MATHS

Method of differentiation

First principle of differentiation

1.

The derivative of a given function f at a point x = a in its domain represent the slope of the tangent at
that point, and it is defined as:

Limit f (a h)f (a ) , provided the limit exists & is denoted by f (a).

h0
h
i.e. f (a) = Limit
x a
2.

f ( x )f (a)
, provided the limit exists.
xa

If x and x + h belong to the domain of a function f defined by y = f(x), then

Limit f ( x h)f ( x ) if it exists, is called the Derivative of f at x & is denoted by f (x) or dy .

h0
dx
h
f ( x h)f ( x )
h
This method of differentiation is also called ab-initio method or first principle method.
i.e., f (x) = Limit
h0

Example # 1 : Find derivative of following functions by first principle with respect to x.

(i)
f(x) = x 2
(ii)
f(x) = tan x
(iii)
f(x) = esinx
Solution :

(i)

(ii)

f(x)

( x h) 2 x 2
= hlim
0
h

f(x)

sin( x h) sin x

tan( x h) tan x
lim
lim
cos(
x h) cos x
= h0
= h0
h
h

= hlim
0

(iii)

f(x)

2xh h2
= hlim
= 2x.
0
h

sin( x h x )
= sec 2x.
h cos x. cos( x h)

e sin ( x h) e sin x
= hlim
0
h

e sin ( x h ) sin x 1 sin( x h) sin x

lim
sin
x

= h0 e
h

sin( x h) sin x

lim sin( x h) sin x = esin x lim

h0
h

= esin x

h0

= esin x

h0

lim

xh x xhx
2 cos
sin

2
2

h sin(h / 2)

sin x cos x
cos x

2 h/2 = e

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MATHS
Derivative of some elementary functions :
f(x)

f(x)

1.

xn

nx n 1 ,

(x R, n R)

2.

ax

ax n a ,

a>0

3.

n |x|

1
x

4.

logax

1
x n a

5.

sin x

cos x

6.

cos x

sin x

7.

sec x

sec x tan x

8.

cosec x

cosec x cot x

9.

tan x

sec 2 x

10.

cot x

cosec 2x

Basic theorems :
Sum of two differentiable functions is always differentiable.
Sum of two non-differentiable functions may be differentiable.
There are certain basic theorems in differentiation:
1.

d
(f g) = f(x) g(x)
dx

2.

d
d
(k f(x)) = k
f(x)
dx
dx

3.

d
(f(x) . g(x)) = f(x) g(x) + g(x) f(x)
dx

4.

d
dx

5.

d
(f(g(x))) = f(g(x)) g(x)
dx

g( x ) f ( x ) f ( x ) g( x )
f ( x)

=
g2 ( x )
g( x )

This rule is also called the chain rule of differentiation and can be written as
dy
dy dz
=
.
dx
dz dx

Note that an important inference obtained from the chain rule is that

dy
dy dx
=1=
.
dx dy
dy

1
dy
=
dx / dy
dx

another way of expressing the same concept is by considering y = f(x) and x = g(y) as inverse functions
of each other.

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MATHS
dy
= f(x)
dx

g(y) =

dx
dy = g(y)

and

1
f ( x )

Example # 2 : Find the derivative of the following functions with respect to x.

Solution :

sin( 2 x 3)

(i)

f(x) =

(ii)

f(x) =

(i)

f(x) =

sin ( 2 x 3 )

f(x) =

d
1
d
( sin ( 2 x 3 ) ) =
.
(sin (2x + 3))
dx
2 sin (2x 3) dx

(iii)

1 x2

f(x) = x . sin x

(chain rule)

cos(2x 3)
=

(ii)

f(x) =

sin (2x 3)
x
1 x2

=
(iii)

f(x)

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

(Quotiant rule)

1 x2
(1 x 2 )2

f(x) = x sin x

f(x) = x. cos x + sin x

(Product rule)

Example # 3 : If f(x) = sin (x + tanx), then find value of f(0).

Solution :

f(x) = sin (x + tanx)

f(x) = cos (x + tanx) (1 + sec 2x)

Hence, f(0) = 2

(chain rule)

Self Practice Problems :

(1)

Find the derivative of following functions using first principle with respect to x.
(i)
f(x) = x sin x
(ii)
f(x) = sin2 x

(2)

f (5 t ) f (5 t )
If f(5) = 7, then find the value of tlim
0
2t

(3)

Differentiate the following functions with respect to x.

