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Basic Differentiation - A Refresher 1
Contents
Foreword 2
Preliminary work 2
Reminders 3
Introduction 4
Foreword
The material in this refresher course has been designed to enable you to cope
better with your university mathematics programme. When your programme
starts you will find that the ability to differentiate confidently will be invalu-
able. We think that this is so important that we are making this course
available for you to work through either before you come to university, or
during the early stages of your programme.
Preliminary work
You are advised to work through the companion booklet An Algebra
Refresher before embarking upon this basic differentiation revision course.
You should attempt a range of questions from each section, and check your
answers with those at the back of the booklet. The more questions that you
attempt, the more familiar you will become with these vital topics. We have
left sufficient space in the booklet so that you can do any necessary working
within it. So, treat this as a work-book.
If you get questions wrong you should revise the material and try again until
you are getting the majority of questions correct.
If you cannot sort out your difficulties, do not worry about this. Your
university will make provision to help you with your problems. This may
take the form of special revision lectures, self-study revision material or a
drop-in mathematics support centre.
Reminders
Use this page to note topics and questions which you found difficult.
Seek help with these from your tutor or from other university support services as
soon as possible.
Introduction
Each section that follows will introduce a particular technique followed by several
problems for you to practice what you have learned.
At the end of the booklet you will find answers for each of the sections.
Included are some pages for you to make notes that may serve as a reminder to you of
any possible areas of difficulty. You should seek help with such areas of difficulty from your
tutor or other university support services.
To differentiate s = tn . Example
• Bring the existing power down and use it to multiply. s = t3
ds
• Reduce the old power by one and use this as the = 3t3−1
dt
new power.
ds
Answer = ntn−1 = 3t2
dt
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
ds dv da dy
(a) s = t9 , (b) v = t4 , (c) a = t5 , (d) y = x7 ,
dt dt dt dx
dy dV dP dA
(e) y = x12 , (f) V = r 3 , (g) P = v 6 , (h) A = r 2 ,
dx dr dv dr
dT dR dv dp
(i) T = θ8 , (j) R = t19 , (k) v = t11 , (l) p = V 10 ,
dθ dt dt dV
To differentiate s = t.
• The phrase ‘a unit power’ refers to the fact that the power is 1.
• Note that t is the same as t1 . We can use the previous rule.
• Differentiating the term t = t1 gives 1t0 = 1
ds
Answer =1
dt
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
dr dv da dy
(a) r = t, (b) v = t, (c) a = t, (d) y = x,
dt dt dt dx
dz dV dP dW
(e) z = y, (f) V = r, (g) P = v, (h) W = z,
dy dr dv dz
dT dQ dm dx
(i) T = θ, (j) Q = r, (k) m = s, (l) x = y,
dθ dr ds dy
3. Differentiation of a constant
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
ds dv 1 dθ dr
(a) s = 5, (b) v = 0.6, (c) θ = , (d) r = 1,
dt dt 2 dt dθ
dT dz dx df
(e) T = π, (f) z = 29.6, (g) x = 3−1 , (h) f = 2.7,
dt dx dt dx
dp √ dq 3 dw dm
(i) p = 4, (j) q = 2, (k) w = , (l) m = 2.7,
dr dt 4 dz dθ
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
ds dy dr dv
(a) s = 3t4 , (b) y = 7x3 , (c) r = 0.4θ5 , (d) v = 4r 3 ,
dt dx dθ dr
dA dT dv dp
(e) A = πr 2 , (f) T = 6θ4 , (g) v = 5t9 , (h) p = 6v 3 ,
dr dθ dt dv
dy dr dP dC
(i) y = 14x2 , (j) r = 5t7 , (k) P = 7v 6 , (l) C = 12N 8 ,
dx dt dv dN
Notes Page
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
dy ds dp
(a) y = 5x, (b) s = 6t, (c) p = 4v,
dx dt dv
dC dQ dz
(d) C = 7n, (e) Q = 0.5v, (f) z = πw,
dn dv dw
dN 1 dθ 1 dr
(g) N = 1.7n, (h) θ = t, (i) r = t,
dn 3 dt 4 dt
ds dw dR
(j) s = 3.14ω, (k) w = 5z, (l) R = 9.6φ,
dω dz dφ
ds
Answer = ntn−1 = −3.4t−4.4
dt
