Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VI – Western Visayas
Schools Division of Passi City
Passi National High School
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
Passi City, Iloilo
Tel. No: 311-5997

SELF

Grade Levels: Grade 11

Core Subject: Basic Calculus
Semester: Second Semester – Quarter 3 – Week 7-8

LEARNING COMPETENCY:
In this module, you will learn to:
• Illustrate the tangent line to the graph of a function at a given point (STEM_BC11D-IIIe-
1);
• Apply the definition of the derivative of a function at a given number(STEM_BC11D-IIIe-
2); and
• Relate the derivative of a function to the slope of the tangent line. (STEM_BC11D-IIIe-3);

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THE DEFINITION OF A TANGENT LINE

A tangent line to a point A is the limit of a secant lines as P approaches A. From this definition we
will derive the equation of a tangent line. Let us start with the idea of a slope m of a line defined as the ratio of
the change in vertical distance (rise) to the change in horizontal distance (run) as the point moves along the
line in either direction. Notice that the slope of a line is constant (Figure 1).

However, the slope of a curve is not constant and must be determined for each particular point of interest.
Let the points 𝑃1 (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and 𝑃2 (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ) be any two points on the curve, so that we can draw a secant line between
the two points on the curve (see Figure 2). The slope of a secant line joining the points P1 and P2 is given by

Let point P1 be fixed while point P2 be moved along the curve y = f(x) towards the point P1. As P2 is
moved along the curve towards P1 the slope of the line joining the two points will, in general, vary. That is, as
the point P2 moves closer and closer to the point P1, the slope of a secant line varies by smaller and smaller
amounts and approaches a constant limiting value. When this occurs, the limiting value is said to be the slope
of the curve at that point. That is, the first derivative is interpreted as the slope of a curve at that point. Hence,

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Basic Calculus – Quarter 3, Week 7-8
 In general, for any x, we define the slope of a curve as the first derivative of the function y = f(x) defined
by
𝒇(𝒙+∆𝒙)− 𝒇(𝒙) 𝒇(𝒙+𝒉)− 𝒇(𝒙)
𝒎𝒕𝒂𝒏 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 or = 𝒍𝒊𝒎
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 𝒉→𝟎 𝒉
provided that the limit exists.

Remarks:
i. The process for obtaining the derivative of a function is called differentiation.
ii. Various type of notations are used to denote the first derivative of y = f(x) with respect
to x, we have: f’(x), dy/dx, Dxy

EXAMPLE 1: Use the definition of derivative EXAMPLE 2: Find the derivative of y = x2 + 7.

to differentiate y = 2x + 5.
Solution:
Solution:

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Basic Calculus – Quarter 3, Week 7-8
 𝑑𝑦 𝑓(𝑥 + ℎ) − 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ
𝑑𝑦 (𝑥 + ℎ)2 − 𝑥 2
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ
𝑑𝑦 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥ℎ + ℎ2 − 𝑥 2
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ
𝑑𝑦 2𝑥ℎ + ℎ2
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ
𝑑𝑦 ℎ(2𝑥 + ℎ) By Slope-Point Form, the equation of the
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ tangent line at x = 2 is
𝑑𝑦
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = 2𝑥 + 0 = 2𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑦 − 𝑦0 = 𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 (𝑥 − 𝑥0 )
This means the slope of a tangent line at x = 2 is 𝑦 − 4 = 4(𝑥 − 2)
𝒚 = 𝟒𝒙 − 𝟒
𝑑𝑦
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = 2𝑥 = 2(2) = 𝟒
𝑑𝑥

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Basic Calculus – Quarter 3, Week 7-8
 𝑑𝑦 𝑓(𝑥 + ℎ) − 𝑓(𝑥) This means the slope of a tangent line
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ at x = 4 is
𝑑𝑦 √𝑥 + ℎ − √𝑥
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim 𝑑𝑦 1 1 𝟏
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ 𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = = =
𝑑𝑥 2√𝑥 2√4 𝟒
𝑑𝑦 √𝑥 + ℎ − √𝑥 √𝑥 + ℎ + √𝑥
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim ∙
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ √𝑥 + ℎ + √𝑥 By Slope-Point Form, the equation of the
𝑑𝑦 𝑥+ℎ−𝑥
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim tangent line at x = 4 is
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 ℎ(√𝑥 + ℎ + √𝑥)
𝑑𝑦 1
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = lim 𝑦 − 𝑦0 = 𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 (𝑥 − 𝑥0 )
𝑑𝑥 ℎ→0 √𝑥 + ℎ + √𝑥 1
𝑑𝑦 1 𝑦 − 2 = (𝑥 − 4)
𝑚𝑡𝑎𝑛 = = 4
𝑑𝑥 2√𝑥 𝟏
𝒚= 𝒙+𝟏
𝟒

ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN FINDING THE EQUATION OF A TANGENT LINE

This is another way of determining the equation of a tangent line given the initial value of x.

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Basic Calculus – Quarter 3, Week 7-8
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Let’s Try This

A. Use the definition of the derivative to differentiate the following functions:

1. 𝑦 = 3𝑥 − 15 5. 𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 + 12
2. 𝑦 = 5 + 7𝑥 6. 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 5
3. 𝑦 = 5𝑥 2 7. 𝑦 = √𝑥 + 3
2
4. 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 4𝑥 8. 𝑦 = √𝑥 − 1

B. Find the standard (slope-intercept form) equation of the tangent line to the following:

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 Prepared by:

JOVIC G. RULLEPA
SST-III, SHS

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Basic Calculus – Quarter 3, Week 7-8