Section 19 — Differentiation

19.1 Differentiating Powers of x

The result of differentiating y = xn, where n is any number, is dy
= nxn – 1
dx
dy
is also called the derivative of y.
dx

Example 1
Differentiate each of the following.
a) y = x3
dy
Multiply by 3, and subtract 1 from the index. = 3 × x3 – 1 = 3x2
dx
b) y = 2x4
dy
Differentiate x4, and multiply by 2. = 2 × 4 × x4 – 1 = 8x3
dx
c) y = x2 – 6x + 5
1. Rewrite the equation as powers of x using x = x1 and 1 = x0. y = x2 – 6x1 + 5x0
dy
2. Differentiate each term separately. = 2x2 – 1 – 6 × 1x1 – 1 + 5 × 0x0 – 1
dx
3. The derivative of x is 1, and the derivative of a constant is 0. = 2x1 – 6x0 + 0
= 2x – 6

Exercise 1
dy
1 Find for each of the following.
dx
a) y = x
5
b) y = x7 c) y = x4 d) y = x9
e) y = x3 + x2 + 2 f) y = x6 – x5 + x4 g) y = x4 + x2 + 2 h) y = 3x4
i) y = 8x3 j) y = 6x5 k) y = 7x2 l) y = 4x6
m) y = 3x2 + 2x + 4 n) y = 5x3 – 8x2 + 3x + 1 o) y = 7 + 4x – 2x2 p) y = 2x4 + 11x2 – 5
q) y = 1 x3 – x + 9 r) y = 3 x5 – 1 x2 + 6x s) y = 2 x6 + 5 x4 – 8x3 t) y = 3x – x + x2
4 3

3 5 2 3 2 4 6

Example 2
a) Differentiate y = 32 - 4 + 2
x x
1. Rewrite the fractions using negative indices. y = 3x–2 – 4x–1 + 2
dy
2. Differentiate each term separately. = (3 × –2x–2 – 1) – (4 × –1x–1 – 1) + 0
dx
= –6x–3 + 4x–2
= - 63 + 42
x x
b) Differentiate s = 4t - t
5 3

5 6
dy
The variables are s and t, so the derivative is ds , not . ds = 4 × 5t 5 – 1 – 1 × 3t 3 – 1
dt dx dt 5 6
= 4t - t
4 1 2
2

180 Section 19 — Differentiation

Find the derivative of each of the following equations.
2 a) y = 14 b) y = 13 + 1 - x 2 c) y = 12 + 8 - 4
x x x x x
4
d) y = 3 - 2 6 4
e) y = 2 - 5x 2 f) y = 6 - 3
x x x x

3 a) y = x(x + 5) b) y = 3x(x – 4) c) y = x2(2x – 3)

d) y = 2x3(4x + 1) e) y = (x + 4)(x + 2) f) y = (x – 5)(x + 3)
g) y = (x – 4)(x + 4) h) y = (2x + 1)(x + 3) i) y = (3x – 2)(2x + 1)
j) y = (x – 2)2 k) y = (2x + 1)2 l) y = 12 (5 + 3x)
x
m) y = x c 62 - 1m n) y = 23 (3x + 1) o) y = ` 1x + 3j` 2x - 5j
x x

4 a) a = 15 – 8b – 2b2 b) y = 6t + 5 – 5t2 c) x = 5t3 + 4t2 – 2t

d) x = 2 u3 + 3 u2 – u + 4 e) y = 3 z4 – 5 z3 + 7 z2 f) m = n - 2n + n
4 3 2

3 2 2 6 2 4
g) r = 8 - s 2
t
h) s = t
2
+ 4 i) x = t - 8t
3 2

2 2t

19.2 Finding Gradients

The gradient of a curve constantly changes — and the gradient at any point y
f(x)
on a curve equals the gradient of a tangent to the curve at that point.
At the point (a, b) on the graph of y = f(x), the gradient is the value of the
dy
derivative when x = a. (a, b)
dx
For this reason, the derivative is sometimes called the gradient function. x

