KEY CONCEPTS

1. DEFINITION :
If x and x + h belong to the domain of a function f defined by y = f(x), then
Limit f (x  h)  f (x) if it exists , is called the DERIVATIVE of f at x & is denoted by
h 0 h
dy f (x  h)  f (x)
f (x) or . We have therefore , f (x) = Limit
h 0
dx h
2. The derivative of a given function f at a point x = a of its domain is defined as :
Limit f (a  h)  f (a ) , provided the limit exists & is denoted by f (a) .
h 0 h
f (x)  f (a )
Note that alternatively, we can define f (a) = Limit
x a
, provided the limit exists.
xa
3. DERIVATIVE OF f(x) FROM THE FIRST PRINCIPLE /ab INITIO METHOD:
y f (x   x)  f (x) dy
If f(x) is a derivable function then, Limit
 x 0
= Limit
 x 0 x
= f (x) =
x dx

4. THEOREMS ON DERIVATIVES :
If u and v are derivable function of x, then,
d du dv d du
(i) (u  v )   (ii) (K u)  K , where K is any constant
dx dx dx dx dx

d dv du
(iii)
dx
 u . v  u
dx
v
dx
known as “ PRODUCT RULE ”

d  u v  dudx   u  dvdx 
(iv)    where v  0 known as “ QUOTIENT RULE ”
dx  v v2

dy dy du
(v) If y = f(u) & u = g(x) then  . “ CHAIN RULE ”
dx du dx
5. DERIVATIVE OF STANDARDS FUNCTIONS :
(i) D (xn) = n.xn1 ; x  R, n  R, x > 0 (ii) D (ex) = ex
1 1
(iii) D (ax) = ax. ln a a > 0 (iv) D (ln x) = (v) D (logax) = logae
x x
(vi) D (sinx) = cosx (vii) D (cosx) =  sinx (viii) D = tanx = sec²x
(ix) D (secx) = secx . tanx (x) D (cosecx) =  cosecx . cotx
d
(xi) D (cotx) =  cosec²x (xii) D (constant) = 0 where D =
dx
6. INVERSE FUNCTIONS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES :
(a) Theorem : If the inverse functions f & g are defined by y = f(x) & x = g(y) & if
1 dy
f (x) exists & f (x)  0 then g (y) = . This result can also be written as, if exists &
f  (x) dx

dy dx  dy  dy dx dy  dx  dx
 0 , then  1 /   or .  1 or 1 /   [  0]
dx dy  dx  dx dy dx  dy  dy

(b) Results :
1 1
(i) D (sin 1 x)  ,  1 x  1 (ii) D (cos 1 x)  ,  1 x  1
1  x2 1  x2

MAJ P. No. 2
 1 1
(iii) D (tan 1 x)  , x R (iv) D (sec 1 x)  , x 1
1  x2 x x2  1
1 1
(v) D (cos ec 1x)  , x 1 (vi) D (cot 1 x )  , xR
x 2
x 1 1  x2

dy du
Note : In general if y = f(u) then = f (u) . .
dx dx
7. LOGARITHMIC DIFFERENTIATION : To find the derivative of :
(i) a function which is the product or quotient of a number of functions OR
g(x)
(ii) a function of the form [f(x)] where f & g are both derivable, it will be found convinient to take
the logarithm of the function first & then differentiate. This is called LOGARITHMIC
DIFFERENTIATION .
8. IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION :  (x , y) = 0
(i) In order to find dy/dx, in the case of implicit functions, we differentiate each term
w.r.t. x regarding y as a functions of x & then collect terms in dy/dx together on one side to
finally find dy/dx.
(ii) In answers of dy/dx in the case of implicit functions, both x & y are present .
9. PARAMETRIC DIFFERENTIATION :
dy d y / d 
If y = f() & x = g() where  is a parameter , then  .
dx d x / d 
10. DERIVATIVE OF A FUNCTION W.R.T. ANOTHER FUNCTION :
dy dy / dx f '(x)
Let y = f(x) ; z = g(x) then d z  d z / d x  g' (x) .