(i)

(iii)

(1 + 3x 2) (2x 3 1)

1 x 2

(ii)

(iv)

( x 1)
( x 2)( x 3)
1 x
1 x

(v)

cos 3 x sin x

(vi)

x ex sin x

(vii)

sin x
1 cos x

(viii)

n (sin x cos x)

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MATHS
Answers :

(1)

(i)

(2)

(3)

(i)

x cosx + sinx

(ii)

2sin x cos x

6x (5x 3 + x 1)

(ii)

( x 2) 2 ( x 3 ) 2

(iv)

(1 x )1 / 2 (1 x )3 / 2

x 2 2x 1

x
(iii)

1 x

1
2

(v)

cos 4 x 3 cos 2x sin2x (vi)

ex ((sin x + cos x) x + sin x)

(vii)

1
x
sec 2
2
2

cos x sin x
sin x cos x

(viii)

Derivative of inverse trigonometric functions :

1.

dx
= cos y
dy

dy
1
=
=
dx
cos y

dy
=
dx

, siny 1

1 sin 2 y

1
1 x 2

, 1 < x < 1.

In general |cos y| =

2.

y
and x = sin y
2
2

y = sin1 x

y = tan1x

1 sin 2 y . But here since

x = tan y and

y
2
2

|cos y| = cosy

y
2
2

dx
= sec 2y = 1 + tan2 y
dy

3.

dx
2
dy = 1 + x

y = sec 1x

dx
dy = sec y tan y

dy
1
=
dx
1 x2

(x R)

y [0, ] and x = secy

2

1
dy
= sec y. tan y , tan y 0
dx

1


= | sec y. tan y | , y 0, ,
2

2
1
1
= | sec y || tan y | =
| x | x2 1

1
dy
=
dx
| x | x2 1

x ( , 1) (1, )

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MATHS
Results for the derivative of inverse trigonometric functions can be summarized as :
f(x)
f(x)
1
sin1x
;
|x| < 1
1 x 2
1
cos 1x
;
|x| < 1
1 x 2
1
tan1x
;
xR
1 x2
1

cot1x

xR

1 x2

sec 1 x

| x | x2 1

|x| > 1

1
cosec -1 x

; |x| > 1

| x | x2 1

Example # 4 : If f(x) = n (sin1 x 2), then find f(x).

Solution :

f(x)

1
(sin 1 x 2 )

2x

. 2x =

1 ( x 2 )2

(sin 1 x 2 ) 1 x 4

Example # 5 : If f(x) = 2x sec 1x cosec 1(x) , then find f(2).

Solution :

f(x) = 2 sec 1(x) +

2x
| x | x2 1

Hence, f(2) = 2.sec 1( 2)

f(2) =

1
| x | x2 1

2
3

1
+

2 3

4
3

3
2

Logarithmic differentiation :
The process of taking logarithm of the function first and then differentiate is called Logarithmic
differentiation. It is often useful in situations when
(i)
(ii)

a function is the product or quotient of a number of functions OR

a function is of the form [f(x)]g(x) where f & g are both derivable,

Example # 6 : If y = (sin x)n x, find

Solution :

dy
dx

n y = n x . n (sin x)

1 dy
cos x
1
y dx = x n (sin x) + n x. sin x

n sin x

dy
cot x n x
= (sin x)n x
x
dx

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MATHS
Example # 7 : If y =

Solution :

x1/ 2 (1 2x )2 / 3
( 2 3 x )3 / 4 (3 4 x ) 4 / 5
y=

, then find

dy
.
dx

x1/ 2 (1 2x )2 / 3
( 2 3 x )3 / 4 (3 4 x ) 4 / 5

taking loge on both side

n y =

2
4
1
3
n x +
n (1 2x)
n (2 3x)
n (3 4x)
3
5
2
4

1 dy
9
16
4
1
=

+
+
y dx
4 (2 3 x )
5 (3 4 x )
3(1 2x )
2x

4
9
16
dy
= y 2x 3 (1 2 x ) 4(2 3 x ) 5 (3 4 x )
dx

Implicit differentiation :
If f(x, y) = 0, is an implicit function i.e. y can't be expressed explicitly as a function of x then in order to
find dy/dx, we differentiate each term w.r.t. x regarding y as a function of x and then collect terms in
dy/dx.
Example # 8 : If x 3 + y3 = 3xy, then find
Solution :