Example 1
A curve has the equation = 3x2 – 5x + 4.
a) Find the gradient of the curve at the point (2, 6).
dy dy
1. Differentiate to find . = 6x – 5
dx dx
dy dy
2. Find the value of when x = 2. When x = 2, =6×2–5=7
dx dx
b) Find the coordinates of the point on the curve where the gradient is –2.
dy dy
1. Solve = –2 to find x when the gradient is –2. = –2 when 6x – 5 = –2
dx dx
6x = 3
x = 0.5
2. Put x = 0.5 into the original = 3x2 – 5x + 4
equation to find the y-coordinate. = 3(0.5)2 – 5 × 0.5 + 4
= 0.75 – 2.5 + 4
= 2.25
The gradient of the curve is –2 at the point (0.5, 2.25).

Section 19 — Differentiation 181

 Example 2
A curve has equation y = x2 – 16
x.
a) Find the gradient of the tangent to the curve at the point (4, 12).
dy
1. Differentiate to find . y = x2 – 16x–1
dx
dy
= 2x1 – 16 × –1x–2 = 2x + 162
dx x
dy dy 16
2. Find the value of when x = 4. When x = 4, =2×4+ =9
dx dx 16
b) Find the x-coordinate of the point on the curve where the tangent is horizontal.
If the tangent is horizontal,
dy dy
the gradient must be zero, so solve = 0. = 0 when 2x + 162 = 0
dx dx x
2x + 16 = 0 3

x3 = –8
x = –2

Exercise 1
1 Find the gradient of the graph of:
a) y = x2 where (i) x = 5 (ii) x = –2

b) y = 6 – 3x where (i) x = 0 (ii) x = 2

c) y = x3 – 2x where (i) x = 1 (ii) x = –1

d) y = 2x2 – 5x + 1 where (i) x = 3 (ii) x = 0.5

e) y = 6 – 1 x2 where (i) x = 4 (ii) x = –3

2
f) y = 12 + x – 3x2 where (i) x = –3 (ii) x = 3
4
g) y = 2x3 – 4x2 – 3x + 1 where (i) x = –1 (ii) x = 2
3
h) y = 4x – 12 where (i) x = 1 (ii) x = –2
x
i) y = 2 x3 – 9 x2 + x where (i) x = 1 (ii) x = –2
3 2
j) y = (2x – 3)(x + 4) where (i) x = –1 (ii) x = – 5
4
2 Find the gradient of the tangent to the graph of:
a) y = 3x2 – 7x – 5 at (i) (0, –5) (ii) (2, –7)
b) y = 6 – x – 4x 2
at (i) (–1, 3) (ii) (2, –12)
c) y = x (4 – x)
2
at (i) (4, 0) (ii) (0, 0)
d) y = (x – 2)(x + 3) at (i) (5, 24) (ii) (–1, –6)
e) y = x – 4x at (i) (1, –3) (ii) (–2, 0)

3 a) Find the gradient of the curve y = x2 + 7x + 3 at x = –3.

b) Find the x-coordinate of the point on this curve where the gradient is 15.

4 a) Find the gradient of the curve y = x2 + 2x – 7 at x = 4.

b) Find the x-coordinate of the point on the curve where the gradient is 0.

182 Section 19 — Differentiation

5 a) Find the gradient of the curve y = 5 + 3x – x2 at x = 0.
b) Find the x-coordinate of the point on this curve where the gradient is 7.
6 a) Find the gradient of the curve y = x3 + 2x at x = 12 .
b) Find the x-coordinates of the points on this curve where the gradient is 5.

7 a) Find the gradient of the curve y = x3 – 4x2 – 3x + 1 at x = 4.

b) Find the x-coordinates of the points on this curve where the gradient is 0.

8 a) Find the x-coordinates of the points on the curve y = 2 x3 – 7 x2 + 5x where the gradient is 2.
3 2
b) Find the x-coordinates of the points on this curve where the gradient is –1.

9 Find the coordinates of the points on the curve y = 8 – 16

x where the gradient is 4.
10 Find the coordinates of the points on the curve y = 1 x3 + x2 – 8x where the tangent is horizontal.
3
11 A curve has equation y = x – 3x + 1.
2

a) Find the y-coordinate of the point on the curve where x = 2.

b) Find the gradient of the curve at the point where x = 2.
c) Show that the equation of the tangent at the point where x = 2 is y = x – 3.

