MATH1013 Tutorial 6

Differentiation Rules
Assume that f (x) and g(x) are differentiable,

• Constant multiple rule: (cf )0 (x) = cf 0 (x)

• Sum and difference rule: (f ± g)0 (x) = f 0 (x) ± g 0 (x)
• Product rule: (f g)0 (x) = f 0 (x)g(x) + f (x)g 0 (x)
f f 0 (x)g(x) − f (x)g 0 (x)
• Quotient rule: ( )0 (x) = provided that g(x) 6= 0
g [g(x)]2
• Chain rule: (f ◦ g)0 (x) = f 0 [g(x)]g 0 (x)

Example 1. Suppose that f (x) and g(x) are differentiable functions with values given by the following table.
x f (x) g(x) f 0 (x) g 0 (x)
0 1 1 −3 1/2
1 3 5 1/2 −4
(a) Find the derivative of h(x) = 2f (x) − 3g(x) + π at x = 1.
(b) Find the derivative of h(x) = [f (x) + 3][g(x) − 2] at x = 0.
2f (x) + 3
(c) Find the derivative of h(x) = at x = 1
g(x)
(d) Find the derivative of h(x) = f (x + g(x)) at x = 0
(a) If h(x) = 2f (x) − 3g(x) + π, then

h0 (x) = 2f 0 (x) − 3g 0 (x)

h0 (1) = 2f 0 (1) − 3g 0 (1)
1
= (2)( ) − (3)(−4)
2
= 13

(b) If h(x) = [f (x) + 3][g(x) − 2], then

h0 (x) = f 0 (x)[g(x) − 2] + [f (x) + 3]g 0 (x)

h0 (0) = f 0 (0)[g(0) − 2] + [f (0) + 3]g 0 (0)
1
= (−3)(1 − 2) + (1 + 3)( )
2
=5
2f (x)+3
(c) If h(x) = g(x) , then

2f 0 (x)g(x) − [2f (x) + 3]g 0 (x)

h0 (x) =
[g(x)]2
2f (1)g(1) − [2f (1) + 3]g 0 (1)
0
h0 (1) =
[g(1)]2
2( 1 )(5) − (2(3) + 3)(−4)
= 2
52
41
=
25

1
(d) If h(x) = f (x + g(x)), then

h0 (x) = f 0 (x + g(x)) · [1 + g 0 (x)]

h0 (0) = f 0 (0 + g(0)) · [1 + g 0 (0)]
1
= f 0 (1) · (1 + )
2
1 3
= ·
2 2
3
=
4

Derivatives of Commonly Used Functions

(xp )0 = pxp−1 (sin x)0 = cos x (cos x)0 = − sin x

(ex )0 = ex (tan x)0 = sec2 x (cot x)0 = − csc2 x
(sec x)0 = sec x tan x (csc x)0 = − csc x cot x

Example 2. Find the derivative of (x3 + 3x−2 )8 .

d 3 d 3
(x + 3x−2 )8 = 8(x3 + 3x−2 )7 · (x + 3x−2 )
dx dx
= 8(x3 + 3x−2 )7 (3x2 − 6x−3 )
√
Example 3. Find the derivative of 5
1 + tan x.
d √ 1 d
5
1 + tan x = (1 + tan x)−4/5 · (1 + tan x)
dx 5 dx
1
= (1 + tan x)−4/5 sec2 x
5

2x3 + 7x2 + 2x − 5
Example 4. Find the third derivative of f (x) = .
2x + 3
It is not easy to apply the quotient rule directly for three times, however this will be easy after a long division.
By a long division,
1
f (x) = x2 + 2x − 2 +
2x + 3
= x2 + 2x − 2 + (2x + 3)−1
f 0 (x) = 2x + 2 − 2(2x + 3)−2
f 00 (x) = 2 + 8(2x + 3)−3
f 000 (x) = −48(2x + 3)−4

2
Implicit Differentiation
dy
If x and y are related by an equation, we can find by treating y as a function of x.
dx
dy
Example 5. Verify that the point (1, 1) lies on the curve (x2 + y 2 − 1)3 = x2 y 3 , then find the value of at (1, 1).
dx
y

−1 1

−1

Put (x, y) = (1, 1) into (x2 + y 2 − 1)3 = x2 y 3 ,

L.H.S. = (12 + 12 − 1)3 = 1

R.H.S. = 12 13 = 1

so (1, 1) is a point lying on the curve (x2 + y 2 − 1)3 = x2 y 3 .

Then by differentiating the equation with respect to x,
d 2 d 2 3
(x + y 2 − 1)3 = (x y )
dx dx
dy dy
3(x2 + y 2 − 1)2 (2x + 2y ) = 2xy 3 + 3x2 y 2
dx dx
2 dy 2 2 dy
6x(x + y − 1) + 6y(x + y − 1)
2 2 2 2 2
= 2xy + 3x y
3
dx dx
2 dy 2 2 dy
6y(x + y − 1)
2 2
− 3x y = 2xy − 6x(x + y 2 − 1)2
3 2
dx dx
dy 2xy 3 − 6x(x2 + y 2 − 1)2
=
dx 6y(x2 + y 2 − 1)2 − 3x2 y 2
dy 2−6
=
dx (1,1) 6−3
4
=−
3

3
Example 6. Find equations of tangent lines to the ellipse x2 + 4y 2 = 36 that pass through the point (12, 3).
Differentiate both sides from the equation of the ellipse

x2 + 4y 2 = 36
dy
2x + 8y =0
dx
dy −x
=
dx 4y

The equation of tangent line to the ellipse at (a, b) is

−a
y =b+( )(x − a)
4b
ax a2
y =b− +
4b 4b
4by = 4b2 − ax + a2
ax + 4by = a2 + 4b2
ax + 4by = 36

Suppose the tangent line to the ellipse at (a, b) passes through (12, 3), then

12a + 12b = 36
a+b=3
b=3−a

Put b = 3 − a into a2 + 4b2 = 36, then

a2 + 4(3 − a)2 = 36
5a2 − 24a + 36 = 36
a(5a − 24) = 0
24
a = 0 or
5
When a = 0, b = 3. So the tangent line has equation 0x + 4(3)y = 36, or y = 3.
24 9 24 36
When a = , b = − . So the tangent line has equation x − y = 36.
5 5 5 5