MA103 Lab Notes

The Chain Rule (Text: 3.4)

When applying the Chain Rule, we often want to think of a given function as a composition of two or more functions.
For example, f (x) = 2 sin3 (4x) can be expressed as the composition r ◦ s ◦ t where t (x) = 4x, s (x) = sin x and
r (x) = 2x3 ; that is, f (x) = r (s (t (x))).
Expressions which can be thought of as the composition of two or more differentiable functions are differentiated
using the Chain Rule:
′ ′
[f (g (x))] = f ′ (g (x)) · g ′ (x), and [f (g (h (x)))] = f ′ (g (h (x))) · g ′ (h (x)) · h′ (x), etc.
n n−1
Combining the Chain and Power rules, we arrive at: dx d
[f (x)] = n [f (x)] · f ′ (x), n ∈ R.
d 1/2 −1/2
= 12 x2 + 3x · (2x + 3) = 2√2x+3



Examples: dx x2 + 3x x2 +3x
3 3 2
d
dx 2 sin (4x) = d
dx 2 (sin (4x)) = 6 (sin (4x)) · (cos (4x) · 4) = 24 cos (4x) sin2 (4x)
An alternative statement of the Chain Rule is: When y is a differentiable function of u [i.e., y = f (u) ] and u
dy dy du dy
is a differentiable function of x [i.e., u = g (x) ], then dx = du · dx . Also note that dx is usually then expressed
in terms of the variable x only.

Derivatives of:

1. Trigonometric Functions:

d d d
sin x = cos x cos x = − sin x tan x = sec2 x
dx dx dx
d d d
csc x = − csc x cot x sec x = sec x tan x cot x = − csc2 x
dx dx dx
d
Note: By the Chain Rule, (sin(f (x)) = cos(f (x)) · f ′ (x), etc.
dx
2. Exponential Functions:
d x d x
[e ] = ex [a ] = ax · ln a
dx dx

d  f (x)  d  f (x) 
Note: By the Chain Rule, e = ef (x) · f ′ (x) and a = af (x) · ln a · f ′ (x)
dx dx
3. Inverse Trigonometric Functions:
d 1 d 1 d 1
(sin−1 x) = √ (cos−1 x) = − √ (tan−1 x) =
dx 1 − x2 dx 1 − x2 dx 1 + x2
d 1 d 1 d 1
(csc−1 x) = − √ (sec−1 x) = √ (cot−1 x) = −
dx x x2 − 1 dx x x2 − 1 dx 1 + x2
d 1
Note: By the Chain Rule, (sin−1 (f (x))) = p · f ′ (x)
dx 1 − (f (x))2
4. Logarithmic Functions:
d 1 d 1
[ln x] = [loga x] =
dx x dx x ln a
d g ′ (x) d g ′ (x)
Note: By the Chain Rule, [ln g (x)] = and [loga g (x)] = .
dx g (x) dx g (x) · ln a

Implicit Differentiation (Text: 3.5)

1
When the dependent variable [say y] is implicitly defined in terms of the independent variable [say x ], and it is not
dy
possible or convenient to find y explicitly in terms of x, we find y ′ = dx as follows: for the equation linking x and
y, differentiate both sides with respect to x as usual, except for expressions involving y. For such expressions, use
standard differentiation techniques, such as the product, quotient and Chain Rules, and known formulae, with the
additional formula
d dy
f (y) = f ′ (y) = f ′ (y) y ′ .
dx dx
For example, if xy = sin (x + y) , then differentiating with respect to x yields:
(1) (y) + (x) (1 · y ′ ) = (cos (x + y)) (1 + 1 · y ′ )
cos (x + y) − y
and finding y ′ in terms of x and y by simple algebra gives y ′ = .
x − cos (x + y)

Logarithmic differentiation (Text: 3.6)

We have four cases to consider when differentiating exponential functions depending on whether each of the base
and the exponent consist of a constant or variable expression. If a and b denote constants, with a > 0, then
d  b d b b−1 d  h(x) 
a = 0, [g (x)] = b · [g (x)] · g ′ (x), a = ah(x) · h′ (x) · ln a.
dx dx dx
h(x)
The fourth case involves an exponential function of the form f (x) = [g (x)] . We can determine f ′ by logarithmic
differentiation or by first expressing f with base e and then differentiating.
Using logarithmic differentiation involves taking the “ln” of both sides of the equation (i.e. ln |f (x)| = ln g(x)h(x) ), us-
f ′ (x) d
ing properties of logarithms (i.e. ln |f (x)| = h(x) ln |g(x)|), using implicit differentiation (i.e. = (h(x) ln |g(x)|),
f (x) dx
and then solving for f ′ (x).

Lab Preparation
1. Complete recommended homework found on course outline.
2. Complete WeBWorK homework assignment (link found on MyLearningSpace).

3. Review the Maple Worksheet.