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Math 151 3.1 Notes: The Derivative and the Tangent Line
Problem
Topic #1: The Tangent Line Problem
The Secant Line:

o
o
o

is called the difference quotient

is called the change in y
is called the change in x

Definition of a Tangent Line:

Example 1: Find the equation of the line

tangent to
at the
.
Graph the results

Method:
1. When x = c, find m = f "(c)
2. Find a point

on

!
3. Substitute (x, y) and m to find bvalue for y = mx + b .

NOTE: Vertical Tangent Lines

Topic #2: The Derivative of a Function

Definitions:

The process of finding the derivative of a function is called differentiation

A function is differentiable at x if its derivative exists at x and is differentiable
on an open interval (a, b) that contains x.

Notations: The following are ALL ways to denote the derivative of the function
with respect to the variable x.

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Example 2: Find the derivative of
at
by the limit
process. Graph the results.

Notice!! How the graphs of f and f relate to each other!!

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Example 3: The graph of f is given. Draw the correct graph for f
a)

b)

c)

d)

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Example 4: The graph of

is drawn. Sketch a possible graph of f.

Example 5: Identify a function that has

and

, with domain

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Example 6: Find the equation of the line
that is tangent to
and
parallel to the line

. Graph

your results.

Method:
1) Find m using // property
2) Find
3) Set
4) Find y by substituting x into
5) Find b by substitution

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Topic #3: Differentiability and Continuity
Example 7: Find the derivative of the function at x = 3 for the following functions.
a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

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Questions:
1) Can you have a function be continuous at a value x = c but not differentiable?

2) Can you have a function be differentiable at a value x = c but not continuous?

Theorem 3.1:
If f is differentiable at x = c, then f is continuous at x = c.
In other words:
In order for a function to have a derivative at x = c it must be continuous, BUT just
because a function is continuous at x = c does NOT mean you necessarily have a
derivative.

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Math 151 3.2 Notes: Basic Differentiation Rules and
Rates of Change

Topic #1: The Constant Rule

Theorem 3.2: The Constant Rule
The derivative of a constant function is 0. That is, if c is a real number, then

Example 1: Find the derivative of

. Graph.

Topic #2: The Power Rule

Theorem 3.3: The Power Rule
If n is a rational number, then the function

is differentiable and

Example 2: Find the derivative of:

a)

b)

c)

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Topic 3: The Constant Multiple Rule
Theorem 3.4: The Constant Multiple Rule
If f is a differentiable function and c is a real number, then cf is also differentiable and

Example 3: Find the derivative of the following: (hint: rewrite first)

a)

c)

b)

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Topic #4: Sum and Difference Rules
Theorem 3.4: The Sum and Difference Rules
The sum (or difference) of two differentiable functions f and g is itself differentiable.
Moreover, the derivative of f + g (or f g) is the sum (or difference) of the derivatives of
f and g.
Sum Rule:
Difference Rule:
Example 4: Find the derivative of the function:
a)

c)

b)

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Topic #5: Derivatives of Sine and Cosine Functions
Theorem 3.5: Derivatives of Sine and Cosine Functions
Sine Rule:

Cosine Rule:
Example 5: Find the derivative of the function:
a)

b)

Topic #6: Derivatives of Exponential Functions

Theorem 3.6: Derivatives of Exponential Functions
Eulers Exponential Rule:
Example 6: Find the derivative of the function:
a)

b)

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Example 7: Find the equation of the line tangent to the curve
of

at the point

Example 8: Determine all values of x (if any) at which the graph of the function
has a horizontal tangent line.

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Topic #7: Rates of Change
The function s that gives the position (relative to the origin) of an object at a function of
time t is called a position function

Velocity of an object at time t (with position function s(t):

Note: The speed of an object is the absolute value of its velocity.

Position function for Free-falling Objects:

Notes:
is the acceleration due to gravity. On earth, it is -32 feet per second per second or -9.8
meters per second per second.
is the initial velocity of the object
is the initial height of the object

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Example 9: On a distant planet, a free-falling object thrown straight down from a cliff
with an initial velocity of
feet per second from an initial height of
feet, has position function
. Find the velocity of the object at the
instant it hits the ground (accurate to at least 3 decimal places).

