Chapter 8

Differentiation
First Principles: f ( x h) f ( x )
f '( x) lim
h 0 h
Try this:

From first principles, find first derivative of each of the following functions.
5
a) = 3 2 + 4 c) =

b) = d) =
1

1
 A function f is said to be differentiable at x a if f '(a) exists.
Try this:

Show that () = | + 2| is not differentiable at = 2.

Common Derivatives

()
Product Rule: = () () Quotient Rule: = ()

2
Exercise:
Differentiate the functions.

1. () = 2 (1 2) sin t
6. S (t )
t2

2. () = 4 2 7. () = 2 sin + 6

4
3. y 3e x 3
x

cos x
8. y
1 sin x

x2 4 x 3
4. y
x

9. f ( ) cos sin

5. k (r ) e r r e

3
 dy dy dt
Chain Rule
dx dt dx
Try this:

1. Find F '( x) if F ( x) x 2 1

2. Differentiate (a) y sin( x ) and (b) y sin x

2 2

d n du d
NOTE: (u ) nu n 1 or [ g ( x)]n n[ g ( x)]n 1 g '( x)
dx dx dx

Exercise:

Differentiate the following functions.

t2
9
2. y esin x
1. g (t )
2t 1

3. y bx

4
4. y sin(9 x 2 ) 8. f ( x) ln(sin 2 x)

5. g ( x) sin(cos(tan x))
9. y log10 x

x
6. f ( x)
c
x ln v
x 10. y
1 v

x
7. ** f ( x )
c
x 11. y log 2 ( x ln x)
x

5
Implicit Differentiation
1. The functions that we have met so far can be described by expressing one variable explicitly
in terms of another variable, e.g.:
y x3 1 or y x sin x
or, in general = ().
2. Some functions, however, are described implicitly by a relation between and and hard to
be expressed explicitly.
3 + 3 = 2
3. Therefore, we need to use the method of implicit differentiation.

Try this:

1. Differentiate 2 + 2 = 5.

2. Find if sin( + ) = 2 cos

Derivative of Certain Function

a. = loga b. = c. =

6
d. = csc () g. = sin1
= [ ()]1
y sin 1 f ( x)
= [ ()]2[ () ()]
sin y x
cos ()
= () 2
sin ()
x sin y
cos () 1 dx
= () cos y
sin () sin () dy
= () cot () csc ()
dx
cos 2 y
dy
sin 2 cos 2 1
cos 2 y 1 sin 2 y
dx
1 sin 2 y
dy
From the equation, we know that x sin y
dx
1 x2
e. = sec () dy
y sec f ( x) dy 1

[cos f ( x)]1 dx 1 x2
dy
[cos f ( x)]2 [ f '( x) sin f ( x)]
dx
sin f ( x)
f '( x) h. = cos 1
cos 2 f ( x)

f '( x)
sin f ( x) 1 y cos 1 f ( x)
cos f ( x) cos f ( x) cos y x
f '( x) tan f ( x) sec f ( x) x cos y
dx
sin y
dy
dx
sin 2 y
dy
f. = cot () sin 2 cos 2 1
y cot f ( x) sin 2 y 1 cos 2 y
[tan f ( x)]1 dx
1 cos 2 y
dy dy
[tan f ( x)]2 [ f '( x) csc 2 f ( x)]
dx From the equation, we know that x cos y
cos 2 f ( x) 1 dx
f '( x) 1 x2
2 2
sin f ( x) cos f ( x) dy
dy 1
f '( x) 2
1
sin f ( x) dx 1 x2
f '( x) sec 2 f ( x)

7
 i. = tan1

Parametric Differentiation

1. Sometimes, it is more convenient to represent a function by expressing and in terms of a

third variable ,called a parameter.
= () = ()
2. To differentiate a parametric equation, we need to use the chain rule.
dy
dy dy dt dt
=
dx dt dx dx
dt
3. Note that:
d2y
d 2 y dt 2

dx 2 d 2 x
dt 2
Try this:

1. The parametric equations of a curve are given by = 3 + 8 and = 3 2. Find in

terms of .

