4x + 1 = 0.

P(x0 , f (x0 ))

f (x)

x0 x
Derivatives

Observation. Near P, the tangent line and the function

are so close. That is

f (x) ≈ f (x0 ) + f ′ (x0 ) (x − x0 ) , when x is close to x0 .

y
f (x0 ) + f ′ (x0 )(x − x0 )

f (x)

x0 x
Derivatives

Observation. Near P, the tangent line and the function

are so close. That is

f (x) ≈ f (x0 ) + f ′ (x0 ) (x − x0 ) , when x is close to x0 .

Example. √ √
Let f (x) = 4 x + 1. Evaluate f (0.1) = 4 1.1 approximately.
Derivatives

Observation. Near P, the tangent line and the function

are so close. That is

f (x) ≈ f (x0 ) + f ′ (x0 ) (x − x0 ) , when x is close to x0 .

Example. √ √
Let f (x) = 4 x + 1. Evaluate f (0.1) = 4 1.1 approximately.
Answer.

√
4
1.1 = f (0.1)
≈
1
f (0) + f ′ (0) (0.1 − 0) = 1 + (0.1) = 1.025 .
4
Derivatives
Observation. Near P, the tangent line and the function
are so close. That is

f (x) ≈ f (x0 ) + f ′ (x0 ) (x − x0 ), when x is close to x0 .

´¹¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¸¹¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¶
df (x0 )

Remark.
In mathematics, we call f ′ (x0 ) (x − x0 ) the differential of f
at x0 , and denoted by df (x0 ). We also denote x − x0 by dx.
Derivatives
The derivatives of some basic functions.

f f′ f f′

sin(x) cos(x) arcsin (x) √ 1

1−x 2
cos(x) − sin(x) arccos (x) √1
− 1−x 2
1
tan x 1 + (tan x)2 arctan (x) 1+x 2
1
cot x −1 − (cot x)2 arccot (x) − 1+x 2

1 1
xn nx n−1 loga (x) ln(a) x

ax ax ln a A constant 0
Derivatives
Some basic rules to calculate a derivative.

(f ± g )′ = f ′ ± g ′

(f × g )′ = f ′ × g + f × g ′

f ′ f ′ × g − f × g′
( ) =
g g2

(f ○ g )′ (x) = f ′ (g (x)) × g ′ (x)

Derivatives
Some basic rules to calculate a derivative.
π
Example. Let f be a function such that f (0) = 2 and f ′ (0) = −2.
Let g (x) ∶= cos (f (x)). Find g ′ (0).
Derivatives
Some basic rules to calculate a derivative.
π
Example. Let f be a function such that f (0) = 2 and f ′ (0) = −2.
Let g (x) ∶= cos (f (x)). Find g ′ (0).
Answer.

g ′ (0) = − sin (f (x)) × f ′ (x)∣x=0

= − sin (f (0)) × f ′ (0)
π
= − sin ( ) × −2
2
= 1.