dy
.
dx

Differentiating both sides w.r.t.x, we get

3x 2 + 3y2

dy
dy
= 3x
+ 3y
dx
dx

y x2
dy
= 2
y x
dx
Note that above result holds only for points where y2 x 0
Example # 9 : If x y + yx = 2 then find
Solution :

dy
dx

u+v=2
du
dv
+
=0
dx
dx
where u = x y

n u = y n x

........(i)
&
&

v = yx
n v = x n y

1 du
dy
y
=
+ n x
&
u dx
dx
x

x dy
1 dv
= n y + y
dx
v dx

dy
y
du
&
= x y n x
dx
dx
x

x dy
dv
= yx n y y dx
dx

Now, equation (i) becomes

x dy
dy
y

+ y x n y
x y n x
y dx = 0.
dx
x

x
y y
y n y x .
dy
x

=
dx
y
x
x n x y x .
y

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MATHS
Self Practice Problems
(4)

(5)

Differentiate the following functions with respect to x.

(i)

y = sec 1 (x 2)

(iii)

y = 1
x

(v)

y = (ln x)x + (x)sin x

Find
(i)
(iii)

(ii)

1 x

y = tan1
1 x

(iv)

y = ex

(ii)

x 2/3 + y2/3 = a2/3

dy
if
dx
y = cos (x + y)
x = y n (x y)

(6)

If x y = ex y, then prove that

(7)

If

n x
dy
=
.
dx
(1 n x )2

x
a
x
dy
= log
, then prove that
=2 .
xy
xy
y
dx

Answers :

(4)

(i)

(ii)

x x 1
4

(iii) 1
x

1
1
n 1

x
1

1
1 x2
x

(iv) x x. e x (nx + 1)

1
sin x

cos x nx
(v) n (nx ) nx (n x)x + x sinx

sin( x y )
(i) 1 sin( x y )

(5)

y
(ii)
x

1/ 3

(iii)

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

Differentiation using substitution :

In certain situations as mentioned below, substitution simplifies differentiation. For each of the following
expression, appropriate substitution is as follows
(i)

x 2 a2

x = a tan , where

<<
2
2

or

x = a cot , where 0 < <

(ii)

a2 x 2

x = a sin , where

2
2

or

x = a cos , where 0

(iii)

x 2 a2

x = a sec , where [0
2

or

(iv)

xa
ax

x = a cosec , where , {0}
2 2

x = a cos , where 0

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MATHS
1 x 2 1

Example # 10 : Differentiate y = tan1

with respect to x.
x

Solution :

Let

x = tan , where 2 , 2 {0}

| sec | sec ,
2 2

| sec | 1

y = tan1
tan

1 cos

y = tan1
sin

y = tan1 tan
2

y=

y=

1
tan1 x
2

Example # 11 : Find
Solution :

1
tan (tan x ) x for x ,
2 2

1
dy
=
2(1 x 2 )
dx

dy
, where y = tan1
dx

1 x 1 x

1 x 1 x

Let

x = cos , where [0, ]

1 cos 1 cos

y = tan1

1 cos 1 cos

y = tan1

2 cos 2 sin
2
2

2 cos 2 sin
2
2

y = tan1

y=

1 cos

1 tan

1 tan

2 cos

cos 1x
4
2

but for 0, ,
2
2 2

4
2

y=

1
dy
=
dx
2 1 x2

2 cos

as

2 cos
2
2

4
4
2
4

2x
Example # 12 : If f(x) = sin1
, then find
1 x2

(i)

f(2)

(ii)

1
f
2

(iii)

f(1)

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MATHS
Solution :

x = tan ,

where

<<
2
2

y = sin1 (sin 2)

,
2
2
2

, 2
y = 2
2
2

( 2) , 2

2
2

2
1 x
2

2
f(x) = 1 x

1 x 2

2 tan 1 x
x 1

1
2 tan x
1 x 1
f(x) =
( 2 tan 1 x )
x 1

x 1
1 x 1
x 1

2
5

(ii)

1
8
f =
2
5

(i)

f(2) =

(iii)

f(1+) = 1
and
f(1) = + 1

f(1) does not exist.