11. DERIVATIVES OF ORDER TWO & THREE :

Let a function y = f(x) be defined on an open interval (a, b). It’s derivative, if it exists on
(a, b) is a certain function f (x) [or (dy/dx) or y ] & is called the first derivative
of y w.r.t. x.
If it happens that the first derivative has a derivative on (a , b) then this derivative is called the second
derivative of y w. r. t. x & is denoted by f (x) or (d2y/dx2) or y .
d 3y d  d2y 
  
dx  d x 2  It is also
rd
Similarly, the 3 order derivative of y w. r. t. x , if it exists, is defined by d x 3

denoted by f (x) or y .

f (x) g(x) h(x)
12. If F(x) = l(x) m(x) n(x) , where f , g , h , l , m , n , u , v , w are differentiable functions of x then
u(x) v(x) w(x)

f '(x) g'(x) h' (x) f (x) g(x) h(x) f (x) g(x) h(x)
F (x) = l(x) m(x) n(x) + l' (x) m'(x) n' (x) + l(x) m(x) n(x)
u(x) v(x) w(x) u( x ) v(x) w(x) u'(x) v' (x) w' (x)
13. L’ HOSPITAL’S RULE :
If f(x) & g(x) are functions of x such that :
(i) Limit f(x) = 0 = Limit g(x) OR Limit f(x) =  = Limit g(x) and
x a x a x a x a

(ii) Both f(x) & g(x) are continuous at x = a &

(iii) Both f(x) & g(x) are differentiable at x = a &

MAJ P. No. 3
 (iv) Both f (x) & g (x) are continuous at x = a , Then
Limit f (x) = Limit f '(x) = Limit f "(x) & so on till indeterminant form vanishes.
x a g(x) x a x a
g'(x) g"(x)
14. ANALYSIS AND GRAPHS OF SOME USEFUL FUNCTIONS :
 2 tan 1 x x 1
 2x  
(i) y = f(x) = sin1  2
=    2 tan 1 x x1
1  x 

    2 tan 1 x
  x  1

HIGHLIGHTS :
(a) Domain is x  R &
 
 
range is  2 , 2 
 
(b) f is continuous for
all x but not diff.
at x = 1 , - 1
 22 for x 1
dy  1 x
(c) =  non existent for x 1
dx  2 for x 1
 1  x 2
(d) I in (- 1 , 1) & D in (-  , - 1)  (1 , )

 1  x2   2 tan 1 x if x  0
(ii) Consider y = f (x) = cos-1   = 
1  x 
2
 2 tan x
1
if x  0
HIGHLIGHTS :
(a) Domain is x  R &
range is [0, )
(b) Continuous for all x
but not diff. at x = 0
 2
for x  0
dy  1  x2
(c) = non existent for x  0
dx  2
 for x  0
 2
1 x

(d) I in (0 , ) & D in (-  , 0)
 2 tan 1 x x 1
2x  1
(iii) y = f (x) = tan-1 2 =    2 tan x x  1
1 x

   2 tan 1 x
  x1
HIGHLIGHTS :
(a) Domain is R - {1 , -1} &
range is    ,  
 2 2
(b) f is neither continuous
nor diff. at x = 1 , - 1
dy  2 2
x 1
(c) =  1 x
dx non existent x 1
(d) I  x in its domain (e) It is bound for all x
MAJ P. No. 4
 

    3 sin 1 x  if  1  x   12
(IV) y = f (x) = sin1 (3 x  4 x3) =  3 sin 1 x if  12  x  1
2
   3 sin 1 x if 1
x1
 2

HIGHLIGHTS :
(a) Domain is x  [ 1 , 1] &
 
 
range is  2 , 2 
 

1
(b) Not derivable at x 
2

 3

if x   12 ,  1
2
=  1  x3
dy 2
(c)
dx  if x 1 ,     1 1
, 1
 1  x2 2 2

(d) Continuous everywhere in its domain

 3 cos 1 x  2  if  1  x   12

(v) y = f (x) = cos-1 (4 x3 - 3 x) = 2   3 cos 1 x if  12  x  1
2
 3 cos 1 x if 1
x1
 2

HIGHLIGHTS :
(a) Domain is x  [- 1 , 1] &
range is [0 , ]

(b) Continuous everywhere in its domain

1 1
but not derivable at x = ,
2 2

 
1 1
(c) I in   ,  &
 2 2

1   1
D in  2 , 1   1 ,  2 
 

dy
 3

if x   12 ,  1
2
=  1  x3
2
(d)
dx  if x 1 ,     1 1
, 1
 1  x2 2 2

GENERAL NOTE :
Concavity in each case is decided by the sign of 2nd derivative as :
d 2y d 2y
d x2
> 0  Concave upwards ; d x2
< 0  Concave downwards
D = DECREASING ; I = INCREASING

MAJ P. No. 5
 EXERCISE–I
Q.1 Find the derivative of the following functions w.r.t. x from the first principle :
cos (lnx), (sinx)cosx, logaC where a = xx & C is constant , sin x and cos–1(x2).

