Chapter 6

DIFFRENTIATION 1: THE BASIC CONCEPTS

We will be looking at derivatives in this chapter (as well as the next chapter). This chapter is
devoted almost exclusively to finding derivatives. We will be looking at one application of them
in this chapter. We will be leaving most of the applications of derivatives to the next chapter.

6. 1 The derivative

A function is called differentiable at if exists and is called

differentiable on an interval if the derivative exists for each point in that interval. If is

differentiable at then is continuous at . If represents a quantity at any x

then the derivative represents the instantaneous rate of change of at . The

slope of the tangent line to at is .

6.2 Rules of differentiation

1) OR

2) OR , c is any number

3) If then OR The derivative of a constant is zero.

4) If then OR , n is any number.

This formula is sometimes called the power rule. All we are doing here is bringing the original
exponent down in front and multiplying and then subtracting one from the original exponent.

6.3 Products and Quotients rules

To differentiate products and quotients we have the Product Rule and the Quotient Rule.
Product Rule
If the two functions f(x) and g(x) are differentiable (i.e. the derivative exist) then the product is

differentiable and,

Example 1 Differentiate each of the following functions.

(a) y=x 2 (2 x−x 3 ) ](b)

Quotient Rule

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 If the two functions f(x) and g(x) are differentiable (i.e. the derivative exist) then the quotient is

differentiable and,
( 6 x 3 −x )
y=
Example 2 10−20 x

6.4 The Chain rule

Suppose that we have two functions f(x) and g(x) and they are both differentiable.

1. If we define then the derivative of F(x) is,

2. If we have and then the derivative of y is,

4
3 y=( 6 x 3−x )
Example

4
Example 4: Find the points on the curve y=x −6 x 2 +4 where the tangent line is horizontal

SOLUTION
Horizontal tangents occur where the derivative is zero. We have (0,4),(−√ 3 ,−5), ( √ 3,−5 )

6.4.1 Marginal analysis

The cost to produce an additional item is called the marginal cost and the marginal cost is

approximated by the rate of change of the cost function, . So, we define the marginal

cost function to be the derivative of the cost function or, .

Marginal revenue and Marginal profit :

Let R(x) be the revenue generated when ‘x” units are produced and P(x) be the the corresponding
profit. Then marginal revenue is approximated by the rate of change of the revenue function,
'
R ( x ) and Then marginal profit is approximated by the rate of change of the profit function,
'
P (x)

R ( x )=xp ( x ) , where x = number of units sold and p(x)= price per unit
P ( x )=R(x )−C (x): where R(x) is the revenue function and C(x) is the cost function

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Example:
A manufacturer estimates that when x units of a particular commodity is produced the total cost
1
C ( x )= x 2 +3 x +98
will be 8 dollars and furthermore, that all x units will be sold when
1
p( x )= ( 75−x )
3 dollars per unit.
(a) Find the marginal cost and marginal revenue?
(b) Use the marginal cost to estimate the cost of producing the ninth unit.
(c) What is the actual cost of producing the ninth unit
(d) Use marginal revenue to estimate the revenue derived from the sale of the ninth unit
(e) What is the actual revenue derived from the sale of ninth unit?
(f) Find the marginal profit function

Solution
1 2
C ' ( x )= x +3 R '( x )=25− x
4 3 C ' (8)=5 C (9)−C(8 )=5 . 13
(a) , (b) (c)
11
C ( x )−R( x ) =P (x ) : P '( x )=22− x
R '(8 ) =19 . 67 R(9)−R (8) =19 .33 12
(d) (e) (f)
Redo the above question for the fourth unit

1 1
C ( x )= x 2 +4 x+57 : p ( x )= (36−x )
(a) 5 4
1 1
C ( x )= x 2 +3 x +67 : p( x )= (45−x )
4 5
(b)
1
C ( x )= x 2 +2 x +39: p ( x )=−x 2 −4 x +80
3
(c)
5
C ( x )= x 2 +5 x +73 : p( x )=−x 2 −2 x+33
9
(d)

(e) Note that it is important to note that is the approximate cost of production the

item and NOT the nth item as it may seem to imply!

Exercises

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 dy
1.1 . Find dx using the rules of derivatives.

1. y=2x 2 23. y=x( x 2 +1)

2. y=3 x
3
24. y=3 x( x 3 −1)
3. y=πx 25. y=(2 x +1 )2
4. y=πx 3 26. y=(−3 x +1 )2
5. y=2x−2 27. y=( x 2 +2)( x 3 + 1)
6. y=−3x −4 28. y=( x 4 −1)( x 2 +1 )
π
y=
7. x 29. y=( x 2 +17)( x3 −3 x+1)
α
y=
8. x3 30. y=( x 4 + 2 x )(x 3 +2 x 2 + 1)
100
y= 5
9. x 31. y=(5 x2 −7)(3 x 2−2 x+1)
3α
y= 5
10. 4x 32. y=(3 x2 +2x )( x 4 −3 x+1)
1
2 y=
11. y=x + 2 x 33. 3 x 2 +1
2
y= 2
12. y=3 x 4 +x 3 34. 5 x −1
1
y= 2
13. y=x 4 +x 3 + x2 +x+1 35. 4 x −3 x +9
4
y= 3
14. y=3 x 4 −2x 3−5 x 2 +πx+π 2 36. 2 x −3 x
x−1
7 5 −2 y=
15. y=πx −2 x −5 x 37. x +1
2 x−1
y=
16. y=x 12 +5 x−2−πx−10 38. x−1

