Calculus Investigation

Differentiation

Calculus is the field in Mathematics that analyzes all kinds of functions - to find maxima and minima,
etc. One tool to analyze functions is to find the gradient function by taking the derivative.

notation
"# "
Task 6.1 - Find the rule ... that changes 𝑓(𝑥) on the left into its derivative 𝑓 ! (𝑥) = 𝑦 ! = "$ = "$ 𝑓(𝑥).

becomes

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑥 ! + 3 𝑓′(𝑥 ) = 2𝑥

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 4𝑥 " + 8𝑥 − 3 𝑓 # (𝑥) = 12𝑥 ! + 8

$
𝑓 (𝑥 ) = − 𝑥 % + 2𝑥 " − 4𝑥 𝑓 # (𝑥) = −2𝑥 " + 6𝑥 ! − 4
!

! $' %
𝑦 = " 𝑥 & − 3𝑥 ! + 7𝑥 + 1 𝑦# = "
𝑥 − 6𝑥 + 7

$
𝑦 = 4 𝑥 ! + 5𝑥 − 99 𝑦 # = 9𝑥 + 5
!

𝑦 = 𝑥 (( − 2𝑥 " + 8𝑥 )! 𝑦 # = 99𝑥 (* − 6𝑥 ! − 16𝑥 )"

% %
+,
𝑦 = 4𝑥 "& − 𝑥 )$ +-
= 14𝑥 !& + 𝑥 )!

Formulate the pattern that you found:

Copy the 2 (very) basic rules that follow:

exploring T6 - 1
Practice basic differentiation
Task 6.2 - Apply the rule ... to find the derivative 𝑓 ! (𝑥).

$
𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 3𝑥 & − ! 𝑥 % + 2 𝑓′(𝑥 ) =

𝑦 = −9𝑥 " − 2 𝑦# =

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 27𝑥 ! − 3𝑥 + 15 𝑓′(𝑥 ) =

$
𝑦 = 1 ! 𝑥 & − 4𝑥 % + 2𝑥 ! 𝑦# =

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 1 + 2𝑥 % − 𝑥 − 𝑥 ! "
"$
𝑓(𝑥) =

$
𝑦 = 7𝑥 % − " 𝑥 . + 𝑥 )$ "#
"$
=

$
𝑓 (𝑥 ) = - 𝑓′(𝑥 ) =

%
𝑦 = −2𝑥 )" − 2𝑥 & 𝑦# =

Let your teacher check your answers.

exploring T6 - 2
The opposite operation: Integration
Task 6.3 - Finding the way back ... change the function 𝑓′(𝑥) on the right into its primitive 𝑓(𝑥).

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑓 # (𝑥) = 15𝑥 % + 6𝑥 ! + 1

$
𝑦 = 𝑦 # = − ! 𝑥 " + 3𝑥 − 8

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑓 # (𝑥 ) = 27𝑥 & − 12𝑥 ! + 2𝑥

$
𝑦 = 𝑦 # = 𝑥 % − 5𝑥 + 1
%

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑓 # (𝑥 ) = 2𝑥 − 1 + 2𝑥 "

% %
𝑦 = 𝑦 # = 3𝑥 & − 𝑥 ) &

𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑓 # (𝑥 ) = 0

Let your teacher check your answers.

The opposite of Differentiation is called Integration (kind of anti-differentiation).

We will get back to this after we finish completely with differentiation.

exploring T6 - 3
Differentiation by First Principle
The derivative is linked to the gradient. 𝑓 ! (𝑥) is also called the gradient function of 𝑓(𝑥).

The gradient between two points on the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑓(𝑥)

is defined as:
𝑦! − 𝑦" 𝑓(𝑥 + ℎ) − 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑚= =
𝑥! − 𝑥" (𝑥 + ℎ) − 𝑥
0𝑥 + ℎ , 𝑓(𝑥 + ℎ)5

0(-23))0(-)
or: 𝑚= 0𝑥 , 𝑓(𝑥)5
3

When you make ℎ smaller, the points come closer together until for ℎ = 0, the two points come
together and the line becomes the tangent to the curve. (video1, video2, video3)

The gradient function is defined as

𝑓(𝑥 + ℎ) − 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑓 # (𝑥) = lim
$→& ℎ
Example: 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 ' + 2 formula booklet

((𝑥 + ℎ)' + 2) − (𝑥 ' + 2)

𝑓′(𝑥) = lim
(→* ℎ

(𝑥 ' + 3𝑥 + ℎ + 3𝑥ℎ+ + ℎ' + 2) − (𝑥 ' + 2)

= lim The terms without h
(→* ℎ
always cancel out
3𝑥 + ℎ + 3𝑥ℎ+ + ℎ'
= lim
(→* ℎ

ℎ (3𝑥 + + 3𝑥ℎ + ℎ+ )
= lim
(→* ℎ

= lim 3𝑥 + + 3𝑥ℎ + ℎ+ = 3𝑥 +
(→*

Task 6.4 - Derive the following functions by first principle.

𝑓(𝑥) = 6𝑥 ! − 3𝑥

𝑓(𝑥) = 10 − 7𝑥

𝑓(𝑥) = 50
To be done in your notebook

exploring T6 - 4
Tangents and Normals
Definitions:
A tangent is a line that touches a given curve in a given point.
A normal is the line perpendicular to the tangent in a given point.

Since the derivative gives you the gradient in every point,

you can easily find the tangent or the normal in a given point on a curve.

