Derivative of General Exponential functions
We know:
d x
e = ex
dx
By the chain rule:
d f (x)
e = e x · f 0 (x)
dx
Example: Find the derivative of 2x .
x
Solution: Recall 2 = e ln 2 , so 2x = e ln 2 = e (ln 2)x .
d x d (ln 2)x d
Thus 2 = e = e (ln 2)x ((ln 2)x)
dx dx dx
= (ln 2) · 2x .
Theorem
d x
b = (ln b) · b x , for any base b > 0.
dx
d x2
Example: Find 7 .
dx
Solution: We apply the chain rule with outer function f (u) = 7u
and inner function g (x) = x 2 :
d x2 2 d 2
7 = (ln 7) · 7(x ) · x
dx dx
2
= 2 ln 7 · x · 7x
d 5x
Example: Find 5 .
dx
Solution:
d 5x x d x
5 = (ln 5) · 55 · 5
dx dx
x
= (ln 5) · 55 · (ln 5) · 5x
x
= ln2 5 · 5x · 55
The Derivative of the Natural Logarithm function
dy
Example: Let y = ln x. Find .
dx
Solution:
We have e y = e ln x = x.
We take now the derivative on both sides:
d y d
e = x
dx dx
dy
ey · =1 (by the chain rule)
dx
dy 1 1
Thus: = y = , since e y = x.
dx e x
We have shown the following rule:
Theorem
d 1
ln x =
dx x
d
Example: Find ln(x 5x 3 ).
dx
Solution:
d 1 d
ln(x 5x 3 ) = · (x 5x 3 )
dx x 5x 3 dx
1
= 3
· (1 15x 2 )
x 5x
1 15x 2
=
x 5x 3
d
Example: Find x ln x.
dx
Solution:
d d d
x ln x = (x) · ln x + x · (ln x)
dx dx dx
1
= 1 · ln x + x ·
x
= 1 + ln x
d
Example: Compute logb x for any base b > 0.
dx
Solution:
ln x
We have logb x = .
ln b
Thus:
d d ln x 1 d 1 1
logb x = = · ln x = · . (Remember)
dx dx ln b ln b dx ln b x
d
Example: Compute log5 (log5 (x)).
dx
Solution:
d 1 1 d
log5 (log5 (x)) = · · log5 x
dx ln 5 log5 x dx
1 1 1 1
= · · ·
ln 5 log5 x ln 5 x
1
= 2
ln 5 · x log5 x
Logarithmic Di↵erentiation
dy
Let y = f (x), y 0 = dx = f 0 (x).
Theorem
d y0
ln y =
dx y
Indeed, by the chain rule:
d d 1 d 1 0 y0
ln y = ln(f (x)) = · f (x) = · f (x) = .
dx dx f (x) dx f (x) y
This is sometimes helpful to compute the derivative of a function
which is mainly a combination of products, quotients or powers:
1. Take ‘ln’ of both sides and expand using the folowing
rules:
I ln(AB) = ln A + ln B
I ln(A/B) = ln A ln B
I ln(An ) = n ln A
d
2. Take ‘ dx ’ of both sides, using the theorem for the left side.
3. Solve for y’.
dy
Example: Find by logarithmic di↵erentiation, given
p dx
y = 4 x sin3 x.
Solution: Step 1:
p
ln y = ln 4 x sin3 x
p
= ln( 4 x) + ln(sin3 x)
= ln(x 1/4 ) + ln((sin x)3 )
1
= 4 ln x + 3 ln(sin x)
Step 2:
d d 1 d
ln y = ln x) + (3 ln(sin x))
dx dx 4 dx
y 0 1 1 1
= · +3· · cos x
y 4 x sin x
Step 3:
⇥1 ⇤
y0 = + 3 cot x · y
4x
⇥ 1 ⇤p
y0 = + 3 cot x 4 x sin3 x
4x
Derivative of Inverse Functions
The trick we have used to compute the derivative of the natural
logarithm works in general for inverse functions.
Recall that the inverse function f 1 (x) of a function f (x) is
defined by the property that f (f 1 (x)) = x.
Warning: Do not confuse f 1 (x) with the reciprocal 1/f (x).
Theorem
d 1 1
f (x) =
dx f 0 (f 1 (x))
Proof: We di↵erentiate both sides of f (f 1 (x)) = x:
d d
f (f 1 (x)) = x
dx dx
d
f 0 (f 1 (x)) · f 1 (x) = 1 (by the chain rule)
dx
d 1
Thus: f 1 (x) = 0 .
dx f (f 1 (x))
Graphical Understanding
Inverses of the trigonometric functions
Inverses of the trigonometric functions
d
Example: Find arcsin x.
dx
Solution:
arcsin x = sin 1 x is the inverse function of sin x.
d
Since sin x = cos x, by the theorem for inverse functions:
dx
d d 1
arcsin x = sin 1 x =
dx dx cos(sin 1 x)
p
Using sin z + cos z = 1 or cos z = 1 sin2 z, we obtain:
2 2
d 1 1
arcsin x = q =p
dx 1 sin2 (sin 1
x) 1 x2
The arcus tangent function y = arctan x is defined for x 2 R with
⇡ ⇡
2 < y < 2.
d 1
Example: Find arctan x = tan (x).
dx
Solution:
We use again the theorem for the derivative of inverse functions.
d 1
Since tan x = sec2 x = we get:
dx cos2 x
d d 1
arctan x = tan 1 x = = cos2 (tan 1 x).
dx dx sec (tan 1 x)
2
1
Using sin2 z + cos2 z = 1 or tan2 z + 1 = , we obtain:
cos2 z
d 1 1
arctan x = =
dx 1 + tan2 (tan 1 x) 1 + x2
Theorem
f (x) f 0 (x)
1
arcsin x p
1 x2
1
arccos x p
1 x2
1
arctan x
1 + x2
1
arcsecx p
|x| x 2 1