Quotient rule (differentiation)

𝒙𝟑 +𝟏
To differentiate fractions like y = , you have to use “Quotient
𝟐𝒙−𝟑
rule”.

𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑣
𝑑 𝑢 v -u
( ) = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑣 v2

ሺ𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 × 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟ሻ − ሺ𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 × 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟ሻ

ሺ𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟ሻ2

Example 1

𝑥 3 +1
Find the derivative of y = .
ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ

Answer

𝑥 3 +1
y=
ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ
Differentiate nume.. Differentiate deno..
deno.. nume..

𝑑 𝑑
𝑑𝑦 ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ ሺ𝑥 3 +1ሻ −ሺ𝑥 3 +1ሻ ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
=
𝑑𝑥 ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ2

Deno.. sq

ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ ሺ3𝑥 2 ሻ −ሺ𝑥 3 +1ሻ ሺ2ሻ

=
ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ2

6𝑥 3 −9𝑥 2 −2𝑥 3 −2
=
ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ2

4𝑥 3 −9𝑥 2 −2
=
ሺ2𝑥−3ሻ2 #
Example 2

ሺ𝑥+1ሻ2
Find the derivative of y =
√𝑥+2

Answer

ሺ𝑥+1ሻ2
y=
√𝑥+2

ሺ𝑥+1ሻ2
y= 1
ሺ𝑥+2ሻ2
Differentiate nume..
Differentiate deno..
deno.. nume..
1 1
𝑑 𝑑
𝑑𝑦 ሺ𝑥+2ሻ2 ሺ𝑥+1ሻ2 − ሺ𝑥+1ሻ2 ሺ𝑥+2ሻ2
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑥+2

Deno.. sq

1 1
1 −
𝑑𝑦 ሺ𝑥+2ሻ2 2ሺ𝑥+1ሻ− ሺ𝑥+1ሻ2 ሺ𝑥+2ሻ 2
2
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑥+2 #
Exercises

1. Use the quotient rule to differentiate each of the following with respect to x:

1+2𝑥 3𝑥+2 𝑥−1 5𝑥−2

(a) y= (b) y= (c) y= (d) y=
5−𝑥 𝑥+4 3𝑥+4 3−8𝑥
𝑥2 𝑥 5 𝑥+4
(e) y= (f) y= (g) y= (h) y=
5𝑥−2 𝑥 2 −1 3𝑥−1 𝑥 2 −2

𝑥+3
2. Find the gradient of the curve y = at the point (2 , 5).
𝑥−1
𝑥2 𝑑𝑦
3. Find the coordinates of the points on the curve y = where = 0.
2𝑥−1 𝑑𝑥
7𝑥−2
4. Find the gradient of the curve y = at the point where the curve crosses the y-axis.
2𝑥+3
5. Differentiate with respect of x:

𝑥 𝑥2 5√𝑥
√𝑥 (d) y=
(a) y= (b) y= (c) y= 3+𝑥
2𝑥+1 √1−2𝑥 √𝑥 2 +2
𝑥−2
6. Find the gradient of the curve y = at the point (-4 , -6).
√𝑥+5
2ሺ𝑥−5ሻ 5
7. Find the coordinates of the points on the curve y = where the gradient is .
√𝑥+1 4

8. CHALLENGE QUESTION

The line 5x – 5y = 2 intersects the curve x2y – 5x + y + 2 = 0 at three points.

(a) Find the coordinates of the points of intersection.

(b) Find the gradient of the curve at each of the points of intersection.
Working notes:

1. Use the quotient rule to differentiate each of the following with respect to x:
1+2𝑥 3𝑥+2 𝑥−1 5𝑥−2
(a) y= (b) y= (c) y= (d) y=
5−𝑥 𝑥+4 3𝑥+4 3−8𝑥
𝑥2 𝑥 5 𝑥+4
(e) y= (f) y= (g) y= (h) y=
5𝑥−2 𝑥 2 −1 3𝑥−1 𝑥 2 −2
 𝑥+3
2. Find the gradient of the curve y = at the point (2 , 5).
𝑥−1

𝑥2 𝑑𝑦
3. Find the coordinates of the points on the curve y = where = 0.
2𝑥−1 𝑑𝑥
 7𝑥−2
4. Find the gradient of the curve y = at the point where the curve crosses the y-axis.
2𝑥+3

5. Differentiate with respect of x:

√𝑥 𝑥
(a) y= (b) y=
2𝑥+1 √1−2𝑥
5. Differentiate with respect of x:
5√𝑥
𝑥2 (d) y=
(c) y= 3+𝑥
√𝑥 2 +2

𝑥−2
6. Find the gradient of the curve y = at the point (-4 , -6).
√𝑥+5
 2ሺ𝑥−5ሻ 5
7. Find the coordinates of the points on the curve y = where the gradient is .
√𝑥+1 4
8. CHALLENGE QUESTION

The line 5x – 5y = 2 intersects the curve x2y – 5x + y + 2 = 0 at three points.

(a) Find the coordinates of the points of intersection.

(b) Find the gradient of the curve at each of the points of intersection.