1 1
2. If x t and y 2t , where is a non-zero parameter, prove that
t t
dy 3
2 2
dx t 1
Hence, deduce that 1 dy 2 .
dx

8
Exercise:

x3
1. Differentiate the function 2x .
x y

2. Parametric equations of a curve are given by xt x t and 2ty 3 y .

2

dx dy
a. Find and .
dt dt

b. Hence, find

when = 2.

3. Given parametric equations = sin3 and = cos 3 , find the value of parameter if
4
= and 0 < < .
3 2

9
Applications of Differentiation
a. Equation of Tangent b. Increasing and Decreasing Functions and Concavity
c. Stationary Point d. Curve Sketching
e. Related Rates f. Optimisation Problems

a. Equation of Tangent

1. The gradient of a curve at any point is also the gradient of the tangent at that point.


2. If gradient of tangent = , then gradient of normal =

Try this:

1. Find the equations of tangent line and normal line to the curve x 2 4 xy y 2 13 at (2,1).
4
[ = ]
5

2. Show that the equation of the normal to the curve = tan 2 at the point where its

x-coordinates is 3 is
3 + 24 = 243

10
b. i) Increasing and Decreasing Functions

Increasing Function Decreasing Function

() 0 () 0

Try this:

2 3 1 2
1. Find the set of values of for which the function f ( x) x x 3x 4 is
3 2
3
a. increasing (, 1) ( , )
2
b. decreasing

2. Find the intervals on which the function () = 2 + + , 0, is increasing and

decreasing.

11
b. ii) Concavity

Concave downwards Concave upwards

() ()
() 0 () 0

Try this:
x2
1. Determine the open intervals on which the graph of f ( x ) e
2
is concave upwards or
downwards. State the points of inflexion. Hence, sketch the graph.
2
() = ( 2 1) 2

12
Point of inflexion: A point on curve at which there is a change of concavity.

Stationary Inflexion Non-stationary Inflexion

0 0

2
0
2
3
0
3

c. Stationary Point and Extrema

dy
1. At a stationary point, 0.
dx
2. Local maxima and minima can be located using first and second derivatives.

f '( a ) f ''( a )
Local maximum

Local minimum

3. If the second derivative is complicated, use a table:

Maximum
Sign of

Minimum
Sign of

Try this:
Find all the stationary points of () = 3 3 2 9 + 5 and determine their natures.

13
e. Curve Sketching
The following checklist is intended as a guide to sketching a curve. Not every item is relevant
to every function.
I. Domain Determine the set of values of for which () is defined.
Domain of
1
=

=
= ln 2
= 3

= where n is an odd number

= where n is an even number
= tan

II. Intercepts Determine y-intercepts and x-intercepts.

Set = 0 to find y-intercept and = 0 to find x-intercept.
III. Symmetry
i. If () = () for all in D, then the curve is symmetric about the y-axis.
ii. If only even power of appears, the curve is symmetric about the y-axis.
iii. If only even power of appears, the curve is symmetric about the x-axis.
iv. If only even power of and appears, the curve is symmetric about both axes.

i ii iii iv
= 2
2
= 2 + 2 2 = 2 2 2 = 1

= 2 ln( 2 ) = 2 + 4 2 = 3 2 = 2

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IV. Asymptotes
i. Horizontal Asymptotes Consider tends to + and .
If either lim () = or lim () = , then the line = is a horizontal asymptote

of = (). Even lim () = (or,), this fact is still useful information for

sketching the curve.
2
= 2 5

ii. Vertical Asymptotes Consider denominator = 0.

The line = is a vertical asymptote if at least one of the following statements is
true: lim () = lim () =
+

5
() = 2 1

iii. Slant Asymptotes Consider tends to + and .

Some curves have asymptotes that are oblique (neither horizontal nor vertical).

lim [() ( + )] = 0

Slant asymptotes occurs when the numerator is at least a degree higher than
the denominator.

5 3
() = 2 1

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 V. Interval of Increase or Decrease Compute ().
The graph is increasing when () > 0 and decreasing when () < 0.

VI. Stationary Points Find the maximum and minimum point.

Let () = 0.
Types () () Change of sign of () from to + .
Minimum
point
Maximum
point

VII. Concavity and Points of Inflexion Compute ()

The curve is concave upwards where () > 0 and concave downwards where
() < 0. Inflexion points occur where there is a change in concavity.

