11th grade
Basic Calculus
CHAIN
RULE
Prepared by: Teacher Mary Angelique P. Salazar
Chain Rule for Differentiation
The derivatives of polynomial functions raised to
the second power such as 𝑦 = (2𝑥 + 1)2 can be found
by either multiplying the polynomial by itself and
then finding the derivative of the product or by
using the rule for derivatives.
✓ 𝑦 = (2𝑥 + 1)(2𝑥 + 1) → apply Product Rule
𝑦 = 4𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 2𝑥 + 1
✓ 𝑦 = 4𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 1 → apply Sum & Difference Rule
Chain Rule for Differentiation
The derivatives of polynomial functions raised to
the second power such as 𝑦 = (2𝑥 + 1)2 can be found
9
𝑦 = (2𝑥 + 1)
by either multiplying the polynomial by itself and
then finding the derivative of the product or by
using the rule for derivatives.
✓ 𝑦 = (2𝑥 + 1)(2𝑥 + 1) → apply Product Rule
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 3
𝑦 = 4𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 2𝑥 + 1
✓ 𝑦 = 4𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 1 → apply Sum & Difference Rule
Chain Rule for Differentiation
The chain rule allows the differentiation
of composite functions, denoted by
(f ∘ g) (x)=f’(g(x)) •g’(x)
This rule states that:
The derivative of a composite function is the
derivative of the outer function multiplied
by the derivative of the inner function.
THEOREM:
CHAIN RULE FOR DIFFERENTIATION
𝑑 𝑑
𝑢𝑛 =𝑛 𝑢 𝑛−1 𝑢 (1)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
If 𝑢 = 𝑔 𝑥 and 𝑦 = 𝑓[𝑔(𝑥)]
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
= • (2)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
It’s important to distinguish the difference between power
rule and chain rule. When are you going to use such
rule?
POWER RULE CHAIN RULE
We use power rule if the given is: We use chain rule if the given is:
✓ 𝑦 = 𝑥3 ✓ 𝑦 = (𝑥 + 1)3
✓ 𝑦 = 𝑥 −10 ✓ 𝑦 = (𝑥 − 5)−10
✓ 𝑦 = 22𝑥 5 ✓ 𝑦 = (22𝑥 5 + 6𝑥 − 2)5
1 1
− −
✓ 𝑦 = 4𝑥 2 ✓ 𝑦 = (4𝑥 − 5) 2
Examples: 𝑦 = 5𝑥 + 3 3 Outside
Find the derivative. function
1. 𝑦 = (5𝑥 + 3)3 Inside function
Solution: This function has an “inside function” and an “outside function”.
To answer this problem, it is important to recall the
𝑑
Power Rule which is 𝑥 𝑛 = 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−1 .
𝑑𝑥
The only difference is that we still need to find the
derivative of the inside function.
Thus, if we let u be the inside function the rule then
𝑑 𝑑
becomes 𝑢𝑛 =𝑛 𝑢 𝑛−1 𝑢 which is theorem (1).
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
Examples: THEOREM 1
Find the derivative. 𝑑 𝑛 𝑛−1 𝑑
𝑢 =𝑛 𝑢 𝑢
1. 𝑦 = (5𝑥 + 3)3 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
Solution: Let 𝑢 = (5𝑥 + 3) & 𝑛 = 3.
𝑑𝑦 3−1
𝑑
= 3 (5𝑥 + 3) (5𝑥 + 3)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= 3 (5𝑥 + 3)2 5
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 2
= 15 5𝑥 + 3
𝑑𝑥
Examples: THEOREM 2 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
Find the derivative. = •
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
1. 𝑦 = (5𝑥 + 3)3
Alternative If we let 𝑢 = (5𝑥 + 3), then the given function will become 𝑦 = 𝑢3 .
Solution: So, we now have 𝒚 = 𝒖𝟑 & 𝒖 = (𝟓𝒙 + 𝟑).
