Handout - Derivative - Power Rule

Power - First Rules a,b are constants.

Function Derivative

dy
y = f (x) = f 0 (x) Notation
dx

dy
x=#
= f 0 (#) Means Plug #
dx
into derivative

dy
y = a · xn = a · n · xn−1 Power Rule
dx
dy
y =a·x =a n = 1 in power rule
dx
dy
y=a =0 n = 0 in power rule
dx

dy
y = axn + bxm = a · n · xn−1 + b · m · xm−1 Summation Rule
dx

Recall: Exponential Change of Notations

Function Exponential Form

√
n
x x1/n root becomes fraction

1
x−n denominator becomes negative
xn

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Examples - Evaluating a Derivative

Ex1. Evaluate f 0 (−1) for f (x) = 11x5

Answer: 55
a = 11 and n = 5

⇒ f 0 (x) = 11 · 5 · x5−1 = 55x4

⇒ f 0 (−1) = 55 · (−1)4

Ex2. Evaluate f 0 ( 15 ) for f (x) = 7x4

28
Answer:
125
a = 7 and n = 4

⇒ f 0 (x) = 7 · 4 · x4−1 = 28x3

⇒ f 0 ( 51 ) = 28 · ( 15 )3

Ex3. Evaluate f 0 (− 34 ) for f (x) = 5x2

15
Answer: −
2
a = 5 and n = 2

⇒ f 0 (x) = 5 · 2 · x2−1 = 10x

⇒ f 0 (− 43 ) = 10 · (− 34 )1

Ex4. Evaluate f 0 (3) for f (x) = x6

Answer: 1458
a = 1 and n = 6

⇒ f 0 (x) = 1 · 6 · x6−1 = 6x5

Evaluate at x = 3

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More Examples

Function Derivative

dy
y = 5 · x7 = 5 · 7 · x7−1 = 35x6
dx

√
3
y =9· x2
first change
to
exponential notation
dy 2 6
y = 9 · x2/3 = 9 · · x2/3−1 = 6x−1/3 = √
3
dx 3 x

3x6 2
y= + −9
4 3x

change to
exponential notation

3 2 dy 3 2
y = x6 + x−1 − 9 = · 6 · x6−1 + (−1)x−1−1 − 0
4 3 dx 4 3
dy 9 2
= · x5 − x−2
dx 2 3

dy 9x5 2
= − 2
dx 2 3x

3
Calculate the derivative and Evaluate at the indicated value of x.

a) Evaluate f 0 (3) for f (x) = 5x4 b) Evaluate f 0 (0) for f (x) = 10x3

c) Evaluate f 0 (−3) for f (x) = 3x3 d) Evaluate f 0 (0) for f (x) = x3

e) Evaluate f 0 ( 34 ) for f (x) = 10x2 f) Evaluate f 0 ( 74 ) for f (x) = 9x

g) Evaluate f 0 ( 74 ) for f (x) = 2x h) Evaluate f 0 (− 25 ) for f (x) = 11x3

12x9/2 3x2
i) Evaluate f 0 (2) for f (x) = j) Evaluate f 0 (2) for f (x) =
5 2

12x3/5
k) Evaluate f 0 (3) for f (x) = x4/7 l) Evaluate f 0 (1) for f (x) =
7

Answers a) 540; b) 0; c) 81; d) 0;

80 825
e) 3 ; f) 9; g) 2; h) 4 ;

√
432 2 4 36
i) 5 ; j) 6; k) 7 33/7
; l) 35 ;

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Calculate the derivative with respect to the independent variable
5x9 9v 9
a) k(x) = + 7x3 − 17x b) f (v) = + v 2 − 11v
8 5

14 7z 19/2 19 3y 17/2
c) h(z) = − √ − z 10/3 + d) h(y) = − √ + 5y 10/3 +
z 6 y 2

Calculate the following

dy dy
a) for y = t2 + t + 10 b) for y = x3 + 8x + 17
dt t=1 dx x=1

dr dv
c) for r = 4z 2 − 7z − 12 d) for v = s2 − 8s + 8
dz z=0 ds s=1

Find the equation of the tangent line (y = mx + b) at the indicated point.

a) y = x2 − 2x + 5 at x = −1 b) y = 2x2 − 4x + 2 at x = 1

c) y = x2 + 5x + 8 at x = 2 d)y = 3x2 − 8x + 4 at x = −3

45x8 81v 8
Answers a) k 0 (x) = 2 0
8 + 21x − 17; b) f (v) = 5 + 2v − 11;
7/3 17/2 50y 7/3 15/2
c) h0 (z) = z 3/2
7
− 10z3 + 133z12 ; d) h0 (y) = 2y19
3/2 + 3 + 51y4 ;
Answers a) 3, using y 0 = 2t + 1 at t = 1; b) 11, using y 0 = 3x2 + 8 at x = 1;
c) −7, using r0 = 8z − 7 at z = 0; d) −6, using v 0 = 2s − 8 at s = 1;
Answers a) y = 4 − 4x; b) y = 0; c) y = 9x + 4; d) y = −26x − 23;
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