Maths Methods – Differentiation (Chapter 9)

The derivative (9A)

Differentiation is concerned with the rate of change (gradient) of a function at a particular time.
f (x) f ' (x)
The derivative of y is written as . The derivative of is written as .

Average and instantaneous rates of change

To find average rate of change we find the gradient of the chord (straight line) between the two points.

y 2− y 1
average rate of change=
x 2−x 1

Instantaneous rates of change are found by differentiating the function and substituting the x value of the
point we’re interested in into the derivative function.

The derivative function f ’(x) tells us the gradient of f at any point.

Example 1
Determine the average rate of change of the function f(x) = 2x2 – 3 between x = 0 and x = 3

Rules for differentiation (9B)

Derivatives of polynomial functions may be obtained by multiplying each term by the power of x and then
reducing the power by one.

If f(x) = xn then f ’(x) = nxn–1

“multiply by the power, then subtract one from the power.”

Example 2
2
4 x
If y=3 x + −7
4

dy
a) Find
dx
b) Find the gradient when x = 1.
c) Find the value(s) of x where the gradient is zero.

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Recall that m=tanθ where m is the gradient and θ is the angle that the straight line makes with the positive
direction of the x-axis.

Example 3
If f(x) = x2 – 3x , find the value of x such that the tangent to f makes an angle of 45˚ with the positive
direction of the x-axis.

Strictly increasing and strictly decreasing intervals

For a function f(x) over an interval [x1 , x2] where x2 > x1 :
If x2 > x1 implies that f(x2) > f(x1) then we say the function is strictly increasing in the interval.
If x2 > x1 implies that f(x2) < f(x1) then we say the function is strictly decreasing in the interval.

A strictly increasing function

A strictly decreasing function

Identifying stationary points (where the gradient = 0) helps us to determine where functions are strictly
increasing or decreasing.

Example 4
The polynomial function shown below has three stationary points, which are labelled.
State the values of x for which the function is:

a) strictly increasing

b) strictly decreasing

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 Differentiating xn where n is negative (9C) or when n is rational (9F)

When we are attempting to differentiate functions with x in the denominator we should bring the x terms
to the numerator and change the sign of the power.

Example 5
' 5
a) Find f ( x ) if f ( x )= 3
+6 x
x

2
x −1
b) Find the derivative of
x

For fractional powers, we still apply the same rules for differentiating other polynomials. However, it’s
p
useful to note that √q x p=x q

Example 6
d
Calculate ( √ x + √3 x 5 )
dx

Example 7
a
The graph of y= + bx has a gradient of –1 at the point (2, 4). Find the values of a and b.
x

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 The graph of the derivative (9D)
Sketching the gradient function from the original function
To sketch the gradient function from the original function, follow these key points:

For values of x where the original

function has a… The gradient function will have…
stationary point (i.e. zero gradient) an x intercept
positive gradient values above x axis (positive)
negative gradient values below x axis (negative)
Also note: When drawing the gradient graph make sure you consider the magnitude of the gradient.
The steeper the gradient, either negative or positive, the further the gradient function will be from the
x-axis.

Example 8 The graph of f(x) is shown below. On the second axes, sketch the graph of f’(x).

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*Tip: the derivative function will be one degree less than the original function (for example, if we
differentiate a cubic it becomes a quadratic)

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EXAM QUESTION

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 The chain rule (9E)
3 2
An expression like f(x) = (x + 1) can be differentiated by expanding and then differentiating each term.
However, whilst this approach would also work for f(x) = (x3 + 1)30, it would be very time consuming.
The chain rule allows us to make a substitution so that we can differentiate two simple expressions
separately, rather than one complex one.

The chain rule is:

Example 9 Example 10
Differentiate f(x) = (3x + 4)20 Differentiate y = (4x3 – 5x)–2

Shortcut method for chain rule

“differentiate inside the bracket x differentiate outside the bracket”

Example 11
Differentiate with respect to x.

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EXAM QUESTIONS

Differentiation of the exponential function (9G)

The natural exponential function has the neat property that the derivative of ex is ex
In general:
kx kx
Given f(x) = e then f ’(x) = ke

We can also use the chain rule to differentiate composite exponential functions. When differentiating
exponentials we let u equal the power.

If: then

Example 12
Differentiate e3x–5 with respect to x.

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 Shortcut method for exponentials:
dy
=the derivative of the power ×the original expression
dx

Example 13
Find the derivative of .