Example 10: The height of an object, in feet, is given by

the velocity of the object when its height is 66 feet, given that
feet. (accurate to at least 3 decimal places)

. Find
feet per second and

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Math 151 3.3 Notes: Product and Quotient Rules and
Higher-Order Derivatives

Topic #1: The Product Rule

Theorem 3.8: The Product Rule
The product of two differentiable functions f and g is itself differentiable. Moreover, the
derivative of fg is:

Example 1: Find the derivative using the product rule.

a)

b)

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Topic #2: The Quotient Rule
Theorem 3.8: The Quotient Rule
The quotient of two differentiable functions f and g is itself differentiable at all values of
x for which
. Moreover, the derivative of f/g is:

Example 2: Find the derivative using the quotient rule.

a)

b)

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Topic #3: Derivatives of the Other Trig Functions
Theorem 3.10: Derivatives of the Trigonometric Functions

Example 3: Find the derivative of

a)

Example 4: Differentiate:

b)

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Example 5: Find an equation of the tangent line to the graph of

the point

Example 6: The length of a rectangle is given by

, and its height is
, where t is
time in seconds and the dimensions are in inches. Find the rate of change of the area A
with respect to time.

at

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Topic #4: Higher-Order Derivatives

Higher Order Derivatives:
Example:

Example 7: Find the second derivative of the function:

Example 8: Find

given

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Example 9: Suppose the function shows a particles position in feet at time t seconds.
sketch the graphs of
and
, including units for the axes.

Important Link: Position, Velocity, Acceleration

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Math 151 3.4 Notes: The Chain Rule

Topic #1: The Chain Rule

Example 1: Breaking down Composite Functions:

y = f(g(x))

Function

Theorem 3.11: The Chain Rule

If
then

is a differentiable function of u and

is a differentiable function of x and:
Or, equivalently,

Example 2: Find the derivative of the function:

Topic #2: The General Power Rule

is a differentiable function of x,

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Theorem 3.12: The General Power Rule
If

, where u is a differentiable function of x and n is a rational number, then,

Or, equivalently,

Example 3: Find the derivative of:

a)

b)

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Example 4 Combining Chain Rule with Product and Quotient Rules
a)

b)

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Topic #4: Trigonometric Functions and the Chain Rule

Chain Rule Versions of Trigonometric Derivatives:
If u is a differentiable function of x

Example 5: Basic Chain Rule with Trig Functions

a)

c)

b)

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Example 6: Evaluate the slope of the line tangent to the curve

when
.

Chain Rule Versions of Exponential Derivatives (base e):

If u is a differentiable function of x and n is a rational number, then

Example 6: Find the derivative of the following:

a)

b)

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Example 7: Find the second derivative of

Topic #5: The Derivative of the Natural Logarithm Function

Theorem 3.13: Derivative of the Natural Logarithm Function
Let u is a differentiable function of x
1. Basic Rule:
2. Chain Rule Equivalent:

Example 8: Find the derivative of:

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Recall: Properties of Logarithms

Example 9: Find the derivative of:

using properties to simplify

Theorem 3.13: Derivative Involving Absolute Value

Let u is a differentiable function of x such that
Example 10: Find the derivative of:

, then,

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Topic #6: Bases Other than e

Theorem 3.15: Derivatives for Bases Other than e
Let a is a positive real number
and let u be a differentiable function of x.
Basic Rule

Chain Rule Equivalent

1.

2.

3.

4.

Example 11: Find the derivative of:

a)

c)

b)

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Math 151 3.5 Notes: Implicit Differentiation

Topic #1: Implicit and Explicit Differentiation

Implicit Form:
Explicit Form:

Trouble: There are many functions which cannot be written explicitly:

so well need to be able to take the derivatives of those too!!

