BASIC CALCULUS

SCOPE

I. LIMIT THEOREMS
II. PROPERTIES OF DERIVATIVES
III.CHAIN RULE
IV.HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES
 LIMITS

Limits describe how a function behaves near

a point, instead of at that point. This simple
yet powerful idea is the basis of all of
calculus.
 LIMITS

Let f(x) be a given function of x. If the function f(x)

approaches the real number L as x approaches a
particular value of c, then we say that L is the limit
of f as x approaches c. The notation for this
definition is:

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐
 LAYMAN’S TERMS

Limit is basically the scope of the graph that

points cannot be found in. For example, in terms
of visualization, if the limit is at -3, the entire
space in the graph can be used except for -3 on
the x-axis.
LIMIT THEOREMS
LIMIT OF A CONSTANT

lim 𝑘 = 𝑘
𝑥→𝑐

lim 4 = 4
𝑥→1
 TRY

lim 2020
𝑥→−4

Answer: 2020
LIMIT OF X

lim 𝑥 = 𝑐
𝑥→𝑐

lim 𝑥 = −1
𝑥→−1
 TRY

lim 𝑥
𝑥→π

Answer: π
LIMIT OF A POLYNOMIAL FUNCTION

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑐)

𝑥→𝑐

lim (𝑥 + 4) = 1 + 4 = 5
𝑥→1
CONSTANT MULTIPLE OR CONSTANT
TIMES A FUNCTION

lim 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑎 lim 𝑥
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

lim 3𝑥 = 3 lim 𝑥 = 3•2 = 6

𝑥→2 𝑥→2
 TRY

lim −2𝑥
𝑥→−1

-2 lim 𝑥
𝑥→−1
-2(-1) = 2
 LIMIT OF THE SUM

lim [𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 ] = lim 𝑓 𝑥 + lim 𝑔 𝑥 = L + M

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

lim [𝑥2 + 2𝑥] = lim 𝑥2 + lim 2𝑥

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2
= lim 𝑥2 + 2lim 𝑥
𝑥→2 𝑥→2
=(2)2 + (2•2)
=4+4
=8
 LIMIT OF THE DIFFERENCE

lim [𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 ] = lim 𝑓 𝑥 - lim 𝑔 𝑥 = L - M

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

lim [2𝑥 − 5𝑥2] = lim 2𝑥 - lim 5𝑥2

𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1
=2 lim 𝑥 - 5 lim 𝑥2
𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1
=2(-1) – [5(-1)2]
= -2 - 5
= -7
 TRY

lim [3𝑥2 − 2𝑥 + 5]
𝑥→−1
lim 3𝑥2 - lim 2𝑥 + lim 5
𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1

3(-1)2 – [2(-1)] + 5
3 + 2 + 5 = 10
 LIMIT OF THE PRODUCT

lim [𝑓 𝑥 • 𝑔 𝑥 ] = lim 𝑓 𝑥 • lim 𝑔 𝑥 = L • M

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

lim [2𝑥 • 3𝑥2] = lim 2𝑥 • lim 3𝑥2

𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1
= 2 lim 𝑥 • 3 lim 𝑥2
𝑥→−1 𝑥→−1
= 2(-1) • 3(-1)2
= -2 • 3
= -6
 TRY

lim [−5𝑥2 • 2𝑥]

𝑥→3
lim −5𝑥2 • lim 2𝑥
𝑥→3 𝑥→3
-5(3)2 • 2(3)
-45 • 6
= -270
 LIMIT OF THE QUOTIENT

𝑓(𝑥) lim 𝑓(𝑥) 𝐿

lim [ ] = 𝑥→𝑐
= ;M ≠0
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥) lim 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑀
𝑥→𝑐

4𝑥 − 5 lim 4𝑥 − 5
𝑥→0
lim [ ]=
𝑥→0 2𝑥 + 1 lim 2𝑥 + 1
𝑥→0
4 𝑥→0
lim 𝑥 − lim 5
= 𝑥→0
2 𝑥→0
lim 𝑥 + lim 1
𝑥→0
4 0 −5
=
2 0 +1
−5
= or -5
1
 𝑥−2
lim [ ]
𝑥→−2 𝑥
lim 𝑥 − 2
𝑥→−2
lim 𝑥
𝑥→−2
lim 𝑥 − lim 2
𝑥→−2 𝑥→−2
lim 𝑥
𝑥→−2
(−2) − 2 −4
= = 2
−2 −2
LIMIT OF A FUNCTION RAISED TO AN
EXPONENT

lim 𝑓 𝑥 𝑛 = 𝐿𝑛
𝑥→𝑐

lim 4𝑥 − 5 4 = [lim 4𝑥 − lim 5]4

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2
= [4lim 𝑥 - lim 5]4
𝑥→2 𝑥→2
= [4(2) – 5]4
= [8 – 5]4
= 34
= 81
 TRY

lim 𝑥 − 2 3
𝑥→4
[lim 𝑥 − lim 2] 3
𝑥→4 𝑥→4
(4-2)3
23
8
 LIMIT OF NTH ROOT OF A FUNCTION

