Constant Rule

This is an easy one; whenever we have a constant (a number by itself without a variable), the derivative is just 0. So if we have y = 3 and
want the derivative of that function, it’s just 0.
Here is what it looks like in Theorem form:

Power Rule
The way I remember the power rule is take the exponent of a function and move it to the front (to multiply the rest by, including any
coefficients), and then take the exponent down a level. In order to use this though, we have to make sure it’s only x (or whatever the
variable is) that’s raised to that exponent.
So for example, if we have y=4x3, we move the 3 in front, and bring the x cubed down to x squared: dydx=3⋅4x3−1=12x2. Interestingly
enough, when we take the derivative of the volume of a sphere with respect to its radius, V=43πr3, we get the surface area of a
sphere, dVdr=3⋅43πr3−1=4πr2. Not a coincidence!
Here is what it looks like in Theorem form:
Product Rule
The product rule gets a little more complicated, but after awhile, you’ll be doing it in your sleep. Make it into a little song, and it becomes
much easier. And notice that typically you have to use the constant and power rules for the individual expressions when you are using the
product rule.
Only use the product rule if there is some sort of variable in both expressions that you’re multiplying. For example, use it when you have
something like x2(x+3), but not something like (5x2)(2); turn this into 10x2.
Also, if you can, you can turn exponents on the bottom to negative exponents; for example, 5x2=5x−2 .
So try to simplify your function first.
And note that when you have the product of two expressions with variables in it, the derivative is not just the product of their derivatives.
Here’s how I like to remember it: First times the derivative of the second PLUS second times derivative of the first. (Yes, that is a
PLUS in the middle).
Here is what it looks like in Theorem form:

Note that if you have a coefficient in front of two factors, you can either lump the coefficient with one of the factors (like the first one), or
take it out and multiply the whole derivative later. For example, for y=5x(x+1)3, the derivative can be obtained this way:

Note how we took out a greatest common factor (GCF) after taking the derivative, in order to simplify the expression.
Quotient Rule
First of all, remember that you don’t need to use the quotient rule if there are just numbers on the bottom – only if there are variables on
the bottom (in the denominator)!
One thing to remember about the quotient rule is to always start with the bottom, and then it will be easier. I remember it this
way: Bottom times the derivative of the top minus top times the derivative of the bottom, all over the bottom squared. Note that
that the top has a minus in it, not a plus.
Note that if you can separate a quotient into individual terms, it’s best to avoid the quotient rule. For example, if you have the
function f(x)=x3+3x, it’s best to divide both terms on the top by x to get f(x)=x2+3x=x2+3x−1 (You can’t do this with a function
like f(x)=xx3+3).
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Also note that you can typically turn any function that looks like a quotient into a product, using negative exponents. Some prefer to never
use the quotient rule, but to use the product rule instead! But as you practice differentiating, you’ll find the method that works best for you.

Here is what it looks like in Theorem form:

List of Rules
Here are all the rules, with some examples. Do you see how with the product and quotient rules, we may need to use the constant and
power rules? Also, when we have a (non-variable) coefficient, it’s typically easier to take it out first before we do the differentiation.

Note in all these cases, with what we’ve learned so far with these rules, the coefficient of the x must be 1 (unless we can take out the
coefficient from the whole expression).

Name Rule Example

Const
ant ddx(c)=0 f(x)=5f′(x)=0
Rule
Powe
r ddx(xn)=nxn−1 f(x)=5x9f′(x)=5⋅9x9−1=45x8
Rule

Prod f(x)=5(x3−8x)(x−2)
ddx(f(x)⋅g(x))=f(x)g′(x)+
uct f′(x)=5[(x3−8x)(x−2)′+(x−2)(x3−8x)′]=5[(x3−8x)(1−0)+(x−2)(3x2−8)]=5[x3−8x+3x3−8x−6
g(x)f′(x)
Rule x2+16]=5[4x3−6x2−16x+16]=20x3−30x2−80x+80
f(x)=x2+1x+1
Quoti ddx(f(x)g(x))=g(x)f′(x)−f
f′(x)=(x+1)(x2+1)′−(x2+1)(x+1)′(x+1)2=(x+1)(2x+0)−(x2+1)(1+0)(x+1)2=2x2+2x−x2−1(x+
ent (x)g′(x)(g(x))2
1)2=x2+2x−1(x+1)2
Rule g(x)≠0
More Examples
Here are more examples. Do you see how you need to be really up on your algebra with calculus?