12 The equation of a curve is y = 6 + 5x – x3.

Find the equation of the tangent to the curve at the point with coordinates (1, 10).

19.3 Maximum and Minimum Points

The gradient of a curve is zero at turning points. A turning point can be either a maximum or a minimum.

At a maximum point, Zero gradient At a minimum point,

Negative
the gradient changes the gradient changes gradient
from positive to from negative to Positive
Positive gradient
zero to negative: zero to positive:
gradient
Negative
gradient

Zero gradient

dy
To find the turning points of the graph of y = f(x), solve the equation = 0.
dx

Example 1
The graph of the equation y = x2 – 8x + 3 has one turning point.
Find the coordinates of the turning point.
dy dy
1. Differentiate to find . = 2x – 8
dx dx
dy dy
2. Solve = 0 to get the x-coordinate of the turning point. = 0 when 2x – 8 = 0
dx dx
2x = 8
x=4
3. Use the original equation to find y when x = 4. So y = 4 – 8 × 4 + 3
2

y = 16 – 32 + 3
y = –13
The turning point of y = x – 8x + 3 is at (4, –13).
2

Section 19 — Differentiation 183

 Exercise 1
1 Find the coordinates of the minimum point of the graphs of each of the following equations.
a) y = x2 – 6x + 11 b) y = x2 – 2x + 5 c) y = 2x2 + 4x + 1
d) y = (x – 3)(x + 5) e) y = 2x2 – 12x + 5 f) y = 3x2 + 6
g) y = 3x2 + 48x – 2 h) y = 1 x2 – 7x + 7 i) y = 5x2 + 15x – 3
2
2 Find the coordinates of the maximum point of the graphs of each of the following equations.
a) y = 11 + 8x – 2x2 b) y = 5 + 3x – x2 c) y = (7 – x)(x – 2)
d) y = (3 – x)(x + 8) e) y = 9 – 8x – 2x2 f) y = 12 + 5x – 5x2
g) y = 4 + 24x – 3x2 h) y = 1 – 16x – 4x2 i) y = –1 + 2x – 2x2

Example 2
The curve y = 2x3 – 3x2 – 36x + 15 has turning points at (3, –66) and (–2, 59).
Identify whether each of these points is a maximum or a minimum.
dy dy
1. Differentiate to find . = 6x2 – 6x – 36
dx dx
2. Find the gradients to the left and right of (3, –66). When x = 2.5,
dy
3. You can use the gradients to sketch x = 2.5, x = 3.5,
dx
= 6 × (2.5)2 – 6 × 2.5 – 36 = –13.5
negative positive
the graph near (3, –66). To the left, gradient gradient
at x = 2.5, the graph is decreasing. When x = 3.5,
dy
To the right, at x = 3.5, it’s increasing. = 6 × (3.5)2 – 6 × 3.5 – 36 = 16.5
dx
So (3, –66) is a minimum.
So (3, –66) is a minimum.
(3, –66)

4. Do the same for (–2, 59). (–2, 59) When x = –2.5,

Here the curve’s increasing before dy
= 6 × (–2.5)2 – 6 × –2.5 – 36 = 16.5
the turning point and decreasing dx
after it, so it’s a maximum. When x = –1.5,
x = –2.5, x = –1.5, dy
= 6 × (–1.5)2 – 6 × –1.5 – 36 = –13.5
positive negative dx
gradient gradient So (–2, 59) is a maximum.

dy
3 a) Find if y = x3 – 3x2 + 7.
dx
b) Show that the graph of y = x3 – 3x2 + 7 has turning points at (0, 7) and (2, 3).
c) For each of the following values of x, find the gradient of the graph of y = x3 – 3x2 + 7
and describe the shape of the graph at that point.
(i) x = –0.5 (ii) x = 0.5 (iii) x = 1.5 (iv) x = 2.5
d) Using your answers to part (c), explain whether each turning point of
the graph of y = x3 – 3x2 + 7 is a maximum or a minimum.

