Section 3.

4 - The Chain Rule

h(x) = sin(x2 )

then
h(x) = f (g(x))
where
f (x) = and g(x) = .
So, can we find
d
f (g(x))
dx
knowing f 0 (x) and g 0 (x)?

In order to come up with the formula, we will change our notation. Let

y = f (g(x))

and
u = g(x)
then
y = f (u).
We want to compute
dy
dx
We remember that this was a rate of change (or a slope):
dy ∆y
= lim
dx ∆x→0 ∆x

∆y ∆u
= lim ·
∆x→0 ∆x ∆u

dy du
= ·
du dx

1
The First Version of The Chain Rule
dy dy du
= ·
dx du dx

This is easy to remember because it works like fraction arithmetic. You can apply it to any variables. We
use this version mainly in story problems where x, y and u are quantities represented possibly by different
letters.

Now, substitute u = g(x), y = f (u) = f (g(x)) and switch to prime notation

to get the

The Second Version of The Chain Rule

This is the version we use to differentiate formulas.

Example 1:
d
sin x2 by first identifying the two functions making up the composition.


Use the Chain Rule to compute
dx

Example 2:
d
8
Use the Chain Rule to compute sin x − x3
dx

Example 3:
2
Use the Chain Rule to differentiate f (x) = ex

2
Example 4:
p
Differentiate f (x) = 1 + 5x2

Example 5:
2
Differentiate f (x) = esin(3x +6)

Example 5:
p
Differentiate f (x) = 1 + tan (ex + 5x)

Example 6:
p 
Differentiate f (x) = sin cos(ex )

Example 7:
13
x3 + e5x

Differentiate f (x) = √
x sin x + ln x

3
The Second and Higher Derivatives
We start with f (x), differentiate to get f 0 (x) If we differentiate f 0 (x), we get f 00 (x).

Example 8:
Compute f 00 (x) if f (x) = x3 + e7x .

Notation:
f, f 0 , f 00 , f 000 , f iv , f v ,
After a while Roman numerals gets tricky so we switch to regular numbers. In order to differentiate (in the
English sense as in tell apart :-) ) powers of f from derivatives of f , we use parentheses:

f, f 0 , f (2) , f (3) , f (4) , f (5) , ...

We use third or higher derivatives in Math 126. They are here mainly for notation and computation.

We also have the quotient notation. The second derivative id the derivative of the first derivative:
d dy
=
dx dx
so we have
dy d2 y d3 y
, , , ...
dx dx2 dx3

Example 9:
Compute f (2021) (x) if f (x) = x3 + e7x + cos x.

The Derivative of f (x) = ax

ax+h − ax ah − 1
lim = ax lim
h→0 h h→0 h

eh − 1 d x
where e was the special number with lim = 1 so e = ex . Now, we will differentiate f (x) = ax
h→0 h dx
using this, the chain rule and a property of exponentials and logarithms. So, before we start, here is a review
of laws of exponentials and logarithms. Most must be familiar, some we will use again in the future.

4
LAWS OF EXPONENTIALS AND LOGARITHMS
1. ex = y is the same as saying ln y = x. In other words f (x) = ex and g(x) = ln x are inverse functions.
Therefore,
ln (ex ) = x and eln x = x.
In particular, ln e = 1.
2. ln(AB) = ln A + ln B.
This follows from the law of exponentials : ex · ey = ex+y .
 
A
3. ln = ln A − ln B.
B
ex
This follows from the law of exponentials : y = ex−y .
e
B


4. ln A = B · ln A.
y
This follows from the law of exponentials : (ex ) = exy .
ln B
5. logA B = .
ln A

We will use 2,3 and 4 in logarithmic differentiation later.

Now, we are ready to compute the derivative of ax by rewriting it in terms of e:

Therefore,
d x
a = ln a · ax
dx
which also tells us

ah −1
limh→0 h = ln a.

Example 10:
d tan x
3
dx