1 x2  1 x2
Q.2 Differentiate w. r. t. 1 x4 .
1 x2  1 x2
Q.3(a) Let f (x) = x2  4x  3, x > 2 and let g be the inverse of f. Find the value of g  where f (x) = 2.
(b) Let f , g and h are differentiable functions. If f (0) = 1 ; g (0) = 2 ; h (0) = 3 and the derivatives of their
pair wise products at x = 0 are
(f g)'(0) = 6 ; (g h)'(0) = 4 and (h f)'(0) = 5
then compute the value of (fgh)'(0).
y
arc sin
x 2  y2 d 2y 2 (x 2  y 2 )
Q.4 If 2
x  y e2
. Prove that  , x > 0.
d x2 (x  y ) 3

1 dy 1
Q.5 If y = x + , prove that  .
1 dx 2 x
x
1 1
x
x...............
x
1
x
x....................

2
Q.6 If x = cosec  sin  ; y = cosecn  sinn  , then show that ( x 2  4)  d y   n 2 ( y 2  4)  0 .
 dx 
 
dy
Q.7 If y = (cos x)lnx + (lnx)x find .
dx
dy x 2 1  y6
Q.8 If 1  x 6  1  y 6 = a3 . (x3  y3), prove that = .
dx y2 1  x 6
Q.9 Find the derivative with respect to x of the function :
2x 
(logcosx sinx) (logsinx cosx)–1 + arcsin 2 at x = .
1 x 4
Q.10 If x = 2cost  cos2t & y = 2sint  sin2t , find the value of (d2y/dx2) when t = (/2).

u 1  1   1  dy
Q.11 If y = tan 1 & x = sec 1 , u   0,  ,1 prove that 2 + 1 = 0.
1  u2
2
2u 1  2  2  dx

1  sin x  1  sin x dy      , 
Q.12 If y = cot 1 , find if x   0,    .
1  sin x  1  sin x dx  2 2 
x  1 x  dy
Q.13 If y = tan–1 + sin  2 tan 1  , then find
 for x  (–1, 1).
1 1 x2  1 x  dx

dy 16 t (1  t 4 )
Q.14 If y = sec 4 x and x = tan–1(t), prove that = .
dt (1  6 t 2  t 4 ) 2

MAJ P. No. 6
 ( xa ) 4 ( xa )3 1 ( xa ) 4 ( xa ) 2 1
Q.15 If f (x) = ( xb) 4 ( xb)3 1 then f  (x) = . ( xb) 4 ( xb) 2 1 . Find the value of .
( xc) 4 ( xc)3 1 ( xc) 4 ( xc) 2 1

nx 2
Q.16 If [ f (x) ]3 = 3 K x 2 – x3 then f (x) + = 0. Find the value of n in terms of K.
[f ( x )]5

x2 1
Q.17 If y =  x x 2  1  ln x  x 2  1 prove that 2y = xy' + ln y'. where ' denotes the derivative.
2 2
 1  x2 
Q.18(a) Find the derivative of cos 1   when  < x < 0 , using the substitution x = tan .
 1  x2 
1 x2 
(b) If f(x) = sin 1   , find f ‘(x)  x  R , clearly stating the point(s) where f(x) is not derivable.
2 
 1  x 
Also draw the graph of y= f(x) and state its range and monotonic behaviour.

  
 tan 1 a  b tan x   , then show that d y 
2
2 bsinx
Q.19 If y =
  
2   a  bcosx 2
 ab
2
a 2  b2  dx
Q.20 If f : R  R is a function such that f (x) = x3 + x2 f (1) + xf (2) + f (3) for all x  R , then prove that
f (2) = f (1)  f (0).
d2y dy
Q.21 If y = x ln [(ax)-1 + a–1], prove that x ( x  1) 2
x  y 1.
dx dx
cos(x  x 2 ) sin (x  x 2 )  cos (x  x 2 )
If f(x) = sin (x  x ) cos (x  x ) sin(x  x ) then find f'(x).
2 2 2
Q.22
sin 2x 0 sin 2x 2

1
Q.23 Let f (x) = x + .
1
2x 
1
2x 
2 x  ......... 
Compute the value of f (100) · f ' (100).
2
3 d 2y  dy 
Q.24 If (a + bx) ey/x = x , then prove that x  x  y .
dx 2
 dx 

d2y
Q.25 If y–2 = 1 2 2 cos 2 x , prove that  y(3y 2  1) (7 y 2  1)
dx 2

MAJ P. No. 7
 ANSWER KEY
EXERCISE–I
1 1 x4  1n(cos x)  x  1 
Q 2. Q 3. (a) 1/6 ; (b) 16 Q 7. Dy = (cosx)lnx   tan x 1nx   1nx   1n(1nx)
x6  x   1nx 

32 8 3 1 1 1  2x
Q 9. 2  Q 10.  Q 12. or  Q 13. Q 15. 3 Q 16. n = 2K2
16   1n 2 2 2 2 2 1 x2
2   
Q 18. (a)  ; (b) {0} , range   , Q.22 2(1 + 2x) . cos 2(x + x2) Q.23 100
1  x2 2 2 

MAJ P. No. 12