DIFFERENTIATION OF

EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS
OBJECTIVES:
• apply the properties of exponential
functions to simplify differentiation;
• differentiate functions involving exponential
functions; and
• solve problems involving differentiation of
exponential functions.
 
 .

The EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION

The exponentia l function with base a, a  0 and

a  1, is defined by y  a x where x is a real number.
Since the exponentia l function is the inverse of
logarithmi c function, y  a x may also be written as
x  log a y .
Laws of Exponents
.

1. a m  a n  a m  n

a mn , if mn
am 

2.  1 , if mn
an 
1
 , if mn
 a n-m

n
3. a m   a mn

4. ab n  a nb n
n an
a
5.    n
b b
6. a0  1 , provided a  0
 1 n  m  m
1 n
7. a m n  a
   a 
   
8. a log a x  x
9. if a x  a y then x  y
 DIFFERENTIATION FORMULA
Derivative of Exponential Function
The derivative of the exponential function for
any given base and any differentiable function of u.

For any given base a :

d u du
( a )  a ln a  ; where u  f(x)
u

dx dx

For base  e :
d u du
( e )  eu ; where u  f(x)
dx dx
EXAMPLE:
A. Find the derivative of each of the following
natural logarithm and simplify the result:
2
1. f x   e 3 x 3. hx   4 x 2 e1 / x
f ' x   e 3 x2
6 x   2 1/ x   1  1/ x 
h' x   4  x e  2   e 2 x 
f ' x   6 xe 3 x2
 x  
h' x   4e1 / x  1  2 x 
2 . g x   e 1 2 x

2 h' x   4 e1 / x 2 x  1
g' x   e 1 2 x

2 1  2x
e 1 2 x 1  2x
g' x    
1  2x 1  2x
1 2 x
e 1  2x
g' x   
1  2x
 x
4. e xy  x 2  2
y

y1 xy' 
e xy xy'  y  1 2 x  0
y 2
y  xy'
xe xy y' e xy y  2 x 
y2
xy 2e xy y'  y 3e xy  2 xy 2  y  xy'

y'  xy 2 e xy  x   y  y 3e xy  2 xy 2
 

y  1  2 xy  y 2 e xy 
y'   
x 1  y 2 e xy 
 
 2
5. y  7 3 x 4 x5
2 d
y'  7 3 x 4 x5 ln7   3 x 2  4 x  5 
dx  
2
y'  7 3 x 4 x5 ln7 6 x  4
2
y'  23 x  2ln7 7 3 x 4 x5

2
6. hx   ln 4 3 x
d  43 x2  2
dx 
 hx   ln 4 3 x
h' ( x ) 
43 x 2 hx   3 x 2 ln 4
2 d
4 3 x ln 4   3 x 2 
h' x   dx   OR h' x   3 ln 4 
d  2
x 
dx  
2
43x
h' x   3 ln 4 2 x
h' x   ln 4 6 x
h' x   6 x ln 4 h' x   6 x ln 4
6. Gx   log e x  1 e 2 x  3 
 

 
G x   log e x  1  log e 2 x  3  
ex e2 x  2
G' x   x log e  2 x log e
e 1 e 3

G' x  
 
e x e 2 x  3  2e 2 x e x  1
log e
 
x

e 1 e 32x
 
e 2 x  3  2e 2 x  2e x x
G' x   e log e
x

e 1 e 32x
 
3e 2 x  2e x  3 x
G' x   x e log e

e 1 e 32x
 
7. f x   2 3 x  5 x
4 2
f x   2 3 x4
5 x2
OR
f ' x   2 3 x4 d x2
5 5  
x2 d
2 3 x4
  ln f x   ln 2  3 x4
5 x2

dx dx
ln f x   ln 2 3 x4
 ln 5 x2

f ' x   2 3 x 5 x ln 5 2 x  5 x 2 3 x ln 2 12 x 3 

4 2 2 4

ln f x   3 x 4 ln 2  x 2 ln 5
f ' x 
f ' x   2 x 2 5 ln 5  6 x 2 ln 2
3 x4 x2
  f x 
 
