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ONE LAST DERIVATIVE…

CALCULUS | PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

In Algebra, you learned about inverses. Inverse points, and inverse functions. Inverses are useful because they
undo other functions.

For example, the inverse of f (x) = x 3 is g(x) = 3 x and the inverse of g(x) = 3 x is f (x) = x 3 . In other words,
if you have something cubed, you can “undo” it by taking the cubed root of it. And similarly, if you have the
cube root of something, you can “undo” it by cubing it.

When you’re solving for x: When you’re solving for x:

x3 = 4 3
x =4
3
x =34
3
( 3 x )3 = (4)3
x= 3 4 x = 64

Let’s remind you what things look like when we graphed inverse points and inverse functions.

1. Plot f (x) = x 3 (create a table!)

Pick the easiest points! No calc!
Input Output

2. Plot g(x) = 3 x (create a table!)

Pick the easiest points! No calc!
Input Output

3. Now draw a star at a point, and

then draw a star at the inverse
point. Do this again for another
point, but with a square.
4. (a) In calculus, we think about lines a lot. Mainly… in terms of tangent lines. So here’s a line. (I drew a triangle
to make the slope super clear.) Your task? Draw the inverse line. In fact, even draw the inverse triangle so you
can clearly see the slope of the new line! Be accurate with the points you’re drawing!

(b) Based on this picture, you can hopefully see that: if you have a line with a particular slope, and you graph
the inverse line… the slope of the inverse line will be _______________.

Okay…. So now I’m going to show you (on the next page) a graph of the basic exponential function and it’s
inverse. And I’m going to ask you a few questions about it. This is going to help us find one last derivative that
you have to know if you’re taking a calculus course.
The solid graph is simply f (x) = e x and the dashed graph is the inverse, which we will call g(x) .

5. (a) Draw the tangent line (use

a straightedge, like a side of a
folder or calculator case) at the
labeled point on f(x).

(b) I claim the slope of that

tangent line is b. Why?
[Remember that the graph is
f (x) = ex .]

6. (a) The inverse point for (a,b) is

( ___ , ___ ). Draw and label this
point on the graph.

(b) Draw the tangent line to

g(x) at this inverse point.

(c) What is the slope of this

tangent line? ____________.

7. The slope of the tangent line/derivative for f (x) [the solid line] is related to the [circle one: INPUT / OUTPUT]
variable of the function.

The slope of the tangent line/derivative for g(x) [the dashed line] is related to the [circle one: INPUT /
OUTPUT] variable of the function.

8. Mr. Shah claims “The slope of the tangent line/derivative for g(x) is x .”
1
Mr. James claims “The slope of the tangent line/derivative for g(x) is .”
x
Ms. Stutt claims “Neither of you two fools is right.”

Who is right? How do you know?

9. Let’s check it out… Sketch the derivative of g(x) . Does it match what you thought in #8?

10. Back in Algebra II, you learned the derivative of f (x) = e x is g(x) = _____________ .

11. Find the derivatives of the following:

(a) y = ln(x) (b) y = ln(x 2 ) (c) y = ln(2x) (d) y = ln(7x)

(e) y = x ln(x) (f) y = x 3 ln(x) ln(x) (h) y = x 3 ln(x5 )

(g) y =
x