y=
3
+ x−4 2 x 2−1
3 y=
17. x 39. 3 x+5
5 x−4
y= 2
18. y=2x−6 + x−1 40. 3 x +1
2 1
y= − 2
2 x 2−3 x +1
y=
19. x x 41. 2 x +1
3 1
y= 3 − 4
5 x 2 +2 x−6
y=
20. x x 42. 3 x −1

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 1
y=+2 x
21. 2x
2 2
y= −
22. 3x 3
2. Find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of the given function at the specified
point.
1
4 3 2 f ( x )=x− ;
(i) f ( x)=x −3 x +2x −6 ; x=2 (ii) x 2 x=1
x
f ( x )= ;
f ( x )=( 5 x−1 ) ( 4 +3 x ) ; x=0 (iv) 2 x −3 x=−1
(iii)

9.2 Rules of Differentiation

1. It is estimated that t years from now, the circulation of a local newspaper will be
C (t )=100t2 +400t +5000 .
(i) At what rate will the circulation be changing with respect to time 5 years from
now? (1400)
(ii) By how much will the circulation actually change during the sixth year? (1500)
2. An environment study of a certain suburban community suggests that ‘t’ years from
2
now, the average level of carbon monoxide in the air will be Q(t )=0.05t +0.1t +3.4
parts per million. At what rate will the carbon monoxide be changing with respect to
time 1 year from now? (0.2)
3. A medical research team determines that ‘t’ days after an epidemic begins,
N (t )=10t 3 +5t + √ t
people will be infected, for0≤t ≤20 . At what rate is the infected
population increasing on the ninth day? (2435)
2
4. The gross annual earnings of a certain company were A(t )=0.1t +10t+20 thousand
dollars t years after its formation in 2000. At what rate were the gross annual earnings
of the company growing with respect to time in 2004? (10.8)
5. An efficiency study of the morning shift at certain factory indicates that an average
3 2
worker who arrives on the job at 8.00 am will have assembled f ( x)=−x +6 x +15 x
transistor radios x hours later .
(i) At what rate will the worker be assembling the radios at 9.00 am (24)
(ii) How many radios will the worker actually assemble between 9.00 am and
10.00 am ? (26)
6. It is projected that ‘x months from now, the population of a certain town will be
P( x)=2x+4 x3 /2 +5000. At what rate will the population be changing with respect to
time 9 months from now? (20)

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9.4 The Chain Rule

If f(u) is differentiable at the point u = g(x) and g(x) is differentiable at x, then the composite
function (f ∘ g )(x )=f (g ( x )) is differentiable at x, and

( f ∘ g )' ( x )=f ' ( g ( x ))⋅g' ( x )

In Leibniz’s notation, if y = f(u) and u = g(x), then

dy dy du
= ⋅ ,
dx du dx
where dy/du is evaluated at u = g(x).

Example: Attend lecture.

PROBLEM SET 9.4

Differentiate the following functions.
1. y= ( 2 x +1 )5
2. y= ( 4−3 x )9

( )
−7
x
y= 1−
3. 7

y=( −1 )
−10
x
4. 2

( )
4
x2 1
y= +x −
5. 8 x

( )
5
x 1
y= +
6. 5 5x

ANSWERS FOR PROBLEM SET 9.4

4
1. 10(2 x+ 1) 2. −27 (4−3 x )8

( ) ( )
−8 −11
x x
1− −5 −1
3. 7 4. 2

4 ( + x− )
3

x (4 x )
2

( ) (1− x1 )
4
x 1 x 1 x 1
+1+ 2 +
5.
8 6.
5 5x 2

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Exercise on Marginal Analysis
1. A company can produce a maximum of 1500 widgets in a year. If they sell x
widgets during the year then their profit, in dollars, is given by,
1
P( x )=30 ,000 , 000−360 , 000 x+750 x 2 − x 3
3 . How many widgets should they try
to sell in order to maximize their profit? (1200)
2. A management company is going to build a new apartment complex. They know
that if the complex contains x apartments the maintenance costs for the building,
2
landscaping etc. will be, C ( x )=4000+14 x−0 . 04 x .The land they have
purchased can hold a complex of at most 500 apartments. How many apartments
should the complex have in order to minimize the maintenance costs? ( 500,
since the critical points are giving higher costs )
3. The production costs, in dollars, per day of producing x widgets is given
C ( x )=1750+6 x−0. 04 x 2 +0 .0003 x 3 by, What is the marginal cost
when x=175 and x=300? What do your answers tell you about the production
costs? : (From these computations we can see that is will cost approximately
$19.56 to produce the 176th widget and approximately $63 to produce the
301st widget. )

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