Mathematics for Engineers (1)

Lecture 4
➢ The Derivative
➢ Computation of Derivatives
➢ Product and Quotient rules
➢ The Chain Rule
➢ Derivative of Trigonometric Functions
 The Derivative

Definition The derivative of the function 𝑓 at the point

𝑥 = 𝑎 is defined as

𝑓 𝑎+ℎ −𝑓 𝑎
𝑓′ 𝑎 = lim ,
ℎ→0 ℎ
provided the limit exists.
If the limit exists, we say that
𝑓 is differentiable at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
 The Derivative
Example 1 Compute the derivative of 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 − 1
at 𝑥 = 1.
𝒂+𝒃 𝟑 = 𝒂𝟑 + 𝟑𝒂𝟐 𝒃 + 𝟑𝒂𝒃𝟐 + 𝒃𝟑

Solution
𝑓 1+ℎ −𝑓 1
𝑓′ 1 = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
3 1+ℎ 3+2 1+ℎ −1 − 3+2−1
= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
3 1 + 3ℎ + 3ℎ2 + ℎ3 + 2 + 2ℎ − 1 − 4
= lim
ℎ→0 ℎ
11ℎ + 9ℎ2 + 3ℎ3
= lim = lim 11 + 9ℎ + 3ℎ2 = 11.
ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0
 The Derivative

Definition The derivative of the function 𝑓 is the

function 𝑓 ′ given by

𝑓 𝑥+ℎ −𝑓 𝑥
𝑓′ 𝑥 = lim ,
ℎ→0 ℎ
the domain of 𝑓 is the set of all 𝑥’s for which this limit
exists. The process of computing a derivative is called
differentiation. Further, 𝑓 is differentiable on an open
interval 𝐼 if it is differentiable at every point in 𝐼.
 The Derivative
1
Example 2 If 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 ≠ 0 , find 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 .
𝑥

𝒂 𝒄 𝒂𝒅 − 𝒃𝒄
− =
Solution 𝒃 𝒅 𝒃𝒅

1 1
𝑓 𝑥+ℎ −𝑓 𝑥 −
′
𝑓 𝑥 = lim = lim 𝑥 + ℎ 𝑥
ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0 ℎ

𝑥− 𝑥+ℎ −ℎ
𝑥 𝑥+ℎ 𝑥 𝑥+ℎ −1 1
= lim = lim = lim = − 2.
ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0 𝑥 𝑥 + ℎ 𝑥
 The Derivative
Alternative Derivative Notations If we write 𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑥 ,
then

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑓 𝑑
𝑓′ 𝑥 = 𝑦′ = = = 𝑓 𝑥 ,
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑
where is called a differential operator.
𝑑𝑥

Theorem If 𝑓 is differentiable at 𝑥 = 𝑎 , then 𝑓 is

continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
 The Derivative
4 if 𝑥 < 2
Example 3 Show that 𝑓 𝑥 =ቊ is not
2𝑥 if 𝑥 ≥ 2
differentiable at 𝑥 = 2.

Solution 2+ℎ <2

′ −
𝑓 2+ℎ −𝑓 2 4−4
𝑓 2 = lim− = lim− = 0.
ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0 ℎ
While
2+ℎ >2
𝑓 2+ℎ −𝑓 2 2 2+ℎ −4
𝑓′ 2+ = lim+ = lim+
ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0 ℎ

4 + 2ℎ − 4 2ℎ
= lim+ = lim+ = 2 ≠ 𝑓 ′ 2−
ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0 ℎ
 The Derivative
4 if 𝑥 < 2
Example 3 Show that 𝑓 𝑥 =ቊ is not
2𝑥 if 𝑥 ≥ 2
differentiable at 𝑥 = 2.

A sharp corner
at 𝒙 = 𝟐
 Computation of Derivatives

The Power Rule

𝑑
➢ For any constant 𝑐, 𝑐 = 0,
𝑑𝑥

𝑑
➢ 𝑥 = 1,
𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑟
➢ For any real number 𝑟 ≠ 0, 𝑥 = 𝑟𝑥 𝑟−1 .
𝑑𝑥
 Computation of Derivatives
Example 4 Find the derivative of
1 3
a 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 8, b 𝑔 𝑥 = , c ℎ 𝑥 = 𝑥 2, d 𝑟 𝑥 = 𝑥 𝜋 .
𝑥 19

Solution
a 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 8𝑥 7 ,
1
b 𝑔 𝑥 = = 𝑥 −19 ⟹ 𝑔′ 𝑥 = −19𝑥 −20 ,
𝑥 19

2
3 2 −5
c ℎ 𝑥 = 𝑥2 =𝑥 ⟹
3 ℎ′ 𝑥 = 𝑥 3,
3

d 𝑟′ 𝑥 = 𝜋𝑥 𝜋−1 .
 General Derivative Rules

Theorem If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are differentiable at 𝑥 and 𝑐 is any

constant, then
𝑑
➢ 𝑓 𝑥 ±𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 ± 𝑔′ 𝑥 ,
𝑑𝑥