Aliter
Above problem can also be solved without any substution also, but in a little tedious way.
2x

f(x) = sin1
1 x2

f(x) =
1

4x 2

(1 x 2 )2

thus

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

(1 x )
2

| 1 x 2 |

2
, |x|1

2
1

x
f(x) = 2

, | x|1
1 x 2

Example # 13 : If

Solution :

(1 x 2 )

2
f(x) =

(1 x 2 )2

(1 x 2 )2

(1 x 2 )
=

2{(1 x 2 ) 2x 2 }

Put

1 x 2 +

1 y 2 = a(x y), then prove that

x = sin where

2
2

dy
=
dx

1 y 2
1 x 2

and

.
2
2
cos + cos = a (sin sin)
y = sin where

cos
= 2a cos
sin

2cos
2
2
2
2

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MATHS

=a
cot
2

= 2 cot1 (a)

sin1 x sin1 y = 2 cot1a

differentiating w.r.t to x.

1
1 x

1 y

dy
=0
dx

1 y 2

dy
=
dx

+ 2 cot1a
+ 2 cot1a

or
or

1 x 2

Aliter
Using implicit differentiation

x
1 x

dy
=
dx

y
2

1 y

dy

dy

= a 1
dx
dx

a
1 y2

dy
=a+

dx

x
1 x 2

dy
=
dx

x
1 x2
y
1 y2

1 x 2 1 y 2
x

xy
1 x 2
1 x2 1 y2
y

xy
1 y2

(1 x 2 ) (1 x 2 )(1 y 2 ) x 2 xy
dy
=
.
dx
(1 x 2 )(1 y 2 ) (1 y 2 ) xy y 2

dy
=
dx

1 y 2
1 x 2

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

1 y2
1 x2

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

1 y2

1 x2

Hence proved

Parametric differentiation :
dy dy / d
If y = f() & x = g() where is a parameter, then dx dx / d .
Example # 14 : If x= a cos 3t and y = a sin3t, then find the value of

Solution :

dy
.
dx

3a sin 2 t cos t
dy
dy / dt
=
=
= tan t
3a cos 2 t sin t
dx
dx / dt

Example # 15 : If y = a cos t and x = a (t sint), then find the value of

Solution :

dy
a sin t
=
dx
a(1 cos t )

dy
dx

dy

at t = .
dx
2

= 1.

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MATHS
Derivative of one function with respect to another function :
Let y = f(x); z = g(x) then

dy dy / dx
f '(x)

.
dz dz / dx
g' (x)

Example # 16 : Find derivative of y = n x with respect to z = ex.

Solution :

1
dy
dy / dx
=
=
dz
dz / dx
xex

Self Practice Problems :

(8)

Find

dy
when
dx

(i)

x = a (cos t + t sin t)

and

y = a (sin t t cos t)

(ii)

1 t2

x=a
2
1 t

and

2t

y=b
1 t 2

sin1

x2

4
4
x a

2 xa 2
dy

,
then
prove
that
=
.

dx
x 4 a4

(9)

If y =

(10)

2x
dy
2

If y = tan1
=
(| x | 1)
2 , then prove that
dx
1 x
1 x2

(11)

If u = sin (m cos 1x) and v = cos (m sin1 x), then prove that

Answer :

(8)

(i)

tan t

du
=
dv

1 u2
1 v 2

( t 2 1)b
2at

(ii)

Higher order derivatives :

Let a function y = f(x) be defined on an open interval (a, b). Its derivative, if it exists in (a, b) is a certain
function f (x) [or (dy/dx) or y ] & is called the first derivative of y w. r. t. x.
If it happens that the first derivative has a derivative in (a, b) then this derivative is called the second
derivative of y w. r. t. x & is denoted by f (x) or (d2y/dx 2) or y . While the first derivative denotes slope
of the graph, the second derivative denotes it's concavity.
Similarly, the 3rd order derivative of y w. r. t. x, if it exists, is defined by

d3 y
dx 3

d d2 y
dx dx 2 , it is also

denoted by f (x) or y .
It must be carefully noted that in case of parametric functions
although

dy
dy / dt
=
dx
dx / dt

but

d2 y
dx

d2 y / dt 2
2

dx / dt

rather

d2 y
dx

d dy / dt

dx dx / dt

which on applying chain rule can be resolved as

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11

MATHS

d2 y
dx 2

d2 y
dx 2

d dy / dt dt

.
=
dt dx / dt dx

d2 y

dx 2

dx d2 y dy d2 x
.

