THE DERIVATIVE AND

DIFFERENTIATION OF
ALGEBRAIC FUNCTIONS

OBJECTIVES:
to define the derivative of a function
to find the derivative of a function by
increment method (4-step rule)
to identify the different rules of differentiation
and distinguish one from the other;
prove the different rules of differentiation using
the increment method;
find the derivative of an algebraic function
using
the basic rules of differentiation; and

Derivative of a Function
The process of finding the
derivative of a function is called
differentiation and the branch of
calculus that deals with this process
is called differential calculus.
Differentiation is an important
mathematical
tool
in
physics,
mechanics, economics and many
other
disciplines
that
involve
change and motion.

Q( x 2 , f ( x 2 ))
Consider a point
on
P( x1 , f ( x1 )),
the
y f curve
(x),
that ismdistinct
from
PQ
and compute the slope
of the secant line through P and
x x 2 x1
where
:
f
(
x
)

f
(
x
)
2
1
Q.
m PQ
and x 2 x1 x
x

m PQ

f ( x1 x) f ( x1 )

If we let x2 approach x1, then

the point Q will move along the
curve and approach point P. As
point Q approaches P, the value of
x approaches zero and the secant
line through P and Q approaches a
limiting position, then we will
consider that position to be the
position of the tangent line at P.

y
tangent line
P ( x1 , f ( x1 ))

Q ( x 2 , f ( x 2 ))

secant line

y f (x)

x x 2 x1
x 2 x1 x

Thus, we make the following

DEFINITION:
definition.
Suppose that x1 is in the domain of
the function f, the tangent line to the
curve y=f(x) at the point P(x1,f(x1)) is
the line with equation,
y f ( x1 ) m( x x1 )

f ( x1 x ) f ( x1 )
wherem lim
x 0
x
provided
P( x1 , f ( x1 ))
the limit exists, and
the point of tangency.

is

DEFINITION
The derivative of y = f(x) at point P
on the curve is equal to the slope of
the tangent line at P, thus the
derivative of the function f given by y=
f(x) with respect to x at any x in its
domain
dy is defined
y as: f ( x x ) f ( x)
lim
lim
dx x 0 x x 0
x
provided the limit exists.

Other notations for the derivative of a

d
function
are:
D x y, D x f ( x), y ' , f ' , f ' ( x), and
f ( x)
dx

Note:
To find the slope of the tangent line to the
curve at point P means that we are to find the
value of the derivative at that point P.
There are two ways of finding the derivative of
a function:
1.By using the increment method or the fourstep rule
2.By using the differentiation formulas

THE INCREMENT METHOD OR THE

One method of determining the
FOUR-STEP RULE
derivative of a function is the
increment
method
or
more
commonly known as the four-step
rule.
TheSTEP
procedure
is as follows
1: Substitute
x + x for x
and
y + y for
y
in
y
=
f(x)
STEP 2: Subtract y = f(x) from
:

the result of step 1 to obtain

y in terms of x and x

STEP 3: Divide both sides of

step 2 by x.
STEP 4: Find the limit of step
3 as x
approaches 0.

EXAMPLE

dy
1. Find
u sin g the four step rule given y 1 x 2 .
dx
2
y
a. y y 1 x x
d . lim
lim 2 x x
x 0 x
x 0
2
b. y y y 1 x x y
dy
2
2 x
2
y 1 x 2 xx x y
dx

y 1 x 2 xx x 1 x 2
2

y 1 x 2 xx x 1 x 2
2

y 2 xx x

y x 2 x x
c.

x
x

dy
2x 1
EXAMPLE
2. Find
u sin g the four step rule given y
dx

a. y y

1 2x

2( x x ) 1
1 2( x x )

2( x x ) 1 2 x 1

1 2( x x ) 1 2 x
2 x 2x 1 1 2 x 2 x 1 1 2 x 2x
y
1 2 x 2x 1 2 x )

b. y

2 x 2 x 1 4 x 2 4 xx 2 x 2 x 4 x 2 4 xx 1 2 x 2x
y
1 2 x 2x 1 2 x )

y
4 x
c.

x x( 1 2 x 2x )( 1 2 x )

y
4
lim
x 0 x
x 0 ( 1 2 x 2 x )( 1 2 x )

d . lim

dy
4

dx ( 1 2 x )2

EXAMPLE

dy
3. Find
u sin g the four step rule given y x 1 when x 10
dx
a. y y x x 1
b. y

when x 10,
dy
1
1
1

dx 2 10 1 2( 3 ) 6

x x 1 x 1

y
x x 1 x 1

x
x
y
x x 1 x 1
x x 1 x 1
d. lim
lim

x 0 x
x 0
x
x x 1 x 1
x x 1 x 1
lim
x 0 x
x x 1 x 1
x
lim
x 0 x
x x 1 x 1
y
1
lim
lim
x 0 x
x 0
x x 1 x 1
dy
1

dx 2 x 1
c.