The Quotient Rule

A special rule, the quotient rule , exists for differentiating quotients of two functions. This unit illustrates this rule. In order to master the techniques explained here it is vital that you undertake plenty of practice exercises so that they become second nature. After reading this text, and/or viewing the video tutorial on this topic, you should be able to: state the quotient rule differentiate quotients of functions

Contents
1. Introduction
dv v du u dx u dy dx 2. The quotient rule: if y = then = v dx v2

2 2

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1. Introduction
Functions often come as quotients, by which we mean one function divided by another function. For example, cos x y= 2 x u We write this as y = where we identify u as cos x and v as x2 . v There is a formula we can use to dierentiate a quotient - it is called the quotient rule. In this unit we will state and use the quotient rule.

2. The quotient rule

The rule states:

Key Point
The quotient rule: if y = u then v v du u dv dy = dx 2 dx dx v

Lets see how the formula works when we try to dierentiate y = Example Suppose we want to dierentiate y = cos x . x2

cos x . x2

We have identied u as cos x and v as x2 . So u = cos x v = x2

We now write down the derivatives of these two functions. du = sin x dx We now put all these results into the given formula:
dv v du u dx dy dx = dx v2

dv = 2x dx

mathtutor project: November 9, 2004

Quote the formula everytime so that you get to know it. dy x2 ( sin x) cos x 2x = dx (x2 )2 Notice that there is a minus sign and an x in both terms of the numerator (the top line). So we can take out a common factor of x. x(x sin x + 2 cos x) dy = dx x4 (x sin x + 2 cos x) = x3 by cancelling the factor of x in the numerator and the denominator. We have found the required derivative. Example Suppose we want to dierentiate y = x2 + 6 . 2x 7

We recognise this as a quotient and identify u as x2 + 6 and v as 2x 7. u = x2 + 6 Dierentiating du = 2x dx Quoting the formula: v du u dv dy = dx 2 dx dx v So (2x 7) 2x (x2 + 6) 2 dy = dx (2x 7)2 = = 2(2x2 7x x2 6) (2x 7)2 2(x2 7x 6) (2x 7)2 dv =2 dx v = 2x 7

In the following Example we will use the quotient rule to establish another result. Example Suppose we want to dierentiate y = tan x. 3
mathtutor project: November 9, 2004

Recall that tan x =

sin x so we have a quotient in which cos x u = sin x v = cos x dv = sin x dx

So Quoting the formula:

du = cos x dx

v du u dv dy = dx 2 dx dx v So dy cos x cos x sin x ( sin x) = dx cos2 x 2 2 cos x + sin x = cos2 x The top line can be simplied using the standard result that cos2 x + sin2 x = 1. So dy 1 = dx cos2 x This can be written as sec2 x because the function sec x is dened to be Example Suppose we want to dierentiate y = sec x. 1 The function sec x is dened to be , that is, a quotient. cos x Taking u=1 v = cos x dv du =0 = sin x dx dx Quoting the formula: v du u dv dy = dx 2 dx dx v So dy cos x 0 1 ( sin x) = dx cos2 x sin x = cos2 x We can write this answer in an alternative form: 1 sin x dy = dx cos x cos x = sec x tan x We now have another standard result: if y = sec x then dy = sec x tan x. dx 1 . cos x

mathtutor project: November 9, 2004

Key Point
if y = tan x, then dy = sec2 x dx if y = sec x, then dy = sec x tan x dx

Exercises Find the derivative of each of the following: cos x 2x + 1 3x 4 sin x b) c) d) a) 2 x x 3x 4 2x + 1 e) e2x x f) e3x x2 + 1 g) x2 3 2x + 1 h) 2x + 1 x2 3

Answers a) e) x cos x sin x x2 (2x 1)e2x x2 b) f) (x sin x + 2 cos x) x3 (3x2 + 2x + 3)e3x (x2 + 1)2 c) g) 11 (3x 4)2 2(x2 + x + 3) (2x + 1)2 d) h) 11 (2x + 1)2 2(x2 + x + 3) (x2 3)2

mathtutor project: November 9, 2004