Derivatives

1) Concept of Differentiability (or first principle of differentiation)

A function f(x), x R, is said to be differentiable at same point, say x = a if the right hand
derivative and the left hand derivative,

f (a h) f (a)
f (a h) f (a)
, respectively, both exists and are equal. If
and lim
h 0
h 0
h
h
L.H.D. = R.H.D., then we say that the function is differentiable at some point, say x = a and the
derivative at that point (x = a) is given by,
i.e., lim

f (a h) f (a)
f (a h) f (a)
lim
h 0
h 0
h
h

f (a) = lim

and common value denoted by f (a) or

d
[f (x)] at x = a.
dx

2) Geometrical meaning of the derivative

Let us consider a function y = f (x) and a point P (x, f (x)) on the curve. Consider a point
A (x + h, f (x + h)) on the right hand side of the point (x, f (x)).
Now, as

h 0
PA 0

y = f(x)
A

(i.e., the distance PA tends to zero or to a single point P)

(x + h, f(x + h))

Lim (Slope of chord PA) (Slope of tangent at P)

h 0

f (x h) f (x)
Lim
= slope of tangent at P
h 0
h

(x, f(x))
x

Which means that the value of the derivative f '(x) for a given value of x is equal to the slope of
the tangent to the curve y = f (x) at the point P (x, y).
Note that :
1. A function f(x) is said to be nondifferentiable at a point x = a, if
(a) One or both, the left handed and right handed derivatives, do not exist at x = a.
(b) Both the derivatives L.H.D. and R.H.D. exist but are unequal.
2. Every function which has a finite derivative at x = a must be continuous at x = a. However, the
converse is not true i.e., if a function f(x) is continuous at x = a, then it may or may not be
differentiable at this point. For example, |x| is continuous everywhere but it is not differentiable at
x = 0 because left hand derivative and right hand derivative are not equal.
Thus, continuity is necessary but not a sufficient condition for differentiability.

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Notes on Derivatives (81)

3) Derivatives in Closed Interval

Let f(x) be defined on [a, b], then it is said to be differentiable on [a, b] if it is differentiable at
f (x) f (a)
each point of (a, b) and from the right at a and left at b (i.e., lim
and
x a
x a
f (x) f (b)
) both exists.
lim

xb
x b
4) Some standard formulae and properties
If f(x) and g(x) are differentiable functions, then
d
d
d
i)
f (x) g(x) f (x) g(x)
dx
dx
dx
d
d
ii)
k(f (x) k f (x) , where k is a constant.
dx
dx
iii) Product rule :
d
d
d
f (x).g(x) g(x) f (x) f (x) g(x)
dx
dx
dx
iv) Quotient rule :
d
d
g(x) f (x) f (x) g(x)
d f (x)
dx
dx

2
dx g(x)
g(x)
v) Chain rule :
If y = f(u) and u = g(x), then
dy dy du
.
dx du dx
Or, in other words, if, y = f (g(x))
dy
then
f '(g(x)).g '(x) .
dx

( , u = g(x))

5) Differentiation of Some Elementary Functions

(i)

The trigonometric functions have the following derivatives :

d
d
(sin x) = cos x
(cos x) = sin x
dx
dx
d
d
(tan x) = sec 2 x
(cot x) = cosec 2 x
dx
dx
d
d
(sec x) = sec x tan x
(cosec x) = cosec x cot x
dx
dx

(ii)

If f (x) is a differentiable function

d n
(x ) nx n 1 n R, x > 0 and in general
dx
d
f (x) n n (f (x)) n 1 f (x) .
dx

(iii)

If f (x) is a differentiable function

d
1
d
1
(ln f (x))
f (x)
(ln x) and in general
dx
f (x)
dx
x
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(82) Vidyalankar : IIT Maths

d x
d x
(a ) a x ln a . In particular,
(e ) e x .
dx
dx
d
d
1
for 1 < x < 1.
(sin 1 x) (cos 1 x)
2
dx
dx
1 x

(iv)
(v)

At the points x = 1, sin 1 x and cos 1 x are not differentiable.

