MAT1005

WEEK 8

Chapter 3

Additional
Derivative Topics
Section 2
Derivatives of
Exponential and
Logarithmic Functions
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 The Constant e

Reminder:
By definition, e = 2.718 281 828 459 …

e is also defined as either one of the following

limits:
n
 1
e  lim 1    lim 1  s 
1/ s
n 
 n  s 0

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 The Derivative of ex

The derivative of f (x) = ex is f ´(x) = ex.

Caution: The derivative of ex is not x ex–1

The power rule cannot be used to differentiate the

exponential function. The power rule applies to exponential
forms xn, where the exponent is a constant and the base is a
variable. In the exponential form ex, the base is a constant
and the exponent is a variable.

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 Examples

Find derivatives for

f (x) = ex/2

f (x) = ex/2

f (x) = 2ex + x2

f (x) = –7xe – 2ex + e2

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 Examples
(continued)

Find derivatives for

f (x) = ex/2 f ´(x) = ex/2
f (x) = ex/2 f ´(x) = (1/2) ex/2
f (x) = 2ex +x2 f ´(x) = 2ex + 2x
f (x) = –7xe – 2ex + e2 f ´(x) = –7exe-1 – 2ex
Remember that e is a real number, so the power rule is
used to find the derivative of xe. The derivative of the
exponential function ex, on the other hand, is ex. Note
also that e2 ≈ 7.389 is a constant, so its derivative is 0.

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 The Natural Logarithm Function
ln x
We summarize important facts about logarithmic functions from
a previous section:
Recall that the inverse of an exponential function is called a
logarithmic function. For b > 0 and b ≠ 1
Logarithmic form is equivalent to Exponential form
y = logb x x = by
Domain (0, ∞) Domain (–∞ , ∞)
Range (–∞ , ∞) Range (0, ∞)
The base we will be using is e. ln x = loge x

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 The Derivative of ln x

We are now ready to use the definition of derivative and the

four step process to find a formula for the derivative of ln x.
Later we will extend this formula to include logb x for any
base b. Let f (x) = ln x, x > 0.
Step 1: Find f (x+h)
f ( x  h)  ln( x  h)
Step 2: Find f (x + h) – f (x)
xh
f ( x  h)  f ( x)  ln( x  h)  ln( x)  ln
h

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 The Derivative of ln x
(continued)
f ( x  h)  f ( x )
Step 3: Find
h

f ( x  h)  f ( x ) 1 x  h 1 x  h  1  h 
x/h

 ln   ln1    ln1  
h h x x h  x x  x

f ( x  h)  f ( x )
Step 4: Find lim . Let s = x/h.
h 0 h
f ( x  h)  f ( x ) 1
 lim ln1  s   ln e 
1/ s 1 1
lim
h 0 h x s 0 x x

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 Examples

Find derivatives for

f (x) = 5 ln x

f (x) = x2 + 3 ln x

f (x) = 10 – ln x

f (x) = x4 – ln x4

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 Examples
(continued)

Find derivatives for

f (x) = 5 ln x f ´(x) = 5/x
f (x) = x2 + 3 ln x f ´(x) = 2x + 3/x
f (x) = 10 – ln x f ´(x) = – 1/x
f (x) = x4 – ln x4 f ´(x) = 4 x3 – 4/x
Before taking the last derivative, we rewrite f (x) using a
property of logarithms:
ln x4 = 4 ln x

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 Other Logarithmic and
Exponential Functions

Logarithmic and exponential functions with bases other than

e may also be differentiated.

d 1 1
logb x   
dx ln b  x 

d x
b  b ln b
x

dx

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 Examples
Find derivatives for
f (x) = log5 x

f (x) = 2x – 3x

f (x) = log5 x4

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 Examples
(continued)
Find derivatives for
1  1
f ´(x) =
ln 5  x 
f (x) = log5 x
f (x) = 2x – 3x f ´(x) = 2x ln 2 – 3x ln 3
4  1
f (x) = log5 x4 f ´(x) =
ln 5  x 
For the last example, use
log5 x4 = 4 log5 x

Copyright © 2015, 2011, and 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. 1313

 Summary

For b > 0, b ≠ 1
Exponential Rule

d x d x
e  ex b  b x ln b
dx dx
Log Rule
d 1 1
d 1 log b x  ( )
ln x  dx ln b x
dx x

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 Chapter 3

Additional
Derivative Topics

Section 3
Derivatives of Products
and Quotients

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 Derivatives of Products

Theorem 1 (Product Rule)

If f (x) = F(x) • S(x), and if F´(x) and S´(x) exist, then
f ´(x) = F(x) • S´(x) + S(x) • F´(x),
or
dS dF
f (x)  F S
dx dx
In words: The derivative of the product of two functions
is the first function times the derivative of the second
function plus the second function times the derivative of
the first function.

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 Example

Find the derivative of y = 5x2(x3 + 2).

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 Example

Find the derivative of y = 5x2(x3 + 2).

Solution:
Let F(x) = 5x2, so F ’(x) = 10x
Let S(x) = x3 + 2, so S ’(x) = 3x2.
Then
f ´(x) = F(x) • S´(x) + S(x) • F´(x)
= 5x2 • 3x2 + 10x • (x3 + 2)
= 15x4 + 10x4 + 20x = 25x4 + 20x.

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 Derivatives of Quotients

Theorem 2 (Quotient Rule)

If f (x) = N (x) / D(x), and if N´(x) and D´(x) exist, then

dN dD
f (x) 
D (x)  N (x)  N (x)  D (x) dy D dx  N dx
[D(x)] 2
or 
dx D2

In words: The derivative of the quotient of two functions is

the bottom function times the derivative of the top function
minus the top function times the derivative of the bottom
function, all over the bottom function squared.
Copyright © 2015, 2011, and 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. 1919
 Example

Find the derivative of y = 3x / (2x + 5).

