Leibniz Notation for Derivatives

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Leibniz Notation
Leibniz notation of derivatives is a powerful and useful notation that makes the process of computing derivatives clearer
than the prime notation. So, what is Leibniz notation?
For y = f (x), the derivative can be expressed using prime notation as
y 0 , f 0 (x),
or using Leibniz notation as
df d
dy d
, [y], , [f (x)].
dx dx
dx dx
The advantage of the Leibniz notation over the prime notation is that it makes explicitly clear what you are differentiating
with respect to:
dy
is read as the derivative of y with respect to x.
dx
d
[y] is read as the derivative with respect to x of y.
dx
Of course, since these quantities are the same thing you can swap how those are read.
Once we start doing more complicated derivatives like the chain rule or implicit differentiation, the Leibniz notation shows
its worth.
Chain Rule with Leibniz Notation
If a function is defined by a composition y = f (g(x)), it can be decomposed as y = f (u), u = g(x).
The derivative of y with respect to x is then computed using the chain rule as
dy
dy du
=

dx
du dx
Using Leibniz notation easily allows one to easily create longer chains when there is more nesting in the composition.
If y = f (g(h(x))) decompose as: y = f (u), u = g(w), w = h(x), and the chain rule now has two links in the chain:
dy
dy du dw
=

dx
du dw dx
Example y = tan(cos(x2 )), find dy/dx.
Decompose: y = tan u, u = cos w, w = x2
Apply chain rule:
dy
dx

dy du dw

du dw dx
d
d
d
=
[y]
[u]
[w] (this step optional; I am showing it here to clarify the Leibniz notation)
du
dw
dx
d
d
d 2
=
[tan u]
[cos w]
[x ]
du
dw
dx
= [sec2 u][ sin w][2x]
=

= 2x sec2 (cos x2 ) sin(x2 )

Barry McQuarries Calculus II

Leibniz Notation for Derivatives

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Example Find the derivative of the function y = sin(tan sin x).

Note: If you can do the decomposition in your head, you dont need to show it in your solution. This solution just shows
how Leibniz notation can keep your solution organized if you need it.
We will need multiple applications of the chain rule to do this derivative. Lets do that first before we take any derivatives.

dy
d
d
=
[y] =
[sin(tan sin x)]
dx
dx
dx

d
=
[sin u],
u = tan sin x
dx
d
du
=
[sin u]
,
(chain rule)
du
dx

u = tan v, v = sin x
d
du dv
=
[sin u]

,
(chain rule a second time)
du
dv dx

u = tan v, v = w, w = sin x
d
du dv dw
=
[sin u]

,
(chain rule a third time)
du
dv dw dx
All this was just setting up the derivative in a manner that we could find it by using multiple applications of the chain
rule. Now we can take the derivatives.
dy
dx

=
=
=
=
=
=

d
[sin u]
du
d
[sin u]
du

du dv dw

dv dw dx
d
d
d
[tan v]
[w1/2 ]
[sin x]
dv
dx
 dw 
1 1/2
(cos u) (sec2 v)
w
(cos x)
2


1

(cos u) (sec2 v)
(cos x)
2 w



(cos(tan sin x)) (sec2 sin x)

(cos x)
2 sin x

cos x cos(tan sin x) sec2 sin x

2 sin x

Using Leibniz Notation with Implicit Differentiation

Example Find the slope of the curve x4 + y 2 25 = 0 at the point (x, y).
The slope of the curve is the derivative of the curve, so we want to find dy/dx.
x4 + y 2 25 = 0 the implicit function
d 4
[x + y 2 25 = 0] differentiate the equation
dx
d 4
d 2
d
d
[x ] +
[y ]
[25] =
[0] sum and difference rules
dx
dx
dx
dx
d 2 dy
4x3 +
[y ]
0 = 0 power rule, chain rule, constant rule
dy
dx
dy
4x3 + 2y
=0
dx
dy
2x3
=
dx
y
This is valid for points on the top or bottom half of the curve.

Barry McQuarries Calculus II

Leibniz Notation for Derivatives

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Using Leibniz Notation to Keep Track of Pieces of a Long Derivative

Leibniz notation is also exceptionally good as keeping track of what is happening during the derivative of a complicated
function (one that involves a combination of product rule, quotient rule, chain rule, etc).
2

Example Differentiate

dy
dx

ex
.
1+x

ex
1+x
"
#
2
d
ex
dx 1 + x
2

d
(1 + x) dx
[ex ] ex
(1 + x)2

(1 + x) 2x ex ex 1
(chain rule)
(1 + x)2

(2x2 + 2x 1)ex
(simplify)
(1 + x)2

d
dx [1

+ x]

(quotient rule)

Example Find f (x) given f (x) =

f 0 (x)

=
=

=
=
=
=
=

x
22ex + sec x sin x.
x1



d
x
22ex + sec x sin x
dx x 1
 
d
x
d
d
[sec x sin x] difference rule, constant multiple rule
22 [ex ] +
dx x 1
dx
dx
d
d
(x 1) [x1/2 ] x1/2 [x 1]
d
d
dx
dx
22ex + sec x [sin x] + sin x [sec x] product, quotient rule
(x 1)2
dx
dx
(x 1)[ 21 x1/2 ] x1/2 [1]
22ex + sec x(cos x) + sin x(sec x tan x)
(x 1)2

1
1

x
2 x 2 x
22ex + 1 + tan2 x simplify
2
(x 1)

1
12 x 2
x
22ex + 1 + tan2 x simplify
(x 1)2
x 1

22ex + sec2 x simplify

2 x(x 1)2

power rule, exponential rule

Barry McQuarries Calculus II