General Differentiation Formula

1. Derivative of a Constant

𝑑
[𝑐 ] = 0
𝑑𝑥

Examples
𝑑
[1] = 0
𝑑𝑥

𝑑
[𝜋 ] = 0
𝑑𝑥

𝑑
[−0.5] = 0
𝑑𝑥

2. Derivatives of Power Functions (Power Rule)

𝑑
If n is a positive integer, then 𝑑𝑥 [𝑥 𝑛 ] = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1

𝑑
a. 𝑑𝑥 [𝑥 7 ] = 7𝑥 6

𝑑
b. 𝑑𝑡 [𝑡 15 ] = 15𝑡 14
 3 1
𝑑 3
c. [𝑥 ] = 2 𝑥
2 2
𝑑𝑥

3. Derivative of a Constant Times a Function

𝑑 𝑑
[𝑐𝑓(𝑥 )] = 𝑐 ∙ [𝑓 (𝑥 )]
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑
a. 𝑑𝑥 [5𝑥 7 ] = 5 ∙ 𝑑𝑥 [𝑥 7 ] = 5[7𝑥 6 ] = 35𝑥 6

𝑑 𝑑
b. 𝑑𝑥 [−𝑥 15 ] = (−1) ∙ 𝑑𝑥 [𝑥 15 ] = −15𝑥 14

𝑑 𝜋 𝑑 𝜋
c. [ ]=𝜋∙ [𝑥 −1 ] = 𝜋(−𝑥 −2 ) = −
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑥2

4. Derivatives of Sums or Differences

𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
(𝑓 ± 𝑔) = (𝑓) ± (𝑔)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑
a. 𝑑𝑥 [3𝑥 8 − 2𝑥 5 + 6𝑥 2 + 3]
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
[3𝑥 8 ] − [2𝑥 5 ] + [6𝑥 2 ] + [3]
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
 = = 24𝑥 7 − 10𝑥 4 + 12𝑥

𝑑
b. 𝑑𝑥 [3𝑥 4 + 𝑥 −7 ]
𝑑 4
𝑑 −7
[3𝑥 ] + [𝑥 ]
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= 12𝑥 3 − 7𝑥 −8
7
= 12𝑥 3 − 𝑥 8
𝑑
c. [𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 + 4]
𝑑𝑥
= 3𝑥 2 − 3

5. Derivative of a Product (Product Rule)

𝑑 𝑑𝑔 𝑑𝑓
(𝑓 ∙ 𝑔) = 𝑓 ∙ +𝑔∙
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

1
a. 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = (3𝑥 2 + 6) (2𝑥 − 4)
𝑑 1 1 𝑑
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = (3𝑥 2 + 6) ∙ (2𝑥 − ) + (2𝑥 − ) ∙ (3𝑥 2 + 6)
𝑑𝑥 4 4 𝑑𝑥
′( ) 2
1
𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 6 2 + (2𝑥 − ) (6𝑥 )
( )( )
4
3
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = 6𝑥 2 + 12 + 12𝑥 2 − 𝑥
2
 ′( 2
3
)
𝑓 𝑥 = 18𝑥 − 𝑥 + 12
2

b. 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = (2 − 𝑥 − 3𝑥 3 )(7 + 𝑥 5 )
𝑑 𝑑
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = (2 − 𝑥 − 3𝑥 3 ) ∙ (7 + 𝑥 5 ) + (7 + 𝑥 5 ) ∙ (2 − 𝑥 − 3𝑥 3 )
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = (2 − 𝑥 − 3𝑥 3 ) ∙ (5𝑥 4 ) + (7 + 𝑥 5 )(−1 − 9𝑥 2 )
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = 10𝑥 4 − 5𝑥 5 − 15𝑥 7 − 7 − 63𝑥 2 − 𝑥 5 − 9𝑥 7
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = −24𝑥 7 − 6𝑥 5 + 10𝑥 4 − 63𝑥 2 − 7

6. Derivative of a Quotient

𝑑𝑓 𝑑𝑔
𝑑 𝑓 𝑔∙ −𝑓∙
( )= 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑔 𝑔2

2𝑥−1
a. 𝑦 = 𝑥+3
𝑑 𝑑
(𝑥 + 3) ∙(2𝑥 + 1) − (2𝑥 − 1) ∙ (𝑥 + 3)
′
𝑦 = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 + 3)2
′
(𝑥 + 3)(2) − (2𝑥 − 1)(1)
𝑦 =
(𝑥 + 3)2
2𝑥 + 6 − 2𝑥 + 1
𝑦′ =
(𝑥 + 3)2
 ′
7
𝑦 =
(𝑥 + 3)2

4𝑥+1
b. 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 −5
𝑑 𝑑 2
(𝑥 2 − 5) ∙ (4𝑥 + 1) − (4𝑥 + 1) ∙ (𝑥 − 5)
𝑦′ = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 2 − 5)2
(𝑥 2 − 5)(4) − (4𝑥 + 1)(2𝑥)
𝑦′ =
(𝑥 2 − 5)2
4𝑥 2 − 20 − 8𝑥 2 − 2𝑥
𝑦′ =
(𝑥 2 − 5)2
−4𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 20
𝑦′ =
(𝑥 2 − 5)2