Differentiation of the natural logarithmic function (9H)

If:

Example 14
Differentiate loge(5x + 3)

Shortcut method for logarithms

Example 15
Differentiate 3loge (x4 + 2)

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EXAM QUESTIONS

Differentiation of circular functions (9I)

On the graph of sin x below, sketch the graph of the gradient function. (Hint: mark in values where the
gradient equals zero first). What do you notice?

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 If , then

To differentiate sine functions other than sin(x), we can let u equal the angle and apply the chain rule.

If
Example 16

√x
a) If y = sin(5x) , find b) Find the derivative of 5sin( )

Given

If
Example 17
Find the derivative of cos(x2 – 1).

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 Given y = tan x then

In general, given y = m tan f(x) then

Example 18
a) Determine f ’(x) given that f(x) = 2tan (3x + 1)

Example 19
π
Find the gradient of y= √ sin ⁡(x) at the point where x=
6

The product rule (9J)

The product rule is used to differentiate the product of two expressions in terms of x. If f(x) can be written
as a product of two functions, we can differentiate using the product rule.

If f(x) = u(x).v(x) then f’(x) = u(x).v’(x) + v(x).u’(x)

dy dv du
=u + v
If y = uv then dx dx dx

“Put down the first bit x differentiate the second bit + Put down the second bit x differentiate the first bit”

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Example 20
If f (x) = (2x + 1)(5x3 + 16) , find f ’(x)

Example 22
Differentiate 2x cos(x)

EXAM QUESTIONS (Non-CAS)

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 The quotient rule (9K)
The quotient rule is used to differentiate when one function is divided by another function.

u( x ) v ( x ). u '( x )−u( x ). v ' ( x )

f ( x )= then f '( x )=
If v( x) [ v ( x )]2

du dv
v. −u .
u dy dx dx
y= then =
Or v dx v 2

When using the quotient rule the function in the numerator must be denoted as u, and the function in the
denominator by v.

Example 23

( )
x x
d e xe
Show that =
dx x +1 ( x +1 )2

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Example 24 (exam question)

MIXED EXAM QUESTIONS (CAS allowed)

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 Limits and continuity (9L)
Limits
Limits allow us to describe rates of change. The term limit is used to describe the behaviour of a function as
it approaches a specific value of x.

The graph of f(x) = 3x3 – 6x is shown to the left.

If we approach x = –1 from the left the value of f(x)

approaches 3

(–1, 3)
If we approach x = –1 from the right, f(x) approaches 3

The left hand limit is written as x→ – 1 lim ¿

−¿
( 3 x −6 x )=3 ¿
3

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The right hand limit is written as x→ – 1 lim ¿
+¿
( 3 x −6 x )=3 ¿ 3

When the left hand and right hand limits as x approaches a are equal, we say that the limit as x approaches
a exists.

lim ¿
We write this as: −¿
x→−a f ( x )= +¿
lim ¿¿ ¿
x→a f ( x )=lim f (x)
x→a

So, the limit as x –1 exists and is equal to 3.

Key point
If f(x) approaches the same value from the left and right as x approaches a, we can find the limit quickly by
substituting x = a into the given equation. That is: lim f (x )=f (a) x →a

If f(x) is undefined when x = a, then we may need to factorise and cancel before finding f(a).

Example 25

a) Find b) Find

NOTE: If the limit as xa from the left is different to the limit as xa from the right, then the limit as xa
will not exist.

Continuity
A function is continuous at the point where x = a if:
 The function is defined at x = a
 the function approaches the same value from left and right, as x approaches a
lim ¿
that is: x→ a f ( x )= lim ¿¿¿
−¿
+¿
x→a f ( x )

Another way of describing it, is that a function is continuous over an interval if we can draw it without
lifting our pen off the paper. It must have no holes, breaks or jumps.

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A function is discontinuous wherever it has holes (open circles), jumps (breaks in the line), or asymptotes.

Example 26
State the values for x for which the function shown is
continuous.

Example 27

Consider the graph of

For what value(s) of x does this graph display

discontinuity?

Differentiability (9M)
For a derivative to exist the function must be continuous and smooth at that point.
A function f(x) is differentiable at x = a if the following conditions are satisfied:
 the function approaches the same value from left and right, as x approaches a (continuous at x = a)
 the gradient approaches the same value from left and right, as x approaches a (“smooth” at x = a)

f(x) is NOT differentiable wherever there are:

1) holes or breaks 2) sharp corners 3) the end points of a domain

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Example 28
State the values for x for which the function shown is
differentiable.

Example 29
Explain why the function shown is not differentiable
at the point (3,1).

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