Function Derivative Notes

Turn fraction with radical sign
into expression with negative
fractional exponent.
f(x)=1x+1−−
f(x)f′(x)=(x+1)−12=−12(x+1)−32=−12(x+1−−−−−√)3 Note that you could use the quotient
−−−√ rule, but there is no need since we can
simplify expression with an exponent,
and just use the Power rule.
You might think this might differentiate
to 8π, but notice that there’s no x on the
right-hand side, so the expression is
f(x)=4π2 f(x)=constantf′(x)=0
actually a constant.
Use the Constant rule, and the
derivative is 0.
It looks like we might have to use the
f(x)=3x3−2x2 quotient rule, but if we simplify the
f(x)f′(x)=3x−2+x−2=3−2x−3=3−2x3
+1x2 expression, we can just use the Power
Rule and the Sum and Difference Rule.
We don’t want to use the Product Rule
since the coefficient of the x’s in the two
f(x)=(2x−4)( factors aren’t 1 (we’ll learn later how to
f(x)f′(x)=6x2+2x−12x−4=6x2−10x−4=12x−10 handle this with the Chain Rule). In this
3x+1) case, just multiply (FOIL) out the
binomials and then use the Sum and
Difference and Power Rules.
We can multiply through first:
f(x)=(x5−−√4 We get the same thing using
)(x+4) f(x)f′(x)=x54(x+4)=x94+4x54=94x54+5x14=14x−−√4(9x+20)
the Product Rule:
 Function Derivative Notes
f′(x)=x54(1)+(x+4)(54x14)=x54+54x
54+5x14=94x54+5x14

f(x)=3x3−2x2 f′(x)=(x2+2)(9x2−4x)−(3x3−2x2+1)(2x)(x2+2)2=9x4−4x3+18x2−8x−(6x4−4 Since we can’t simplify this rational

+1x2+2 x3+2x)(x2+2)2=3x4+18x2−10x(x2+2)2 expression, we’ll use the Quotient Rule.
We could use the Quotient Rule, but we
can also simplify first, and then take the
derivative. Note that the function and
f(x)=x2−1x+1 f(x)f′(x)=(x−1)(x+1)x+1=x−1=1 derivative isn’t defined at x≠−1 (a
removable discontinuity, or hole).

Here is another example of where we have use the Power Rule twice, since we’re multiplying three factors:
Here are some problems where you have use to the product and quotient rules to find derivatives at certain points using functions,
or graphs of functions:
Derivatives of Trig Functions
You basically just have to memorize the derivatives of the basic trig functions. Here they are:
Here are a few examples; note that the sum and difference rules (and all the other rules) apply for trig derivatives, too:
Higher Order Derivatives
We can actually take the derivative of a function more than once; we’ll see this here in the Equation of the Tangent Line, Tangent Line
Approximation, and Rates of Change Section. We’ll see that the acceleration function is the derivative of the velocity function, which is
the derivative of the position function. (In this case, we would take the derivative twice of the position function to get the acceleration
function.)
The second derivative (and third derivative, and so on) is what we call a higher order derivative, and the notation looks like the following:

(Don’t let all this scare you; you’ll usually just be using one or two types of notation, and it will be pretty obvious).

And with polynomials, if we keep taking derivatives, we’ll eventually end up with 0; for example, for y=5x4−3x2+2x+3, we
have y′=20x3−6x+2,y”=60x2−6;y”′=120x;y(4)=120;y(5)=0.
Here are more problems; note that in the first case, we have what we call “indestructible derivatives” with the sin and cos, since we can
keep taking the derivative forever, and the functions never go away (you won’t end up with 0, as in the previous example with a
polynomial).