Derivative of 𝒚 = 𝒖𝟑 Derivative of 𝒖 = (𝟓𝒙 + 𝟑)
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
= 3 𝑢3−1 =5 1 +0
𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒖
= 3𝒖2 =𝟓
𝒅𝒖 𝒅𝒙
Examples: THEOREM 2 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
Find the derivative. = •
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
1. 𝑦 = (5𝑥 + 3)3
Alternative If we let 𝑢 = (5𝑥 + 3), then the given function will become 𝑦 = 𝑢3 .
Solution: So, we now have 𝒚 = 𝒖𝟑 & 𝒖 = (𝟓𝒙 + 𝟑).
Derivative of 𝒚 = 𝒖𝟑 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑢
= 3 𝑢3−1 = 3𝑢2 • 5
𝒅𝒚
𝑑𝑥
= 3𝒖2 𝑑𝑦 Remember: We let 𝑢
𝒅𝒖 2
Derivative of 𝒖 = (𝟓𝒙 + 𝟑) = 15𝑢 be equal to 5𝑥 + 3 .
𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
=5 1 +0
𝑑𝑥
𝒅𝒖 𝑑𝑦
=𝟓 = 15 ൫5𝑥 + 3)2
𝒅𝒙 𝑑𝑥
2. 𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 𝟏
Solution: We can rewrite the given function to 𝒚 = (𝟓𝒙 − 𝟐) 𝟐
RECALL: In rewriting, the exponent is
1
𝑥 ⇔ 𝑥 2 the numerator and the index
5 (root) is the denominator.
𝑥5 ⇔ 𝑥 2
7 Index → 3
3
𝑥7 ⇔ 𝑥 3 𝑥7
1
2𝑥 + 1 ⇔ (2𝑥 +1) 2
2
5
(4𝑥 + 3)2 ⇔ (4𝑥 + 3) 5
THEOREM 1
2. 𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 𝑑 𝑛 𝑛−1 𝑑
Solution: Let 𝑢 = 5𝑥 − 2 & 𝑛 =
1 𝑢 =𝑛 𝑢 𝑢
2 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
1
𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 2
𝑑𝑦 5
𝑑𝑦 1 1 𝑑 = 1
2−1
𝑑𝑥
= 5𝑥 − 2 5𝑥 − 2 2 5𝑥 − 2 2
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 5
𝑑𝑦 1 1
−2 =
= 5𝑥 − 2 5 𝑑𝑥 2 5𝑥 − 2
𝑑𝑥 2
𝑑𝑦 5 1
−2
= 5𝑥 − 2
𝑑𝑥 2
THEOREM 2
2. 𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 1 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
Alternative Solution: 𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 2 = •
1 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
Let 𝑢 = (5𝑥 − 2) then the given function will become 𝑦 = 𝑢 .
2
𝟏
Derivative of 𝒚 = 𝒖 : 𝟐 Derivative of 𝒖 = (𝟓𝒙 − 𝟐):
𝑑𝑦 1 1−1 𝑑𝑢
= 𝑢2 =5 1 −0
𝑑𝑢 2 𝑑𝑥
𝒅𝒚 1 −1 𝒅𝒖
= 𝒖 2 =5
𝒅𝒖 2 𝒅𝒙
THEOREM 2
2. 𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 1 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
Alternative Solution: 𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 2 2 = •
1 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥
Let 𝑢 = (5𝑥 − 2) then the given function will become 𝑦 = 𝑢 .
2
𝟏
Derivative of 𝒚 = 𝒖𝟐 : 𝑑𝑦 1 −1
= 𝒖 2•5
𝑑𝑦 1 1−1 𝑑𝑥 2
= 2 𝑢
𝑑𝑢 2
𝑑𝑦 5 −1
𝒅𝒚 1 −1 = 𝑢 2
= 𝒖 2 𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑦 5
𝒅𝒖 2 =
Derivative of 𝒖 = (𝟓𝒙 − 𝟐): 𝑑𝑦 5 𝑑𝑥 2 5𝑥 − 2
𝑑𝑢 = 1
=5 1 −0 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑢2
𝒅𝒖
=5 𝑑𝑦 5
𝒅𝒙 =
𝑑𝑥 1
2 5𝑥 − 2 2
Solve the following problems on the board.
1. 𝑦 = (2𝑥 3 − 4)4
4
2. 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 3