4 Find the coordinates of the turning points of each of the following curves,
and identify whether each turning point is a maximum or a minimum.
a) y = 13 – 2x – x2 b) y = x2 – x + 3 c) y = 3x(x – 4) d) y = 3x2 – 8x + 2

5 Find the coordinates of the turning point on the curve y = 62 + 12x and identify the type of turning point.
x

184 Section 19 — Differentiation

6 Find the coordinates of the turning points of each of the following curves.
Determine the nature of each turning point.
a) y = 6x2 – x3 – 10 b) y = x3 – 6x2 – 15x + 7
c) y = 9x2 – x3 – 24x d) y = x3 – 3x2 – 9x + 4
e) y = 24x – 2x3 – 7 f) y = 13 x3 + x2 + 53
g) y = 120x + 3x2 – 2x3 h) y = 2x3 + 18x2 + 48x – 10

7 Find the coordinates of the turning points on the curve y = 13 - 3 and determine their nature.
x x

19.4 Using Differentiation

dy
The derivative gives the rate of change of y with respect to x, or ‘how fast y is changing compared to x’.
dx

Example 1
A water tank used by a garden centre is filled by the rain and emptied as the water is used to water plants.
The volume of water in the tank over a particular week is modelled by the equation v = 30 + 6t – t2,
for 0 £ t £ 7, where v is the volume in litres, and t is the time in days from the start of the week.
a) Find the rate, in litres per day, at which the volume of water is increasing after 2 days.
1. Differentiate to find dv , the rate of change of v. dv = 6 – 2t
dt dt
2. Calculate dv when t = 2. When t = 2, dv = 6 – 2 × 2 = 2 l/day
dt dt
b) Find the maximum volume of water in the tank during the week.
1. Solve dv = 0 to find t at the maximum. When dv = 0,
dt dt
6 – 2t = 0, so t = 3
2. Find v when t = 3. So v = 30 + 6 × 3 – 32
= 39 litres

Exercise 1
1 The value of shares in a company is modelled by the equation v = –5t2 + 30t + 40, where v is the value in
pence of one share and t is the time in years after the shares were first traded.
a) Find v when t = 0. v
100
b) (i) Solve the equation –5t + 30t + 40 = 0.
2

(ii) What does the positive solution to 90

–5t + 30t + 40 = 0 represent?
2 80
(iii) Explain why the negative solution to 70
–5t2 + 30t + 40 = 0 doesn’t mean anything. 60
c) The rate of change of the share value is given by dv . 50
d v dt
Differentiate to find an expression for . 40
dt
d) Find t when d v = 0. 30
dt
What was happening to the share value at this point? 20
e) Copy the axes shown on the right onto graph paper 10
and draw the graph of v = –5t2 + 30t + 40. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
t

Section 19 — Differentiation 185

 2 An object is thrown up into the air.
Its height (s metres) above the ground after t seconds is given by s = 2 + 4t – 5t2.
a) Work out ds .
dt
b) Find the maximum height the object reaches.

3 The mass, y kg, of a child aged x years old is given by the formula y = x3 – 5x2 + 10x + 3.3 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 3.
dy
a) Work out .
dx
b) Find the rate, in kg per year, at which the child’s mass is increasing when the child is one year old.

4 The temperature, y °C, of a mug of coffee t minutes after it is made

is given by the equation y = 0.05t2 – 4t + 93 for 0 ≤ t ≤ 30.
a) Write down the temperature of the coffee when it is made.
b) At what rate is the temperature decreasing after 10 minutes?