(vi)

d
d
1
(tan 1 x) (cot 1 x)
for x R
dx
dx
1 x2

(vii)

d
d
1
for | x | > 1.
(sec 1 x) (cosec 1x)
dx
dx
| x | x2 1

6) Derivative of Parametric Equations

If x = f (t) and y = g (t), then

dy dy dx g (t)
.

dx dt dt f (t)

7) Derivative of Implicit Functions

If f (x, y) = 0, then on differentiating of f (x, y) w.r.t. x, we get
terms of

d
f (x, y) = 0. Collect the
dx

dy
and solve.
dx

Alternate Method :
f
dy

dx
x

f
y

In particular,
if f (x1 , x 2 , x 3 , ......, x n ) 0 and x 2 , x 3 , ....., x n are the functions of x 1 then

df
f
f dx 2
f dx 3
f dx n
=

.
.....
.
x1 x 2 dx1 x 3 dx1
x n dx1
dx 1
8) Some Standard Substitutions
Expression

Substitution

a 2 x2

x = a sin or a cos

a2 x2

x = a tan or a cot

x 2 a 2

x = a sec or a cosec

ax
or
ax

(2ax x 2 )

0412/IIT.14/CR/Bk.4/Ch.19/Pg.82

ax
ax

x = a cos or a cos 2
x = a (1 cos )

Notes on Derivatives (83)

9) Partial Derivatives
Partial derivative of f (x1, x2, , xn)
means derivative of f (x1, x2, , xn)
treating all other variables x2, , xn
' f '
represented by
.
x1
df
f dx1
f dx 2
Also
=
.

.
...
x1 dx1 x 2 dx1
dx1
In particular, if f (x, y) = 0, then
d f (x, y)
=
dx
dy

=
dx

with respect to x1
with respect to x1
as constants. It is

f dx n
.
x n dx1

P
(x, f(x))

f dx f dy
.

.
= 0
x dx y dx
f f

x y

10) Logarithmic Differentiation :

It is used for differentiating functions of the type, y = {f (x)} (x) .
Method 1 :

= {f (x)} (x)

lny = (x) ln{f (x)}

1 dy
=
y dx

(x) f '(x)

= {f (x)} (x)
'(x) ln{f (x)}
f (x)

dy
dx

Method 2 :

dy
dx
dy
dx

Method 3 :

(x)
f '(x) '(x) ln{f (x)}
f (x)

= {f (x)} (x)

e (x) ln{f (x)}

( x = e ln x )

(x)

e (x)ln{f (x)}
f '(x) '(x) ln{f (x)}
f (x)

(x) f '(x)

= {f (x)} (x)
'(x) ln{f (x)}
f (x)

(Using partial derivatives)

If y = {f (x)} (x) , then
dy
= derivative of {f (x)} (x) w.r.t. x taking (x) as a constant
dx
+ derivative of {f(x) (x) w.r.t. x taking f(x) as a constant

dy
= (x) {f (x)} (x)1 f '(x) {f (x)} (x) ln{f (x)}. '(x)
dx
dy
(x) f '(x)

= {f (x)} (x)
'(x) ln (f (x))
dx
f (x)

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(84) Vidyalankar : IIT Maths

11) Higher Derivative of Function

1. If y = f (x) then the derivative of
denoted by

d2 y

dx 2
d2 y d
Also,

dx 2 dx

dy
w.r.t. x is called the second derivative of y w.r.t. x and it is
dx

.
3
2
dy d y d d y
;

dx dx 3 dx dx 2

2. If y as a function of x is given in parametric form by y = (t) and x = (t), then

dy '(t)
d dy
d2 y

and
=

2
dx '(t)
dx dx
dx
=

d2 y
dx
Note : Don't write,

d2 y
dx 2

0412/IIT.14/CR/Bk.4/Ch.19/Pg.84

d dy dt
d '(t)
1
=

dt dx dx
dt '(t) '(t)
'(t) ''(t) '(t) ''(t)
( '(t))3
d 2 y dt 2
d 2 x dt 2

''(t)
''(t)

d2 y
dx 2

d2 y
d2x