.
dt dt 2 dt dt 2

dx

dt

dt
dx

dx d2 y dy d2 x
.
. 2

dt dt 2
dt dt
dx

dt

Example # 17 : If y = x 3 n x, then find yand y

Solution :

y = 3x 2 n x + x 3

1
= 3x 2 n x + x 2
x

y = 6x n x + 3x 2 .

1
+ 2x = 6x n x + 5x
x

y = 6 n x + 11

1
Example # 18 : If y = , then find y(1)
x
Solution :

Now taking loge both sides, we get

n y = x n x
when x = 1, then y = 1
n y = x n x

y
y = (1 + n x)

y = y (1 + n x)

y = y (1 + n x)2

......(i)

again diff. w.r.t. to x,

y = y(1 + n x) y .

1
x

y(1) = 0

Example # 19 : If x = t + 1 and y = t2 + t3, then find

Solution :

dy
= 2t + 3t2 ;
dt

y
(using (i))
x

d2 y
dx 2

dx
=1
dt

dy
= 2t + 3t2
dx

d2 y
dx

d2 y
dx 2

d
dt
(2t + 3t2) .
dt
dx

= 2 + 6t.

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12

MATHS
Example # 20 : Find second order derivative of y= sin x with respect to z = ex.
Solution :

cos x
dy
dy / dx
=
=
dz
dz / dx
ex

d2 y

dz

=
d2 y
dz

d cos x

dz e x

e x sin x cos x e x
x 2

(e )

d2 y
dx

d cos x dx

.
dx e x dz

1
ex

(sin x cos x )
e2x

Example # 21 : y = f(x) and x =g(y) are inverse functions of each other, then express g(y) and g(y) in terms
of derivative of f(x).
dx
dy
Solution :
= f(x) and
dy = g(y)
dx
1

g(y) =
...........(i)
f ( x )
again differentiating w.r.t. to y

d
g(y) = dy

d
dx

f ( x )

1 dx

.
f ( x ) dy

f ( x )
f ( x )2

. g(y)

f ( x )
g(y) =

f ( x )3

.........(ii)

which can also be remembered as

d2 y
d x
dx 2
2 =
3 .
dy
dy

dx
2

Example # 22 : y = sin (sinx) then prove that y + (tanx) y + y cos 2x = 0

Solution :

Such expression can be easily proved using implicit differentiation

y = cos (sin x) cos x

sec x.y = cos (sin x)

again differentiating w.r.t x, we get
secx y + y sec x tan x = sin (sin x) cos x

y + y tan x = y cos 2 x

y +(tanx) y + y cos 2x = 0

Self Practice Problems :

(12)

d2 y
n x
If y =
, then find the value of
.
x
dx 2

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13

MATHS
cos 2

(13)

Prove that y = x + tan x satisfies the differential equation

(14)

If x = a (cos + sin ) and y = a(sin cos), then find the value of

(15)

Find the second order derivative of nx with respect to sin x.

(16)

If y =

e x

Answers :

(A cos x + B sin x), then prove that

(12)

2n x 3
x

(14)

d2 y
dx 2

+2.

sec 3
a

d2 y
dx 2

2y + 2x = 0.

d2 y
dx 2

dy
+ 2y = 0.
dx

(15)

x sin x cos x
x 2 cos3 x

Derivative of a determinant :

If F(x) =

f (x)

g( x )

h( x )

l( x )

m( x )

n( x )

u( x )

v( x )

w( x)

, where f, g, h, l, m, n, u, v, w are differentiable functions of x, then

f ' ( x ) g' ( x ) h' ( x )

F (x) =

l( x )

m( x )

n( x )

u( x )

v( x )

w( x)

f (x)
+

g( x )

h( x )

l' ( x ) m' ( x ) n' ( x )

u( x )

v( x )

w( x )

f ( x)

g( x )

h( x )

l( x )

m( x )

n( x )

u' ( x ) v' ( x ) w ' ( x )

L hospitals rule :
If f(x) & g(x) are functions of x such that:
(i)

Limit f(x) =
x a

= Limit g(x)
x a

OR
(ii)

Limit f(x) = 0 = Limit g(x), both f(x) and g(x) are continuous at x = a, both f(x) and
x a

x a

g(x) are differentiable at x = a and both f (x) and g (x) are continuous at x = a,
then

Limit
x a

f (x)
f ' (x)
Limit
g( x ) = x a g' ( x )

"manishkumarphysics.in"

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