7. Derivative of a Power

If u is a differentiable function of x and n is any real

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
number, then 𝑑𝑥 [𝑢𝑛 ] = 𝑛 ∙ 𝑢𝑛−1 ∙ 𝑑𝑥

a. 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = [𝑥 3 ]37
𝑑 3
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = 37[𝑥 3 ]36 ∙ [𝑥 ]
𝑑𝑥
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = 37[𝑥 3 ]36 ∙ 3𝑥 2
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = 111𝑥 110

b. 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = (3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 )6
 𝑑
𝑓 𝑥 ) = 6(3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 )5 ∙
′( (3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 )
𝑑𝑥
′( ) 2 5
𝑓 𝑥 = 6(3𝑥 + 2𝑥 ) ∙ (6𝑥 + 2)
𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) = (36𝑥 + 12)(3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 )5

8. Derivative of a Radical with Index Equal to 2

𝑑 1 𝑑𝑢
If u is a differentiable function of x, then (√𝑢) = 2 ∙
𝑑𝑥 √ 𝑢 𝑑𝑥

a. 𝑦 = √4𝑥 8 − 1
1 𝑑
𝑦′ = ∙ (4𝑥 8 − 1)
2√4𝑥 8 − 1 𝑑𝑥
′
32𝑥 7
𝑦 =
2√4𝑥 8 − 1
′
16𝑥 7
𝑦 =
√4𝑥 8 − 1

b. 𝑦 = √5𝑥 3 + 3𝑥
′
1 𝑑
𝑦 = ∙ (5𝑥 3 + 3𝑥)
2√5𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 𝑑𝑥
′
15𝑥 2 + 3
𝑦 =
2√5𝑥 3 + 3𝑥
9. Derivative of a Radical with Index other than 2

If n is any positive integer and u is a differentiable function of x,

1 1
𝑑 1 −1 𝑑𝑢
then [𝑢 ] = 𝑛 ∙ 𝑢
𝑛 𝑛 ∙ 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑥

1
2
a. 𝑦 = [𝑥 − 𝑥 + 2] 3

′
1 2 −
2 𝑑
𝑦 = [𝑥 − 𝑥 + 2] 3 ∙ [𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 2]
3 𝑑𝑥
2𝑥 − 1
𝑦′ = 2
2
3(𝑥 − 𝑥 + 2)3

1
9
b. 𝑦 = [7𝑥 + 28] 5

′
1 9 −
4 𝑑
𝑦 = [7𝑥 + 28] 5 ∙ [7𝑥 9 + 28]
5 𝑑𝑥
8
63𝑥
𝑦′ = 4
[ 9 ]
5 7𝑥 + 28 5

10. Derivative of Logarithmic Function

𝑑 1 𝑑𝑢
a. [ln 𝑥] = ∙
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 1 𝑑
b. [𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑏 𝑥 ] = ∙ 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑏 𝑒 ∙ (𝑥 )
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
Examples
a. 𝑦 = ln 5𝑥
1 𝑑
𝑦 ′ = 5𝑥 ∙ 𝑑𝑥 (5𝑥 )
5
𝑦′ =
5𝑥
1
𝑦′ =
𝑥

b. 𝑦 = 𝑥𝑙𝑛𝑥
1
𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 ∙ + ln 𝑥
𝑥
′
𝑦 = 1 + 𝑙𝑛𝑥

c. 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 (3 − 2𝑥 )
𝑑 𝑑 2
𝑦′ = 𝑥2 ∙ [𝑙𝑜𝑔2 (3 − 2𝑥 )] + 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 (3 − 2𝑥 ) ∙ [𝑥 ]
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
′ 2
1
𝑦 =𝑥 ∙ ∙ 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 𝑒 ∙ (−2) + 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 (3 − 2𝑥 ) ∙ (2𝑥 )
3 − 2𝑥
′
−2𝑥 2 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 𝑒
𝑦 = + 2𝑥𝑙𝑜𝑔2 (3 − 2𝑥 )
3 − 2𝑥
 11. Derivative of Exponential Function

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
a. 𝑑𝑥 [𝑎𝑢 ] = 𝑎 𝑢 ln 𝑎 ∙ 𝑑𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
b. 𝑑𝑥 [𝑒 𝑢 ] = 𝑒 𝑢 ∙ 𝑑𝑥

Examples:
2
a. 𝑦 = 𝑒 −5𝑥
𝑑 2
𝑦 ′ = 𝑒 −5𝑥 ∙ (−5𝑥 2 )
𝑑𝑥
2
𝑦 ′ = 𝑒 −5𝑥 ∙ (−10𝑥 )
2
𝑦 ′ = −10𝑥𝑒 −5𝑥

b. 𝑦 = 𝑒 7𝑥
′ 7𝑥
𝑑
𝑦 =𝑒 ∙ (7𝑥 )
𝑑𝑥
𝑦 ′ = 7𝑒 7𝑥

3
c. 𝑦 = 3−𝑥
3 𝑑
𝑦 ′ = 3−𝑥 ln 3 ∙ (−𝑥 3 )
𝑑𝑥
3
𝑦 ′ = −3−𝑥 ln 3 ∙ 3𝑥 2
′
3𝑥 2 ln 3
𝑦 =− 3
3𝑥