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Derivative Definition: 1 Derivatives: The Five Basic Rules

The derivative of a function represents the rate of change or slope of that function. There are five basic rules for finding derivatives: 1) The constant rule - the derivative of a constant function is zero. 2) The power rule - the derivative of an expression in the form of ax^n is na*x^(n-1). 3) The sum and difference rule - the derivative of a sum or difference of functions is the sum or difference of the individual derivatives. 4) The product rule - the derivative of two functions multiplied together is the first function times the derivative of the second plus the second function times the derivative of the first. 5) The quotient rule - the derivative of one

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43 views4 pages

Derivative Definition: 1 Derivatives: The Five Basic Rules

The derivative of a function represents the rate of change or slope of that function. There are five basic rules for finding derivatives: 1) The constant rule - the derivative of a constant function is zero. 2) The power rule - the derivative of an expression in the form of ax^n is na*x^(n-1). 3) The sum and difference rule - the derivative of a sum or difference of functions is the sum or difference of the individual derivatives. 4) The product rule - the derivative of two functions multiplied together is the first function times the derivative of the second plus the second function times the derivative of the first. 5) The quotient rule - the derivative of one

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Shaker Husien
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Derivative definition

The derivative of a function is the ratio of the difference of function value f(x)
at points x+Δx and x with Δx, when Δx is infinitesimally small. The derivative
is the function slope or slope of the tangent line at point x.

1 Derivatives: The Five Basic Rules


1.1 Nonlinear Functions

The term derivative means ”slope” or rate of change. The five rules we are about to
learn allow us to find the slope of about 90% of functions used in economics,
business, and social sciences.

y y y

x x
2
Y=x Y = x1/2 Y = ax2 + bx
Suppose we have a function
y = f(x) (1)

where f(x) is a non linear function. For example:

(2)

Each equation is illustrated in Figure 1.

1
Figure 1:

1.2 The Derivative


Given the general function
y = f(x)
the derivative of y is denoted as

The symbol is an abbreviation for ”the change in y (dy) FROM a change in x (dx)”;
or the ”rise over the run”. In other words, the slope.

1.3 The Five Rules


1.3.1 The Constant Rule
Given y = f(x) = c, where c is an arbitrary constant, then

(3)
1.3.2 Power Function Rule
Suppose
y = axn (
4
)
where a and n are any two constants. The power function rule states that the slope
of the function is given by

(5)
This is probably the most commonly used rule in an introductory calculus course.
Examples

Some functions that do not appear to be ”power functions” can be manipulated to


take the form of equation 4. For example, if

then it can also be written as


y = x−1

2
thus

Another example,
which can also be written as
y = x1/2

therefore, by equation 5,

1.3.3 Sum-difference Rule


If y is a function created by adding or subtracting multiple functions such written as
y = f(x) ± g(x)

where f(x) and g(x) are each functions similar to equation 4, then the derivative of y
(y0) is given by y0 = f0(x) ± g0(x)

Example 1: y = 4x3 + 5x2

the derivative is y0 = 12x2 + 10x Example 2:

In each case we apply the power function rule (or constant rule) term-by-term

1.3.4 Product Rule


Suppose y is a composite function created by multiplying two functions together

y = f(x)g(x)

the derivative is given by

(6)
Example:
y = (3x2 + 4)(x3− 5x) First,

break this up into f(x) and g(x):

f(x) = 3x2 + 4 g(x) = x3− 5x

then find the derivative for each

3
f0(x) = 6x g0(x) = 3x2− 5

Now re-combine the parts according to equation 6

then you simply collect terms and simplify


1.3.5 Quotient Rule Suppose

then

(7)
Example

−
2
therefore f = x + 3 and g = 2x − 1. The derivatives are

f0 = 2x g0
=2

Subsitute the componants into equation 7

which (of course) can be further simplified

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