𝑛 𝑛
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐
n is a positive integer (starts with 2) and L ≥ 0 (because it will become an imaginary number)

lim 2𝑥 = lim 2𝑥
𝑥→2 𝑥→2

= 2lim 𝑥
𝑥→2

= 2(2)
= 4
=2
 3
lim 4𝑥
𝑥→2

3
lim 4𝑥
𝑥→2
3
4lim 𝑥
𝑥→2
3
4(2)
3
8
2
 DERIVATIVES

Derivative is the rate of change of a dependent

variable (say, distance traveled) with respect to
an independent variable (say, time).

This helps in economic trends and predictions

among other things.
PROPERTIES OF DERIVATIVES
 DERIVATIVE OF A CONSTANT

If f(x) = k, where k is a constant, then f’(x) = 0.

f(x) = 3
f’(x) = 0
 POWER RULE

If f(x) = xn, where n is a real number, then f’(x) = nxn-1.

f(x) = x9
f’(x) = 9x9-1
= 9x8
 TRY

1
f(x) = = x-3
𝑥3
-3(x-3-1)
-3(x-4)
−3
𝑥4
 TRY

f(x) = x1
=1x1-1
=1x0
=1
 CONSTANT MULTIPLE RULE

If f(x) = kg(x), where k is a constant, then f’(x) =

kg’(x).

f(x) = 5x4
f’(x) = (4)(5)x4-1
= 20x3
 TRY

4
f(x) = = 4x-1
𝑥
= (-1)(4)(x-1-1)
= -4x-2
−4
=
𝑥2
 SUM RULE

If the functions p(x) and q(x) are differentiable and f(x) = p(x) +
q(x), then f’(x) = p’(x) + q’(x).

f(x) = 3x2 + 7x
= 2(3)x2-1 + (1)7x1-1
= 6x + 7
 DIFFERENCE RULE

If the functions p(x) and q(x) are differentiable and f(x) = p(x) - q(x),
then f’(x) = p’(x) - q’(x).

5
f(x) = 4x -
3
𝑥2
= 4x3 – 5x-2
= 3(4)x3-1 – [-2(5)x-2-1]
=12x2 + 10x-3
10
= 12x +
2
𝑥3
 PRODUCT RULE

If h(x) = f(x)g(x), then h’(x) = f’(x)g(x) + f(x)g’(x)

D1 2nd + 1st D2
f(x) = (x2 - 5x)(x5 + 2)
= (2x - 5)(x5+2) + (x2 - 5x)(5x4)
= 2x6 + 4x - 5x5 – 10 + 5x6 – 25x5
= 7x6 - 30x5 + 4x - 10
 QUOTIENT RULE

𝑓(𝑥) 𝑓′ 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 −𝑓 𝑥 𝑔′(𝑥)
If h(x) = where g (x) ≠ 0, then h’(x) =
𝑔(𝑥) 𝑔 𝑥 2

𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝐷ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ −ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ(𝐷𝑙𝑜𝑤)

f’(x) =
𝑙𝑜𝑤2
 TRY

4𝑥−3
f’(x) =
𝑥2+2

𝑥2+2 4 −[ 4𝑥−3 2𝑥 ]
=
𝑥2+2 2
4𝑥2+8 −[ 8𝑥2−6𝑥 ]
=
𝑥2+2 2
4𝑥2+8−8𝑥2+6𝑥
=
𝑥2+2 2
−4𝑥2+6𝑥+8
=
𝑥2+2 2
−2(2𝑥2−3𝑥−4)
=
𝑥2+2 2
 CHAIN RULE

If f and g are differentiable functions, then the composite function h(x)

= f[g(x)] has a derivative given by h’(x) = f’[g(x)]g’(x)

f(x) = (2x+3)3
= 3(2x+3)2 (2)
 TRY

3
f(x) = (𝑥3 + 4𝑥)2
1
3
(𝑥3 + 4𝑥) (3𝑥2 + 4)
2
2
 TRY

f(x) = (3x2 + 7x)5

5(3x2 + 7x)4 (6x + 7)
HIGH ORDER DERIVATIVES