Review Notes Differential Calculus

Differential Calculus is a field of mathematics which Evaluate the following limits:

deals with the study of how functions change when
𝑥+2 𝑥2 − 1 𝑥 3 − 2𝑥 + 5
their inputs change. lim lim lim
𝑥→1 𝑥 − 1 𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 3 − 7
𝑥→3 𝑥 − 2

The rate of change of a function with respect to a 𝑥+2 𝑥2 − 1 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 12

chosen input value is called derivative. lim lim lim
𝑥→2 𝑥 − 2 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 − 1 𝑥→−3 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥

A closely related notion is the differential, which means sin 3𝑥 𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 5

lim lim
“incremental change”. 𝑥→0 𝑥 𝑥→1 (𝑥 − 1)2

The process of taking the derivative of a function is The Derivative

called differentiation.
The derivative of the function y = f(x), denoted by f ’(x)
The Limit of a Function or dy/dx is defined as the instantaneous rate of change
of the function y with respect to its independent
The limit of a function describes what happens to a variable x.
function as the independent variable approaches a
particular value.

Limits involving algebraic operations are often 𝑑𝑦

= 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 𝑦′
performed by replacing sub-expressions by their limits. 𝑑𝑥

Properties of Limits
Δ𝑦
= average rate of change
Provided that the limits of f(x) and g(x) exist Δ𝑥

The derivative is the instantaneous rate of change. Thus:

𝑑𝑦 Δ𝑦 𝑓(𝑥 + Δ𝑥) − 𝑓(𝑥)

= lim = lim
𝑑𝑥 Δ𝑥→0 Δ𝑥 Δ𝑥→0 Δ𝑥

Derivative of Functions

Given a = constant, u = f(x), v = g(x), u’= du/dx, and

v’= dv/dx

Derivative of a constant (𝑎)′ = 0

(𝑎𝑢)′ = 𝑎𝑢′
Derivative of a product (𝑢𝑣)′ = 𝑢𝑣 ′ + 𝑣𝑢′
Limits Involving Infinity
𝑢 ′ 𝑣𝑢′ − 𝑢𝑣 ′
Derivative of quotient ( ) =
𝑣 𝑣2

Derivative of Powers (𝑢𝑛 )′ = 𝑛𝑢𝑛−1 𝑢′

Linearity property [𝑢 + 𝑣]′ = 𝑢′ + 𝑣′

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
Chain rule: If y = f(u) and u = g(x), = ∙
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑥

Mean Value Theorem

If f is differentiable on the
interval (a, b) and continuous 𝑓(𝑏) − 𝑓(𝑎)
𝑓 ′ (𝑐) =
at the endpoints, there exists 𝑏−𝑎
a c in (a, b) such that

Prepared by: Engr. Jefril M. Amboy, MSc. (2023)

Review Notes Differential Calculus
Derivative of Common Functions 19. If the radius of the sphere is measured as 5 in with a
possible error of 0.02 inch, find the approximate error and
the percentage error in the computed value of the
volume.
20. Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the
curve y = x3 – 2x2 + 4 at (2, 4).

Maxima and Minima

Problems:
1. Find the derivative of 𝑥√1 + 𝑥 3 and evaluate the
derivative at x = 2.
𝑥+1 21. Given the function 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 − 9𝑥 2 + 15𝑥 − 3 . Determine
2. Find the derivative of y given that 𝑦 = 𝑥+2 the following:
3. Differentiate: y = arctan (3x). A. maximum point
4. Differentiate: y = [sin–1(4x)]2 B. minimum point
5. Determine dy/dx: 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 4𝑥 − 3𝑦 + 1 = 0 C. Point of inflection
6. Given x2 – xy +y2 = 3x, solve for y’. 22. What is the area of the largest rectangle that can be
7. Find the derivative of y = xx with respect to x. inscribed in a semi circle of radius 5 cm?
8. Find the partial derivative of 2x2y + xy2 with respect to x. 23. The sum of two numbers is 21. The product of one of the
9. Find the partial derivative of sin 𝑦 𝑒 3𝑥 + ln 2𝑦 cos 𝑥 numbers by the square of the other is to maximum, what
with respect to y. are the numbers?
𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧
10. If z = 5x4 + 2x3y2 – 3y, find and 24. What is the largest possible volume of a right circular
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 cylinder if it is inscribed in a sphere of radius 5?
11. Given y = 4 sin 3x cos 2t, find 𝜕𝑥 and 𝜕𝑡
25. A person in a rowboat is 3 km from a point P on a
12. Find the equation of the tangent and normal lines to the
straight shore while his destination is 5 km directly east of
curve y = x3 – 2x2 + 4 at (2, 4).
point P. If he can row 4 kph and walk 5 kph, how far from
13. The equation of the curve is 4y2 = x2(2 – x2). Determine
his destination must he land on the shore in order to
the equations of the tangents at the origin. Find the angle
reach his destination in shortest possible time.
between the tangents.
26. A kite, at a height of 60 ft is moving horizontally at a rate
14. The distance x meters moved by a car in a time t seconds
of 5 ft/s away from the boy who flies it. How fast is the
is given by x =3t3 − 2t2 + 4t −1. Determine the velocity
cord being released when there are 100 ft out?
and acceleration when (a) t =0 and (b) t =1.5 s.
27. Water is flowing into a conical reservoir 20 ft deep and 10
15. A particle moves along the path defined by the equation
ft across the top, at a rate 15 cu. Ft. per minute. Find how
x(t) = 3t3 – 4t2 + 6 where x is the displacement in meters.
fast is the water rising when it is 8 ft deep?
A. Determine its average velocity after 2 seconds.
28. A runner and his trainer are standing together on a
B. What is its velocity at t = 2?
circular track of radius 100 meters. When the trainer gives
C. Find the acceleration of the particle after 1 second?
a signal, the runner starts to run around the track at a
16. The height in feet at any time t in seconds of a projectile
speed of 10 m/s. How fast is the distance between the
thrown vertically is h(t) = -16t2 + 256t
runner and the trainer increasing when the runner has run
A. What is the maximum height reached by the
1/4 of the way around the track?
projectile. When did this occur?
29. A light is at the top of a pole 80 ft high. A ball is dropped
B. With what velocity and when did the projectile hit the
at the same height from a point 20 ft from the light. If the
ground?
ball falls according to y = 16t2, how fast is the shadow of
17. Boyle’s Law states that when a gas is compressed at
the ball moving along the ground 1 second later?
constant temperature, the product of its pressure and
30. The base of a right triangle grows 2 ft/s, the altitude
volume remains constant. If the pressure of the gas is 80
grows 4 ft/s. If the base and altitude are originally 10 ft
lb/in2 when the volume is 40 in3, find the rate of change
and 6 ft respectively, find the time rate of change of the
of pressure with respect to the volume when the volume
base angle when that angle is 45 degrees.
is 20 in3.
18. A spherical snowball is melting in such a way that its
surface area decreases at the rate of 1 sq. in. per min.
How fast is the radius decreasing when r = 3 in.?

Prepared by: Engr. Jefril M. Amboy, MSc. (2023)