Example 1: Differentiate with respect to x (practice before implicit differentiation)

a)

b)

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Example 1: (Contd)
c)

d)

e)

f)

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Topic #2: Implicit Differentiation

Example 2: Find
a)

b)

by implicit differentiation

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Example 2: (contd) Find

by implicit differentiation

c)

Example 3: Implicitly differentiate

line at the point

to find

and the equation of the tangent

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Example 4: Find an equation of the tangent line to the graph of
the point

at

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Topic #3: Second Derivatives Implicitly
Example 5: Find

of

at the given point

Example 6: Find the points at which the graph of

either a vertical or horizontal tangent line.

has

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Topic #4: Logarithmic Differentiation
Example 7: Find

by logarithmic differentiation

a)

b)

Notes: Logarithmic differentiation is very useful for:

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Math 151 3.6 Notes: Derivatives of Inverse Functions

Topic #1: Derivative of an Inverse Function

Example 1: Let
. The function is invertible. Find the value of the
derivative of the inverse function (as a function of x) when x = 1. A numerical answer
must be accurate to at least 3 decimal places.

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Example 2: Write

Example 3: Solve

in algebraic form.

for x.

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Derivatives of Inverse Trigonometric Functions:
If u is a differentiable function of x

Example 4: Find the derivative of the function

a)

b)

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Example 5: Find an equation of the tangent line to the graph of

at

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Math 151 3.7 Notes: Related Rates
Topic #1: Finding Related Rates
Recall: The Chain Rule

Example 1: Compute the following derivatives with respect to t.

a)

b)

c)

d)

Example 2: If

and

, compute

when

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Topic #2: Problem Solving with Related Rates

Example 3: A ladder 20 feet long is placed against a wall. The foot of the ladder begins
to slide away from the wall at the rate of 1 ft/sec. How fast is the top of the ladder sliding
down the wall when the foot of the ladder is 12 feet from the wall?

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Example 4: At a certain instant, car A is 60 miles north of car B. A is traveling south at a

rate of 20 mi/hr while B is traveling east at 30 mi/hr/ How fast is the distance between
them changing 1 hour later?

Example 5: A plane, P, flies horizontally at an altitude of 2 miles with a speed of 480

mi/hr. At a certain moment it passes directly over a radar station, R. How fast is the
distance between the plane and the radar station increasing 1 minute later?

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Example 6: A point is moving along a circle

in the first quadrant in such a
way that its x coordinate changes at the rate of 2 cm/sec. How fast is its y coordinate
changing as the point passes through
?

Example 7: The dimensions of a rectangle are continuously changing. The width

increases at the rate of 3 in/sec while the length decreases at the rate of 2 in/sec. At one
instant the rectangle is a 20-inch square. How fast is its area changing 3 seconds later? Is
the area increasing or decreasing?

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Example 9: Two sides of triangle are 5 and 10 inches, respectively. The angle between
them is increasing at the rate of 5 per minute. How fast is the third side of the triangle
growing when the angle is 60?

Example 10: A kite is flying 200 ft above the ground, moving in a strictly horizontal
direction at a rate of 10 ft/sec. How fast is the angle between the string and the horizontal
changing when there is 300 feet of string out?

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Example 11: A conical tank (with vertex down) is 18 feet across at the top and 18 feet
deep. If the water is flowing into the tank at a rate of 12 cubic feet per minute, find the
rate of change of the depth of the water when the water is 10 feet deep.

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Example 12: A man 6 feet tall walks at a rate of 4 feet per second away from a light that
is 13 feet above the ground. When he is 10 feet from the base of the light, at what rate is
the length of this shadow changing?

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Math 151 3.8 Notes: Newtons Method

Example 1: Approximate the zero(s) of the function. Use Newtons Method and continue
the process until two successive approximations differ by less than 0.001

1
2
3
4
5

Calculator Code:

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Example 2: Apply Newtons method to approximate

the x-value of the indicated point of intersection of
and
. Continue the
process until two successive approximations differ by
less than 0.001. [Hint:
]

1
2
3
4
5