Differentials

For approximation purposes, we could identify

a derivative with its limiting ratio
dy ∆y f (x + h) − f (x)
= f 0(x) with = ,
dx ∆x h
the symbol dx with h
the symbol dy with f (x + h) − f (x)
the symbolic product
dy
· dx with f 0(x) · h
dx
the symbolic equation
dy
dy = · dx with f (x + h) − f (x) ∼
= f 0(x) · h
dx
Equivalently, we can write f (x + h) ∼ = f (x) + f 0(x) · h,
as if the o(h) didn’t exist, and
as if the function’s graph were replaced by its tangent line.

Example: For the volume V of a cube with side s,

V (s) = s3
V (s + h) = (s + h)3 = s3 + 3s2h + 3sh2 + h3
V (s + h) = V (s) + V 0(s)h + o(h)
V (s + h) ∼
= V (s) + V 0(s)h
representing
V (s + h) − V (s) ∼
= V 0(s)h
∼ dV
dV = ds
ds
 f (x + h) ∼ = f (x) + f 0(x) · h
1
∼ 1 1 1 −1
(x + h) 6 = x 6 + x6 · h
6 1
1
∼ 1 1 x6
(x + h) 6 = x 6 + · ·h
6 x
With x = 64 and h = 1 this becomes:
√6
√6 ∼
√6 1 64
65 = 64 + · ·1
6 64
√6 ∼ 1 2
65 = 2 + · ·1
6 64
√6 ∼ 1 385
65 = 2 + = = 2.00521
√ 192 192
(Actually, 6 65 equals 2.00517.)
 f (x + h) ∼= f (x) + f 0(x) · h
1
∼ 1 1 1 −1
(x + h) 2 = x 2 + x2 · h
2 1
1
∼ 1 1 x2
(x + h) 2 = x 2 + · ·h
2 x
With x = 121 and h = 4 this√
becomes:
√
∼
√ 1 121
125 = 121 + · ·1
2 121
√
∼ 1 11
125 = 11 + · ·1
2 121
√
∼ 1 123
125 = 11 + = = 11.1818181818
√ 22 11
(Actually, 121 equals 11.18034.)
 f (x + h) ∼
= f (x) + f 0(x) · h
− 15 ∼ − 15 1 − 1 −1
(x + h) = x − x 5 ·h
5
− 15
− 15 ∼ − 15 1 x
(x + h) = x − · ·h
5 x
With x = 32 and h = 1 this becomes:
− 15
− 15 ∼ − 15 1 32
33 = 32 − · ·1
5 32
1
1 1 1
33− 5 ∼
= − · 2 ·1
2 5 32
− 15 ∼ 1 1 159
33 = − = = 0.496875
2 320 320
− 15
(Actually, 33 equals 0.49693.)
 f (x + h) ∼
= f (x) + f 0(x) · h
cos (x + h) ∼
= cos x − sin x · h
With x = 60o and h = −3o this becomes:
cos 57o ∼
= cos 60o − sin 60o · (−3o)
√
∼ 1 3 3π

cos 57o = − · −
2 2 180
cos 57o ∼
= 0.5000 + 0.0453 = 0.5453

(Actually, cos 57o equals 0.5446.)

 f (x + h) ∼
= f (x) + f 0(x) · h
∼ 1
ln (x + h) = ln x + ·h
x
1
With x = 1 and h = 10 this becomes:
ln 1.1 ∼
= ln 1 + 1 · (0.1)
ln 1.1 ∼
= 0.0 + 0.1 = 0.1

(Actually, ln 1.1 equals 0.09531.)

 f (x + h) ∼
= f (x) + f 0(x) · h
e(x+h) ∼
= ex + ex · h
With x = 0.0 and h = 0.1 this becomes:
e0.1 = e0.0
∼ + e0.0 · (0.1)
e0.1 ∼
= 1.0 + 1.0 · (0.1) = 1.1

(Actually, e1.1 equals 1.10517.)