K) DIFFERENTIATION OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

a) Derivative of sin x

i) From first principles

Let

Collecting like terms,

, splitting the RHS, we have,

As , , but as ,

ii) Differential coefficient of sinx using the graph

Plot the graph of for at intervals of or less. We obtain the

following graph a) below

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 a) Graph of

The slope or gradient of the curve at any point is given by and is continually changing
as the values of x vary from 0 to 720 or from point O to U. By drawing tangents to the
curve and working out their gradient values, values are obtained for corresponding

values of x . When these values of are plotted against their corresponding values of x,
graph b) above is obtained. This graph is called the derived curve. This graph is the graph
of .

b) Graph of

It therefore follows that when

Combining both graphs in the same set of axes, we have

The graphs of (Bold) & (Dotted)

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b) The Derivative of
i) Similarly, we show that

Note that if

Exercise: Complete this up

ii) Differential coefficient of

When the graphs of and its derived curve ( against x ) are drawn in a similar
manner, the derived graph of is obtained.

Thus, when , .

By applying the principles of differentiation by substitution, it will be shown that when

, and when ,

L) Differential Coefficient of the Exponential Function[e ]

A graph of is as shown below.

a)
The graph of

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The slope or gradient of the curve at any point is given by and is continually
changing. By drawing tangents to the curve at many points on the curve and measuring
the gradient of the tangents, the values of the corresponding value of x may be obtained.

These values plotted against x produce a graph identical to the original graph of .

b)
The graph of

It therefore follows that when , . By applying principles of differentiation

by substitution, it is shown that when , .

M) DIFFERENTIAL COEFFICIENT OF A LOGARITHMIC FUNCTION [Ln x]

A graph of is as shown below,

The graph of

The slope or gradient of the curve at any point is given by and is continually
changing. By drawing tangents to the curve at many points on the curve and measuring

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the gradients of the tangents, values of for corresponding values of x may be
obtained.

The graph of against x so produced is shown as b) below and it is the graph of .

The graph of

That is when , =

By applying the principles of differentiation by substitution, it is shown that,

when , and not

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 APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

A) Velocity & Acceleration

Let S be the path covered by a body as a function of time t

Thus,

The first derivative of the path with respect to time represents the velocity of a body at
any time ‘t’.

i.e Velocity

Differentiating again gives an average acceleration during the time interval or as

the ratio of the increment in to the increment in time .

which is the derivative of velocity with respect to time.

Thus , but since , then

Example.
Find the velocity ‘v’ and the acceleration ‘a’ of a free falling body if the dependence of
distance S upon time t is given by the formula , where and
, at time t=0.

Solution
, the differentiating with respect to ‘t’

But from the formula, it follows that at t=0, v = 0.

Differentiating again,

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Acceleration ‘a’=

Example 2
The distance X metres moved by a body in a time ‘t’ seconds is given by
. Express the velocity ‘v’ and acceleration ‘a’ in terms of ‘t’ and find
their values when seconds.

Solution.

Differentiating w. r. t ‘t’, we have

which when is given by
=
= 96 +24 -6
= 114 m/s

Since , differentiating it w. r. t ‘t’, we have

Acc. =

and when t = 4,
Acc. = 12(4)+6
= 48 + 6
= 54m/s

Example 3
The distance S metres traveled by a car in time ‘t’ seconds after the brakes are applied is
given by
a) What is the speed in km/h at the instant the brakes are applied and
b) How far does the car travel before it stops

Solution.

Speed = velocity =
a) At the instant the brakes are applied, the ‘t’ = 0, hence velocity (Speed)

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 =15 -
= 15m/s.

Converting 15m/s into km/h, we have

=
=54km/h

b) The car finally comes a stop when the velocity is zero

i.e

t = 4.5 seconds.

Therefore the distance traveled before the car stops is given by

where ‘t’= 4.5 seconds

i.e which reduces to

= 33.75m.

Exercise
The distance X metres moved by a body in ‘t’ seconds is given by .
Find
a) its velocity after ‘t’ seconds
b) its velocity at the start and after 4 seconds
c) the value of ‘t’ when the body comes to rest
d) its acceleration after ‘t’ seconds
e) its acceleration after 2 seconds
f) the value of ‘t’ when the acceleration is 16m/s
g) its average velocity over the third second.

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B) Equations of Tangents and Normals

Consider the curve of the equation

is a point on the curve where the tangent meets the normal. The equation of
the straight line with slope ‘k’ passing through the point M is of the form

For the tangent line, the gradient/slope at M is . The equation of the tangent
line therefore becomes

Defn: The normal to the curve at a given point is a straight line passing through the given
point perpendicular to the tangent at that point.

Let the slope of the normal be and that of the tangent be , then from the definition
of the normal and properties of perpendicular lines, it follows that,

Thus , but

Hence

From the above definition of the normal also is of the form

Example 1

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Write the equations of the tangent and the normal to the curve at the point M(1, 1)

Solution
Given the curve

The slope of the tangent at M(1, 1) is =

Therefore the equation of the tangent at this point is

The equation of the normal is given by .