 3 ln 2  4 x 3  ln 5 2 x 

f ' x 
f ' x   2 3 x 15 x ln 5  6 x 2 ln 2 x  
4 2
 2 x 6 x 2 ln 2  ln 5
f x 
3 x4 x2

f ' ( x )  2  5  2 x 6 x 2 ln 2  ln 5 
f ' x   2 3 x 4 1 x 2

5 6 x 2 ln 2  ln 5 x 
8. 3 x  5 y  x 4  y
3 x ln 3   5 y ln 5 y'  4 x 3  y'

 
y' 5 y ln 5   1  4 x 3  3 x ln 3 

4 x 3  3 x ln 3 
y'  y

5 ln 5   1 
EXERCISES:
A. Find the derivative and simplify the result.
e4 x
1. g x   3 3. y  3 x
2
x 3 x 1
e 2
2. f x   e x 2  ln x 2
4. hx   log 2 x  3
2 2 x3

B. Apply the appropriate formulas to obtain the

derivative of the given function and simplify.
2 x 1
e
1.G x   5 x 4. y 
2

2x  1
2. ye x  xe y  x 2  y 2  ln 2

5. f x   ln e 2 x  e 2 x 
3.H x   x  1
X2
Logarithmic Differentiation
Oftentimes, the derivatives of algebraic functions
which appear complicated in form (involving
products, quotients and powers) can be found
quickly by taking the natural logarithms of both
sides and applying the properties of logarithms
before differentiation. This method is called
logarithmic differentiation.
Steps in applying logarithmic differentiation.

1. Take the natural logarithm of both sides and

apply the properties of logarithms.
2. Differentiate both sides and reduce the right
side to a single fraction.
3. Solve for y’ by multiplying the right side by y.
4. Substitute and simplify the result.

Logarithmic differentiation is also applicable whenever

the base and its power are both functions.
Logarithmic differentiation is also applicable whenever
the base and its power are both functions. (Variable
to variable power.)
Example:
dy
1. Find if y  x x
dx
ln y  ln x x
ln y  x ln x
1 1
y'  x 1  ln x1
y x
y'  1  ln x y  but y  x x

 
 y'  1  ln x  x x
 dy
if y  2 x  1
x 1
2. Find
dx
ln y  ln2 x  1
x 1

ln y  x  1ln2 x  1
1 1
y'  x  1 2   ln2 x  11
y 2x  1
1 2x  1
y'   ln2 x  1
y 2x  1
 2x  1 
 ln2 x  1 y  but y  2x  1
x -1
y'  
 2x  1 
 2x  1  2 x  1ln2 x  1
y'    2x  1x -1

 2x  1
y'  2x  1  2 x  1ln2 x  1 2x  1
x -1-1

 y'  2x  1  2 x  1ln2 x  1 2x  1

x-2
3. y   6x  5 x


ln y  ln 6 x  5  x

ln y  x ln 6 x  5
1  1  6   1 
y'  x     ln 6 x  5  
y  6 x  5  2 6 x  5  2 x 
1 3 x ln 6 x  5
y'  
y 6x5 2 x
1 6 x  6 x  5 ln 6 x  5
y' 
y 2 x 6 x  5 
 6 x  6 x  5 ln 6 x  5 
y'  
2 x 6 x  5 
  y   but y   6x 5 x

 
 6 x  6 x  5 ln 6 x  5 
y'  
2 x 6 x  5 

 6x5  x

 
 6 x  6 x  5 ln 6 x  5  x
 y'    6 x  5  2
1

 2 x 
4. y  4  3 x 
x 1

ln y  ln4  3 x 
x 1

ln y  x  1 ln4  3 x 
1  1
y'  x  1  3  ln4  3 x  1 
y  4  3x   2 x 1 
1  3 x  1 ln4  3 x 
y'  
y 4  3x 2 x 1
1  6 x  1  4  3 x ln4  3 x 
y' 
y 24  3 x  x  1
  6 x  1  4  3 x ln4  3 x 
  y   but y  4  3 x 
x 1
y'  
 24  3 x  x  1 
  6 x  1  4  3 x ln4  3 x 
 4  3 x 
x 1
y'  
 24  3 x  x  1 
  6 x  1  4  3 x ln4  3 x 
 4  3 x 
x 1  1
 y'  
 2 x 1 