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 Example

Find the derivative of y = 3x / (2x + 5).

Solution:
Let N(x) = 3x, so N´(x) = 3
Let D(x) = 2x + 5, so D´(x) = 2.
Then
D (x)  N  (x)  N (x)  D  (x)
f (x)  2
[D(x)]
(2x  5)  3  3x  2 15
 
(2x  5) 2
(2x  5)2

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 Tangent Lines

Let f (x) = (2x – 9)(x2 + 6). Find the equation of the line
tangent to the graph of f (x) at x = 3.

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 Tangent Lines

Let f (x) = (2x – 9)(x2 + 6). Find the equation of the line
tangent to the graph of f (x) at x = 3.
Solution: First, find f ´(x):
f ´(x) = (2x – 9) (2x) + (2) (x2 + 6)
Then find f (3) and f ´(3):
f (3) = –45 f ´(3) = 12
The tangent has slope 12 and goes through the point (3, –45).
Using the point-slope form y – y1 = m(x – x1), we get
y – (–45) = 12(x – 3) or y = 12x – 81
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 Summary

Product Rule:

d
dx
 
F (x) S (x)  F(x)  S (x)  F (x)  S(x)

Quotient Rule:

d  N (x)  D(x)  N (x)  N (x)  D (x)

  
dx  D(x)  [D(x)] 2

Copyright © 2015, 2011, and 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. 2424

 Chapter 3

Additional
Derivative Topics

Section 4
The Chain Rule

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 Composite Functions

Definition: A function m is a composite of functions f and g if

m(x) = f [g(x)]
The domain of m is the set of all numbers x such that x is in the
domain of g and g(x) is in the domain of f.

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 General Power Rule

We have already made extensive use of the power rule:

d n
x  nx n 1
dx

Now we want to generalize this rule so that we can

differentiate composite functions of the form [u(x)]n,
where u(x) is a differentiable function. Is the power rule
still valid if we replace x with a function u(x)?

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 Example

Let u(x) = 2x2 and f (x) = [u(x)]3 = 8x6. Which of the

following is f ´(x)?
(a) 3[u(x)]2 (b) 3[u´(x)]2 (c) 3[u(x)]2 u´(x)

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 Example

Let u(x) = 2x2 and f (x) = [u(x)]3 = 8x6. Which of the

following is f ´(x)?
(a) 3[u(x)]2 (b) 3[u´(x)]2 (c) 3[u(x)]2 u´(x)
We know that f ´(x) = 48x5.
(a) 3[u(x)]2 = 3(2x2)2 = 3(4x4) = 12 x4. This is not correct.
(b) 3[u´(x)]2 = 3(4x)2 = 3(16x2) = 48x2. This is not correct.
(c) 3[u(x)]2 u´(x) = 3[2x2]2(4x) = 3(4x4)(4x) = 48x5. This is the
correct choice.

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 Generalized Power Rule

What we have seen is an example of the generalized

power rule: If u is a function of x, then
d n n 1 du
u  nu
dx dx

For example, d (x 2  3x  5)3  3(x 2  3x  5)2 (2x  3)

dx
du
Here u is x  3x  5 and
2
 2x  3
dx

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 Chain Rule

We have used the generalized power rule to find derivatives

of composite functions of the form f (g(x)) where f (u) = un
is a power function. But what if f is not a power function?
It is a more general rule, the chain rule, that enables us to
compute the derivatives of many composite functions of the
form f (g (x)).

Chain Rule: If y = f (u) and u = g(x) define the

composite function y = f (u) = f [g(x)], then

dy dy du dy du
  , provided and exist.
dx du dx du dx
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 Generalized Derivative Rules

 
d n n 1
 f x   n  f x   f  (x) If y = u n , then
1.
dx     y´ = nu n – 1 du/dx

d 1 If y = ln u, then
2. ln[ f (x)]   f (x)
dx f (x) y´ = 1/u du/dx

d f (x) If y = e u, then
3. e  e f ( x ) f (x) y ´ = e u du/dx
dx

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 Examples for the Power Rule
du
The terms of the Chain rule terms are marked by squares:
dx u n
n1 du
d  nu
dx dx
y  x 5 , y   5x 4
y  (2x)5 , y   5(2x)4 (2)  160x 4
y  (2x 3 )5 , y   5(2x 3 )4 (6x 2 )  480x14
y  (2x  1)5 , y   5(2x  1)4 (2)  10(2x  1)4
y  (e x )5 , y   5(e x )4 (e x )  5e5x
y  (ln x) , y   5(ln x) (1 / x)
5 4

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 Examples for
Exponential Derivatives
d u u du
e e 
dx dx

y  e , y   e (3)  3e
3x 3x 3x

ye 3x1
, y  e 3x1
(3)  3e 3x1

4 x 2 3x5 4 x 2 3x5
ye , y  e (8x  3)
 1 x
ye ln x
 x, y   e ln x
 x   x  1
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 Examples for
Logarithmic Derivatives
d 1 du
ln u  
dx u dx
1 1
y  ln(4x), y   4 
4x x
1 4
y  ln(4x  1), y   4 
4x  1 4x  1
1 2
y  ln(x ), y   2  (2x) 
2

x x
1 2x  2
y  ln(x  2x  4), y   2
2
 (2x  2)  2
x  2x  4 x  2x  4
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