Example: Given 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 ' + 2𝑥, find the tangent to the curve in (1, 3).

𝑓′(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + + 2 find f'(x) … the gradient function

! (1) +
𝑓 = 3∙1 +2=5 substitute to find the gradient at the point
𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑐 set up the general equation of a line
𝑦 = 5𝑥 + 𝑐 substitute the gradient m
3= 5∙1+𝑐 substitute the point (x,y)
𝑐 = −2 to find c
⟹ 𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 the equation of the tangent

7
Finding the normal is exactly the same except that 𝑚6 = − 8

Task 6.5 – Find tangent / normal

The tangent to 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 ! − 3 in the point (−2, 1).

The normal to 𝑓(𝑥) = 15 + 3𝑥 " in the point for 𝑥 = −1.
To be done in your notebook

Standard derivatives

The First principle method is easy for polynomials, but typically not for other functions.
Therefore the formula booklet gives you a long list of standard derivatives that you must recognize.

𝟏
=
𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐 𝒙

formula booklet

exploring T6 - 5
Product rule … for products

Consider ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) ∙ 𝑔(𝑥) ⟹ ℎ! (𝑥) = 𝑓 ! (𝑥) ∙ 𝑔(𝑥) + 𝑓(𝑥) ∙ 𝑔′(𝑥)

or simpler:
𝑦 =𝑢∙𝑣 ⟹ 𝑦′ = 𝑢′ ∙ 𝑣 + 𝑢 ∙ 𝑣′

Example:
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 ! ∙ sin 𝑥 𝑢 = 𝑥! 𝑢# = 2𝑥
𝑣 = sin 𝑥 𝑣 # = cos 𝑥

⟹ 𝑓 # (𝑥) = 𝑢# ∙ 𝑣 + 𝑢 ∙ 𝑣 # = (2𝑥) ∙ sin 𝑥 + 𝑥 ! ∙ (cos 𝑥)

Task 6.6 – Complete the table to find the derivatives

𝑦 = 𝑥' ∙ 𝑒 ( 𝑢= 𝑢# =
𝑣= 𝑣# =

⟹ 𝑦′ =

𝑓(𝑥) = cos 𝑥 ∙ tan 𝑥 𝑢= 𝑢# =

𝑣= 𝑣# =

⟹ 𝑓′(𝑥) =

𝑦 = (2𝑥 )" + 𝑥) ∙ 𝑒 ( 𝑢= 𝑢# =
𝑣= 𝑣# =

*+
⟹ *(
=

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 ∙ ln 𝑥 𝑢= 𝑢# =
𝑣= 𝑣# =

*
⟹ *(
𝑓(𝑥) =

exploring T6 - 6
Quotient rule … for fractions

,(() , " (()∙/(() ) ,(()∙/" (()

Consider ℎ(𝑥) = /(() ⟹ ℎ# (𝑥) = /# (()

or simpler:
! !! ∙" % !∙" !
𝑦= ⟹ 𝑦# =
" ""

Example:
;<= -
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑢 = sin 𝑥 𝑢# = cos 𝑥
-&
𝑣 = 𝑥! 𝑣 # = 2𝑥

>9 ∙@ ) >∙@ 9 - & ∙AB; - ) !-∙;<= -

⟹ 𝑓 # (𝑥) =
@&
= -:

NOTE - the quotient rule can always be avoided

Task 6.7 – Complete the table to find the derivatives

-;
𝑦= 𝑢= 𝑢# =
C<
𝑣= 𝑣# =

⟹ 𝑦′ =

D= -
𝑦= 𝑢= 𝑢# =
-
𝑣= 𝑣# =

⟹ 𝑦′ =

- & )"-
𝑦= 𝑢= 𝑢# =
AB; -
𝑣= 𝑣# =

⟹ 𝑦′ =

exploring T6 - 7
 Chain-rule … for composite functions

Consider ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑓( 𝑔(𝑥) ) ⟹ ℎ# (𝑥) = 𝑓 # ( 𝑔(𝑥) ) ∙ 𝑔′(𝑥)

or simpler:
+, +, +>
⟹
+-
= +> × +-
formula booklet
or more complex:
𝑘(𝑥) = 𝑓( 𝑔( ℎ(𝑥) ) ) ⟹ 𝑘 ! (𝑥) = 𝑓 ! ( 𝑔( ℎ(𝑥) ) ) ∙ 𝑔′( ℎ(𝑥) ) ∙ ℎ′(𝑥)

'Chain' together the derivatives of all functions, from outermost to innermost

Example:
𝑦 = sin 𝑥 ' 𝑦 = sin 𝑢 𝑦 # = cos 𝑢 ∙ 𝑢′ sin u is the outer function
𝑢 = 𝑥' 𝑢′ = 3𝑥 ! x3 is the inner function

⟹ 𝑦 # = cos 𝑢 ∙ 𝑢# = cos 𝑥 ' ∙ (3𝑥 ! )

Task 6.7 – Use the chain rule to find the derivatives

𝑦 = ln(cos 𝑥) 𝑦# =

#
𝑦 = 𝑒( 𝑦# =

𝑦 = (1 + 𝑥 ! )2 𝑦# =

𝑦 = ln( 𝑥 ! ∙ 𝑒 ( ) 𝑦# =

𝑦 = ln(sin(2𝑥 ! + 𝑥)) 𝑦# =

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑣
= × ×
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑥

exploring T6 - 8