𝑑
➢ 𝑐𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑐𝑓 ′ 𝑥 .
𝑑𝑥

Example 5 Find the derivative of

4𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 = .
𝑥
 General Derivative Rules
Solution

4𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2 𝑥 4𝑥 2 3𝑥 2 𝑥 −
1
𝑓 𝑥 = = − + = 4𝑥 − 3 + 2𝑥 2 .
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 −
1
∴ 𝑓′ 𝑥 = 4 𝑥 − 3 +2 𝑥 2
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

1 −3 −
3
= 4 − 0 + 2 − 𝑥 2 = 4 − 𝑥 2.
2
 General Derivative Rules
Example 6 Find the derivative of
a 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 6 + 3 𝑥 ,
2
b 𝑔 𝑥 = 4 − 4𝑥 + .
𝑥

Example 7 Find 𝑓′, 𝑓′′ and 𝑓′′′ of

𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 2 + 1.
The Product And Quotient Rules
Theorem Suppose that 𝑓 and 𝑔 are differentiable. Then
𝑑
➢ 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 + 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′ 𝑥 ,
𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑓 𝑥 𝑓′ 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 −𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′ 𝑥
➢ = .
𝑑𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 2

Example 8 Find the derivative of

2
a 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 4 − 3𝑥 + 5 𝑥2 − 𝑥 + ,
𝑥

𝑥 2 −2
b 𝑔 𝑥 = .
𝑥 3 +1
The Product And Quotient Rules

Solution

𝑑 2
a 𝑓′ 𝑥 = 2𝑥 4 − 3𝑥 + 5 𝑥2 − 𝑥+ +
𝑑𝑥 𝑥

𝑑 2 2
2𝑥 4 − 3𝑥 + 5 𝑥2 − 𝑥+ = 8𝑥 3 −3 𝑥2 − 𝑥+ +
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

1 2
4
2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 5 2𝑥 − − .
2 𝑥 𝑥2
The Product And Quotient Rules

𝑑 2 𝑑 3
𝑥 −2 𝑥3 + 1 − 𝑥2 − 2 𝑥 +1
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
b 𝑔′ 𝑥 =
𝑥3 + 1 2

2𝑥 𝑥 3 + 1 − 𝑥 2 − 2 3𝑥 2 −𝑥 4 + 6𝑥 2 + 2𝑥
= 3 2
= 3 2
.
𝑥 +1 𝑥 +1
 The Chain Rule
Theorem If 𝑔 is differentiable at 𝑥 and 𝑓 is differentiable
at 𝑔 𝑥 , then

𝑑
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 ′ 𝑔 𝑥 𝑔′ 𝑥 .
𝑑𝑥

Example 9 Find the derivative of

a 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 − 1 5,
b 𝑢 = 100 + 8𝑡.
 The Chain Rule
Solution
a 𝑦′ = 5 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 − 1 4
3𝑥 2 + 1 .
1
′
1 1
−2
b 𝑢 = 100 + 8𝑡 2 ⟹ 𝑢 = 100 + 8𝑡 8 .
2
Or use:
𝒇′ 𝒙
𝒚= 𝒇 𝒙 ⟹ 𝒚′ =
𝟐 𝒇 𝒙

8
∴ 𝑢′ = .
2 100 + 8𝑡
Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions
𝑑 𝑑
sin 𝑥 = cos 𝑥 cos 𝑥 = − sin 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑 𝑑
tan 𝑥 = sec 2 𝑥 cot 𝑥 = − csc 2 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑
sec 𝑥 = sec 𝑥 tan 𝑥 csc 𝑥 = − csc 𝑥 cot 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Example 10 Find the derivative of

a 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 5 cos 𝑥, b 𝑔 𝑥 = 4 tan 𝑥 − 5 csc 𝑥,
c ℎ 𝑥 = sin2 𝑥.
Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions

Solution

a 𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 5𝑥 4 cos 𝑥 − 𝑥 5 sin 𝑥,

b 𝑔′ 𝑥 = 4 sec 2 𝑥 + 5 csc 𝑥 cot 𝑥,

c ℎ 𝑥 = sin2 𝑥 = sin 𝑥 2 .

∴ ℎ′ 𝑥 = 2 sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥 .
 Exercise
Find the derivative for each of the following functions:
a 𝑓 𝑥 = sec( 𝑥) − sin tan 𝑥 ,
b 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 3 + tan2 𝑥 4 + cos 𝑥 ,

c ℎ 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 3 𝑥 + cot 3 sec 𝑥 4 ,
𝑥
d 𝑟 𝑥 = + 𝑥 sin 𝑥,
𝑥 2 +1
5𝑥−1
e 𝑧 𝑥 = + 𝑥 2 cos 3 𝑥,
𝑥 2 +3
3
f 𝑝 𝑥 = 4𝑥 − 1 𝑥 4 + 3 sin 𝑥 5
+ cos 𝑥,
g 𝑞 𝑥 = sin2 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 2 .