Try this:

1
Sketch the graph of = +

Domain: Asymptotes:

Intercept:

First Derivative: Graph

16
Exercise:
1. i. Find the equation of the asymptotes of the curve
x 3
y .
( x 2)( x 1)
ii. Find the points where the curve intersects the axes, and find the stationary points on this
curve.
iii. Sketch this curve.
iv. Find the values of such that the equation
( 3) = ( 2)( + 1)
does not have real roots.

2. A curve has the equation

ekx 1
y
ekx 1
where is a positive constant.

i. Show that > 0 for all values of .

2 2
ii. Show that 2 + 2 = . Hence, show that 0 for 0 and 0 for 0.
2 2
iii. Sketch the curve.

ln
3. Find the coordinate of the point on the curve = ( > 0) such that = 0, and
2
determine if it is a maximum or minimum point. Sketch the curve for > 0. Y

[You can assume that 0 when .]

4. A curve with the equation

= 4 + 3 + 2 + +
where , , , and are constants, has the following characteristics:
a. It is symmetrical about the axis.
b. It passes through the point (2, 18) and has the gradient zero at this point.
c. = 0 when = 1

Show that = = 0 and find the values of , and . Sketch the curve and give the
coordinates of turning point.

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f. Related Rates Exercise
1. Air is being pumped into a spherical balloon so that its volume increases at a rate of
100cm3 /. How fast is the radius of the balloon increasing when the diameter is 50cm.
1
[ ]
25

2. Two parallel sides of a rectangle respectively lengthen at a rate of 2cm per second, while the
other two parallel sides shorten such that the area of the rectangle is always 50cm2. If, at the
same time t, the length of each lengthening side is x, the length of each shortening side is y,
and the perimeter of the rectangle is p, show that

= 4 (1 )

Find the rate of change in the perimeter of the rectangle when = 5cm. [4 1]

18
3. A pebble is dropped into a calm pond, causing ripples in the form of concentric circles. The
radius of the outer ripple is increasing at a constant rate of 1 cm/s. When the radius is 4
cm, at what rate is the total area of the disturbed water changing? [8 /]

4. Car A is travelling west at 50 km/h and car B is travelling north at 60km/h. Both are headed
for the intersection of the two roads. At what rate are the cars approaching each other when
car A is 0.3m and car B is 0.4m from the intersection? [78/]

5. The minute hand on a watch is 8mm long and the hour hand is 4mm long. How fast is the
distance between the tips of the hands changing at one o clock? Correct to 3s.f. [18.6/]

19
g. Optimisation Exercise
1.

The diagram shows a cylindrical container with a tight-fitting lid(shaded)

which overlaps the container to a depth of 2 cm. The container and its lid
are made from a thin sheet of metal of area 448 cm2. The radius of the
base of the container is cm and its height is cm. By ignoring the
thickness of the sheet of metal, show that

2 + + 2 = 224

Deduce, in terms of and , an expression for the volume V cm3 of the container. As changes,
find the value of when the value of V is maximum, and find this maximum value. [ = 1152]

20
2. A closed rectangular box has a base with its length twice its width, and the total surface area
of the box is 300 cm2. If the width of the base of the box is cm, and the volume of the box is
4
V cm3, show that = 100 3 3 .
Find the length, width and height of the box when its volume is maximum, and find the
1000
maximum volume of the box. [ =
3
]
Sketch the graph of V against .

21
3.
A rectangle PQRS is inscribed symmetrically in a
circular sector OBAC. The radius of the circle is ,
angle BOA = angle AOC = . Given also the angle
SOA = angle AOR = , prove that the area of the
rectangle PQRS is
2 2 sin sin( )
sin
1
Show that when changes, the area of the rectangle PQRS is maximum when = . Find
2

the maximum area of PQRS in terms of and . [ 2 tan ]
2

22
4. In the diagram, and are the rectangular axes and the
straight line PAQ passes through the fixed point A(4,1). The angle

QPO = and 0 < < 2.
a. Show that OP + OQ = 5 + 4 tan + cot and show that as
changes, the least value of OP + OQ is 9.
b. Show that PQ = 4 sec + csc , and find, correct to two
significant figures, the minimum value of PQ when
changes. [6.6]

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