Exercise
1. Find the equation of the normal to the curve at the points
where it cuts the x-axis.
2. Find the values of x for which the gradient function of the curve
is zero. Hence find the equations of the tangents to the
curve which are parallel to the x-axis.
3. Find the equation of the normal to the curve at the point where
4. Find the equation of the tangent and the normal to the curve at the
point (1, 2)

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C) Stationary Points

Consider the sketch

When the gradient changes its sign just after a point at which the gradient is zero, then
that indicates a turning point as illustrated by change of signs just after points ‘P’ and
‘Q’.

P is a maximum point while Q is a minimum point. If the gradient sign doesn’t change
just after a point at which it is zero, then the point is said to be a point of inflection.

Procedure for Finding and Distinguishing between stationary points

i) Given , determine (or

ii) Let = 0 and solve for ‘x’

iii) Substitute the value of ‘x’ into the original equation , to find the
corresponding y-cordinate. This establishes the stationary points.

To determine the nature of the stationary points

iv) Find and substitute into it the values of ‘x’ obtained in ii)
If the result is
a) Positive (+ve) - the point is a minimum
b) Negative (-ve) – the point is a maximum
c) Zero (0) – the point is a point of inflection.

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Example
Locate the turning point on the curve and determine its nature by examining
the sign of the gradient on either side.

Solution

= 6x – 6

The point at which this gradient is zero is given by equating

i.e 6x – 6 = 0
or .
The corresponding y – coordinate . Hence the coordinates of the
stationary point here is (1, -3)

The nature of the stationary point is given by the sign of . Here = 6. We

cannot substitute into it the value of ‘x’ found in ii) since 6 is a constant. So we determine
the sign of , to the left of x = 1 and to its right.

Let x = 0.5 be a point to the left of the stationary point. At that point = 6x -6
= 6(0.5) -6 = 3 – 6 = -3 which is negative.
To its right, take a point x = 1.5. Thus = 6x -6 = 6(1.5) – 6 = 3 which is positive.

Where the sign of the gradient changes from –ve to zero the to +ve (or – 0 + ), that is a
minimum point.

Hence ( 1, -3 ) is a minimum point.

Example
Find the maximum and minimum points of the curve and determine their
nature. What is the maximum and minimum value?

Solution.

At stationary points,
Thus

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Here there are two values of ‘x’, and
When , and when , . The stationary points are and

Now we find and substitute the values of ‘x’ obtained in ii), i.e and .

Since , = 6x

When , = 6x which is negative, the point is a

maximum.
When , = 6x which is positive and hence the point is a
minimum point.

The maximum value is , at . Thus and the

minimum values is , at . Thus

Exercise
1. Locate the stationary point on the curve and determine its nature.
Ans: , a minimum.
2. Determine the turning points on the curve in the range
radians and distinguish between them. Sketch the curve over one cycle.
3. Show that the curve has a maximum value of and a
minimum value of .
4. Investigate the stationary points of the curve defined by
5. The velocity of a moving particle is given by , where k is a
constant and ‘t’ is time in seconds measured at an instant. Find
a) The value of k if the particle comes to rest when t = 6.
b) The time when the velocity is at its maximum
c) The maximum velocity

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D) PRACTICAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING MINIMUM & MAXIMUM VALUES

Example 1.
A rectangular area is formed having a perimeter of 40cm. Determine the length and width
of the rectangle if it is to enclose the maximum possible area.

Solution

Let the length be ‘x’

Then from , we have
= 40

2W = 40 - 2x
W= 20 – x

Now area of rectangle is L W

i.e Area = x(20-x)
A = 20x - x

For maximum possible area, , thus

(20x - x ) =0
or 20 – 2x =0
x = 10

Since Length = x and width = 20 – x, then from x = 10cm

Length = 10cm and width = 10cm, a square.

Example 2
A rectangular sheet of metal having dimensions 20cm by 12cm has squares removed
from each of the four corners and the sides bent upwards to form an open box. Determine
the maximum possible volume of the box.

Solution

Consider the sketch below

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An open box of length and width and height x is created.

Volume = L W h

For maximum possible volume, then

Thus =0
Or
Or

Solving the quadratic equation using the quadratic formula, we obtain two values of ‘x’
and

Since width is , x cannot be 8.239cm, since width cannot be a negative value.

Hence we take

The dimensions of the box become Length = = = 15.146cm

Width = = = 7.146cm and

Height ‘h’ = x = 2.427cm

The maximum possible volume is therefore given by Volume = L W h

Volume = 15.146 7.146 2.427

Example 3

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Determine the height and radius of a cylinder of volume 200cm which has the least
surface area.

Solution

Volume of a cylinder is given by the formula,

, from which
.

Now Surface area =

Or

For the least possible surface area,

Thus =0

Solving for r we obtain

From , h = 6.339cm.

Exercise
1. An open rectangular box with square ends is fitted with an overlapping lid which
covers the top and the front face. Determine the maximum volume of the box if
of metal is used in its construction.
Ans: Volume =
2. A piece of wire of length 10cm is cut into two parts. One of the parts is bent into
the shape of a square and the other into a circle. By taking the length of the first
piece to be xcm, show that the sum of the areas of the two formed figures is

and hence show that this sum is least when the side of the square is equal to the
diameter of the circle.

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