Velocity and Acceleration

Velocity and acceleration are both examples of rates of change.
The velocity, v, of an object at time t is The acceleration, a, of an object at time t
v = ds a = dv
the rate of change of its displacement, s: dt is the rate of change of its velocity: dt

Example 2
An object travels along a straight line. Its displacement from its starting position
after time t seconds (t ≥ 0) is s metres. s is given by the formula s = 5t2 + 8t – t3.
a) Find the velocity of the object after 5 seconds.
1. v = ds so differentiate the expression for s. v = ds = 10t + 8 – 3t2
dt dt
2. Substitute t = 5 to find the velocity after 5 seconds. So when t = 5,
3. The time is in seconds and the distance in metres, v = 10 × 5 + 8 – 3 × 52
so the velocity is measured in m/s. = –17 m/s
b) Find the acceleration of the object after 3 seconds.
1. a = dv so differentiate the expression for v from part a). a = dv = 10 – 6t
dt dt
2. Substitute t = 3 to find the velocity after 3 seconds. So when t = 3,
3. The time is in seconds and the velocity in m/s, a = 10 – 6 × 3 = –8 m/s2
so the acceleration is measured in m/s .
2

Exercise 2
1 The displacement (s metres) of a moving object 2 The displacement (s metres) of a moving object
from its starting point at time t seconds is given by from its starting point at time t seconds is given by
the equation s = 10t – t2 for t ≥ 0. the equation s = 8t + 3t2 – t3 for t ≥ 0.
a) Work out ds . a) Find the displacement at time t = 1.
dt
b) Work out ds .
b) Find the velocity at time t = 2. dt
c) Find the time when the velocity is zero. c) Find the velocity at time t = 2.

186 Section 19 — Differentiation

3 An object travels in a straight line.
Its displacement (s metres) from its starting point at time t seconds is given by s = 6t2 – t3 for 0 ≤ t ≤ 6.
a) Find an expression for the velocity of the object at time t.
b) Show that the object is moving faster at time t = 2.5 than at time t = 3.
c) Find the time when the object is at its maximum displacement from the starting point.

4 The displacement (s metres) of an object from a fixed point after t seconds (t ≥ 0) is given by s = 6 + 7t – 2t2.
a) Find an expression for the velocity of the object at time t.
b) Find the velocity of the object at time t = 1.
c) Find the velocity of the object at t = 4 seconds.
d) Find an expression for the acceleration of the object at time t.

Exercise 3 — Mixed Exercise

1 An object is travelling along a straight line.
Its velocity (v m/s) at time t seconds (t ≥ 0) is given by the formula v = 4 + 3t – t2.
a) Find the velocity of the object at time t = 1.
b) Work out dv .
dt
c) Find the acceleration of the object at time t = 1. Is it speeding up or slowing down at this time?
2 An object is travelling along a straight line.
Its velocity (v m/s) at time t seconds (t ≥ 0) is given by the formula v = 8t – 5t2.
a) Find the velocity of the object at time t = 0.4.
b) Work out dv .
dt
c) Find the time when the acceleration of the object is zero.
3 The mass, y kg, of grain harvested from a field when x kg of fertilizer is applied
is given by the equation y = – 14 x2 + 75x + 8000 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 200.
dy
a) Work out .
dx
b) Calculate how much fertilizer should be used in order to harvest the largest possible amount of grain.
4 The velocity (v m/s) of an object moving in a straight line at time t seconds (t ≥ 0) is given by v = 4t2 – 6t + 5.
a) Find an expression for the acceleration of the object at time t.
b) Find the time when the object has its minimum velocity.
5 An object is dropped off the top of a cliff. Its height (s metres) above
the ground after t seconds (t ≥ 0) is given by the equation s = 45 – 5t2.
a) Write down the height of the cliff.
b) Work out how long it takes for the object to hit the ground.
c) Work out ds .
dt
d) Find the velocity of the object when it hits the ground.

6 An object moves in a straight line. Its velocity (v m/s) after t seconds is given by v = 2t + 8t for t ≥ 1.
a) Find the velocity of the object after 4 seconds.
b) Find an expression for the acceleration of the object at time t.
7 An ice cream seller estimates that the profit £P that he makes per day if he sells
ice creams at £x each is P = –100x3 + 150x2 + 600x – 200 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 4.
a) Work out dP . b) Calculate the selling price which will give maximum profit.
dx
8 The area, A m 2, of weed on the surface of a pond at time t months is given by A = 32 – 30
t for t ≥ 1.
a) Find the area of pond covered by weed after 2 months.
b) Find the rate at which the area of weed is increasing after 3 months.

Section 19 — Differentiation 187