Derivatives of Composite Functions

Recall that the composite function or composition of two functions is the function
obtained by applying them one after the other.
1
For example, If f (x) = and g(x) = x 3 + 2, then
x
1 1
f (g(x)) = = 3
g(x) x +2

3
1 3 1
and g(f (x)) = (f (x)) + 2 = +2= 3 +2
x x

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The derivative of the composition of two non-constant functions is equal to the product
of their derivatives, evaluated appropriately.

The Chain Rule

 
We have the Chain Rule: g(h(x)) = g  (h(x))h (x)
1
Example 1: Using g(x) = = x −1 and h(x) = x 3 + 2,
x

we have g  (x) = (−1)x −2 and h (x) = 3x 2 , g  (h(x)) = (−1)(h(x))−2 , so we get


1
= g  (h(x))h (x) = (−1)(h(x))−2 (3x 2 ) =
x3 + 2

−3x 2
(−1)(x 3 + 2)−2 (3x 2 ) =
(x 3 + 2)2


1  
On the other hand, +2 = h(g(x)) = h (g(x))g  (x) =
x3

3(g(x))2 (−x −2 ) = 3(x −1 )2 (−x −2 ) = −3x −4 , as expected.

1
 Example 2: Let g(x) = x 3 , and h(x) = x 2 , so that

g(h(x)) = h(x)3 = (x 2 )3 = x 6 .

Then g  (x) = 3x 2 , so g  (h(x)) = 3(h(x))2 , and h (x) = 2x,

so the Chain Rule gives us

    
g (h(x)) = g  (h(x))h (x) = 3(h(x))2 (2x) =

   
3(x 2 )2 (2x) = 3x 4 (2x) = 6x 5 , as expected.

Example 3: Let g(x) = x 3 + 3, and h(x) = x 2 + 2, so that

g(h(x)) = (h(x))3 + 3 = (x 2 + 2)3 + 3.

Then g  (x) = 3x 2 , so g  (h(x)) = 3(h(x))2 , and h (x) = 2x,

so the Chain Rule gives us

      
g (h(x)) = g  (h(x))h (x) = 3(h(x))2 (2x) = 3(x 2 + 2)2 (2x) =

6x(x 2 + 2)2

√
Example 4: Find f  (x) if f (x) =
3
x 4 + x 2 + 1.

1
We let g(x) = x 3 and h(x) = x 4 + x 2 + 1 so that f (x) = g(h(x)).
2 1 −2
Then g  (x) = 13 x − 3 , g  (h(x)) =
(h(x)) 3 , and h (x) = 4x 3 + 2x,
3
1 −2
so we have f  (x) = g  (h(x))h (x) = (h(x)) 3 (4x 3 + 2x) =
3
2x(2x 2 + 1)
2
3 (x 4 + x 2 + 1) 3

2
 Example 5: Find f  (x) if f (x) = sin(x 2 ).

We let g(x) = sin x and h(x) = x 2 so that f (x) = g(h(x)).

Then g  (x) = cos x, g  (h(x)) = cos(x 2 ), and h (x) = 2x,
 
so we have f  (x) = g  (h(x))h (x) = cos(x 2 ) (2x) = 2x cos(x 2 )

Example 6: Find f  (x) if f (x) = (sin x) .

2

We let g(x) = x 2 and h(x) = sin x so that f (x) = g(h(x)).

Then g  (x) = 2x, g  (h(x)) = 2 sin x, and h (x) = cos x,
so we have f  (x) = g  (h(x))h (x) = (2 sin x) (cos x) = 2 sin x cos x = sin 2x

 n   n−1 
The Power Rule g(x) = n g(x) g (x)

√
Example 4a: Find f  (x) if f (x) =
3
x 4 + x 2 + 1.

1
We write f (x) = (g(x)) 3 where g(x) = x 4 + x 2 + 1.
1 2 1 − 2
Then f  (x) = 3 (g(x))− 3 g  (x) = 3 x 4 + x 2 + 1 3 (4x 3 + 2x) =

2x(2x 2 + 1)
2
3 (x 4 + x 2 + 1) 3

8
4x − 3
Example 7: 
Find f (x) if f (x) = .
2x + 1

7

4x − 3 4x − 3
We have f (x) = 8 =
2x + 1 2x + 1

7

4x − 3 (2x + 1)(4x − 3) − (4x − 3)(2x + 1)
8 =
2x + 1 (2x + 1)2

7

4x − 3 (2x + 1)4 − (4x − 3)2
8 =
2x + 1 (2x + 1)2

7

7

4x − 3 8x + 4 − 8x + 6 4x − 3 10 (4x − 3)7
8 =8 = 80
2x + 1 (2x + 1)2 2x + 1 (2x + 1)2 (2x + 1)9

3
 Example 8: Find f  (x) if f (x) = ecos x .

We have f  (x) = ecos x (cos x) = ecos x (− sin x) = − sin xecos x

 
Example 9: Find f  (x) if f (x) = sin etan x .

     
We have f  (x) = cos etan x etan x = cos etan x etan x (tan x) =
 
cos etan x etan x sec2 x