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Lecture 3.5 The Chain Rule

The document introduces the chain rule, which provides a method to find the derivative of composite functions. It shows examples of applying the chain rule to functions of the form y=f(u) where u=g(x). The chain rule states that the derivative of the composite function is the derivative of the outer function multiplied by the derivative of the inner function. Formulas for derivatives, such as trigonometric functions, include the chain rule. The chain rule can also be used to find the derivative of parametrically defined curves.

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Mohd Haffiszul Bin Mohd Said
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70 views15 pages

Lecture 3.5 The Chain Rule

The document introduces the chain rule, which provides a method to find the derivative of composite functions. It shows examples of applying the chain rule to functions of the form y=f(u) where u=g(x). The chain rule states that the derivative of the composite function is the derivative of the outer function multiplied by the derivative of the inner function. Formulas for derivatives, such as trigonometric functions, include the chain rule. The chain rule can also be used to find the derivative of parametrically defined curves.

Uploaded by

Mohd Haffiszul Bin Mohd Said
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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3.

5 The Chain Rule


We now have a pretty good list of “shortcuts” to find
derivatives of simple functions.

Of course, many of the functions that we will encounter


are not so simple. What is needed is a way to combine
derivative rules to evaluate more complicated functions.


Consider a simple composite function:
y  6 x  10 y  6 x  10 y  2u u  3x  5
y  2  3x  5
dy dy du
6 2 3
If u  3x  5 dx du dx
then y  2u
6  23

dy dy du
 
dx du dx


and another:
y  5u  2 y  5  3t   2 y  5u  2 u  3t

where u  3t y  15t  2
then y  5  3t   2
dy dy du
 15 5 3
dt du dt

15  5  3

dy dy du
 
dt du dt

and one more:
y  9x  6x  1
2
y  9 x2  6 x  1 y  u2 u  3x  1

y   3 x  1
2

dy dy du
If u  3x  1  18 x  6  2u 3
dx du dx
then y  u 2
dy
 2  3 x  1
du
dy
 6x  2
du

18 x  6   6 x  2   3
This pattern is called
the chain rule. dy dy du
 
dx du dx 
dy dy du
Chain Rule:  
dx du dx

If f  g is the composite of y  f  u  and u  g  x  ,


then:

 f  g    f at u  g  x   g at x
example: f  x   sin x g  x   x2  4 Find:  f  g   at x  2

f   x   cos x g  x   2x g  2  4  4  0

f   0  g  2
cos  0    2  2 
1 4  4

We could also do it this way:

f  g  x    sin  x 2  4 
dy
y  sin  x  4 
2  cos  x 2  4   2 x
dx
y  sin u u  x2  4
dy
dy du  cos  22  4   2  2
 cos u  2x dx
du dx
dy
 cos  0   4
dy dy du dx
 
dx du dx
dy dy
 cos u  2 x 4
dx dx

Here is a faster way to find the derivative:

y  sin  x 2  4 

d 2
y  cos  x  4    x  4 
2
Differentiate the outside function...
dx

y  cos  x 2  4   2 x …then the inside function

At x  2, y  4


Another example:
d
cos 2  3 x 
dx
d
cos  3x  
2

dx It looks like we need to


use the chain rule again!
d
2 cos  3 x    cos  3 x 
dx

derivative of the
outside function
derivative of the
inside function

Another example:
d
cos 2  3 x 
dx
d
cos  3x  
2

dx
d
2 cos  3 x    cos  3 x 
dx
d The chain rule can be used
2 cos  3 x    sin  3 x    3 x  more than once.
dx
2 cos  3x   sin  3 x   3 (That’s what makes the
“chain” in the “chain rule”!)
6 cos  3 x  sin  3 x 

Derivative formulas include the chain rule!

d n n 1 du d du
u  nu sin u  cos u
dx dx dx dx

d du d du
cos u   sin u tan u  sec u
2

dx dx dx dx

etcetera…

The formulas on the memorization sheet are written with u


du
instead of u term!
. Don’t forget to include the
dx

The most common mistake on the chapter 3 test is to
forget to use the chain rule.

Every derivative problem could be thought of as a chain-


rule problem:

d 2 d
x  2 x x  2 x 1  2x
dx dx

derivative of The derivative of x is one.


outside function
derivative of
inside function 
The chain rule enables us to find the slope of
parametrically defined curves:

dy dy dx
  dx
dt dx dt Divide
Theboth sides
slope of aby
parametrized
curve is given by:
dt
dy
dy
dt  dy
dy
dx dx  dt
dx dx
dt
dt


Example: x  3cos t y  2sin t

These are the equations for


an ellipse.

dx dy dy 2 cos t 2
 3sin t  2 cos t    cot t
dt dt dx 3sin t 3
Don’t forget to use the chain rule!

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