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
ds dy dr
(a) s = t2.8 , (b) y = x2/3 , (c) r = 0.4θ1/4 ,
dt dx dθ
dv dA dT
(d) v = 4r −3, (e) A = r 1/2 , (f) T = θ−6 ,
dr dr dθ
dv dp dy
(g) v = t−1 , (h) p = v −3.5 , (i) y = x3/4 ,
dt dv dx
dr dP dC
(j) r = t−1/3 , (k) P = v 1.8 , (l) C = N −6 ,
dt dv dN
ds
• Reduce the old power by one and use this as the new power. = −4 × 2.5t−4−1
dt
ds
Answer = antn−1 = −10t−5
dt
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
dy ds dp
(a) y = 5x1.5 , (b) s = 4t−3 , (c) p = 8v 1/2 ,
dx dt dv
dC dQ dz
(d) C = 6n−1 , (e) Q = 2v 0.5 , (f) z = 6w −2.5,
dn dv dw
dN 1 dθ dr
(g) N = 5.2n10 , (h) θ = t6 , (i) r = −5t−2 ,
dn 5 dt dt
ds dw dv
(j) s = 2.5p2.5 , (k) w = 15z −0.1 , (l) v = −3r −4 ,
dp dz dr
ds 1 1
• Add or subtract the results. = 2 × 3t2−1 ± × 6t 3 −1
dt 3
ds df dg ds df dg 2
Answer = + or = − = 6t ± 2t− 3
dt dt dt dt dt dt
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
ds dv da
(a) s = t2 + t3 , (b) v = 2t + 3t4 , (c) a = 3 + 4t,
dt dt dt
dv da ds
(d) v = 5t − 10t2 , (e) a = 3t4.5 − 4t−1 (f) s = 4t1/2 − 2.5t−2 ,
dt dt dt
dy dy 1 dx
(g) y = x2 + 3x4 (h) y = 2x−1 − x−2 , (i) x = 3y + y 2 ,
dx dx 4 dy
Notes Page
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
1 ds 2 ds 5 dy
(a) s = , (b) s = , (c) y = ,
t dt t2 dt x3 dx
2.4 dp 4.5 dv 10 da
(d) p = , (e) v = , (f) a = ,
r7 dr t1/2 dt t6 dt
4.9 dv 2.5 ds π dx
(g) v = , (h) s = , (i) x = ,
x4 dx θ3 dθ θ dθ
√
2 dθ 7 dz 3 dq
(j) θ = 5 , (k) z = , (l) q = ,
t dt 2x dx r 2.5 dr
a + btn
To differentiate s = . Example
ctm
a btn 4 + 3t2
• Rewrite as s = + . s=
ctm ctm 5t3
4 3t2
• Use power laws to simplify. = +
5t3 5t3
4t−3 3t−1
• Differentiate using previous rules. = +
5 5
ds 3 × 4t−3−1 3t−1−1
=− + (−1) ×
dt 5 5
ds amt−m−1 b 12t−4 3t−2
Answer =− + (n − m)tn−m−1 =− −
dt c c 5 5
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
4t + 1 ds 5t3 + 3t ds 5t2 + 3t + 1 dv
(a) s = , (b) s = , (c) v = ,
t dt t dt t3 dt
7 + 6x + 5x2 dy 3 + 5x dy 7 + 2t dz
(d) y = , (e) y = , (f) z = ,
x2 dx 4x dx 3t dt
2 + 5t + 2t3 dθ 8 + 6z 2 dw 3y + 2y 2 dx
(g) θ = , (h) w = , (i) x = ,
t2 dt 3z 4 dz 4y dy
Notes Page
• Bring the existing power down and use it to multiply. s = (3t + 6)5
• Reduce the old power by 1 and use this as the new power.
ds
• Multiply your results together. = 5 × (3t + 6)5−1 × 3
dt
ds
Answer = an(at + b)n−1 = 15(3t + 6)4
dt
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
ds dv dθ
(a) s = (2t + 3)6 , (b) v = (5 + 2t)7 , (c) θ = (0.4t + 1)2.5 ,
dt dt dt
dz da ds
(d) z = (πx + 2.4)10 , (e) a = (5t − 3)−2 , (f) s = (3 − 6t)−3 ,
dx dt dt
dy dy dz
(g) y = (4x − 1)1/2 , (h) y = (2 + 0.5t)3 , (i) z = (4x − 6)−0.5 ,
dx dt dx
ds df
Answer = n[ f (t) ]n−1. = 21t(5t3 − 3t2 + 1)6 (5t − 2)
dt dt
Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.
ds dr dv
(a) s = (3t2 + 2t + 4)5 (b) r = (4θ2 − 2θ + 1)−2 (c) v = (8x2 + 5x)2
dt dθ dx
dθ dp dy
(d) θ = (3t + 1)−1 (e) p = (5v 2 + 2)−2 (f) y = (t3 + t + 1)2
dt dt dt
dz ds dx
(g) z = (5x3 + 1)−4 (h) s = (2t + 1)4 (i) x = (3y 2 − 4y)3
dx dt dy
Notes Page
2
(a) s = (b) s = t1/2 (c) s = 4t−2
t
1 2t + 1 t3 − 3t + 4
(d) s = t (e) s = (f ) s =
3 t t2
2
(g) s = (5t + 1)4 (h) s = (3t + 1)−1 (i) s =
3t + 1
(j) s = 5t2 + 3t + 6 (k) s = 2t−3 + t4 (l) s = (2t + 3t−1 )−5
dy
2. In each of the following determine .
dx
3
(a) y = x1/2 (b) y = (x + 1)1/2 (c) y = +1
x
1
(d) y = 5x + (e) y = 5x2 (f ) y = 7(x2 + 1)5
x
7 + 2x 5
(g) y = (2x + 1)1/3 (h) y = (i) y =
x 3x2
(j) y = 4x−2 + 3x−1 (k) y = 24 − 2x−3/4 (l) y = (2x3 + 3x2 − 5x)2
dv
3. In each of the following determine .
dt
Answers to Problems
Section 1
(a) 9t8 (b) 4t3 (c) 5t4 (d) 7x6
Section 2
(a) 1 (b) 1 (c) 1 (d) 1
Section 3
(a) 0 (b) 0 (c) 0 (d) 0
Section 4
(a) 12t3 (b) 21x2 (c) 2θ4 (d) 12r 2
Section 5
(a) 5 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 7
Section 6
2 −1/3
(a) 2.8t1.8 (b) 3
x (c) 0.1θ−3/4 (d) − 12r −4
1 −1/2
(e) 2
r (f ) − 6θ−7 (g) − t−2 (h) − 3.5v −4.5
3 −1/4
(i) 4
x (j) − 31 t−4/3 (k) 1.8v 0.8 (l) − 6N −7
Section 7
Section 8
(e) 13.5t3.5 + 4t−2 (f ) 2t−1/2 + 5t−3 (g) 2x + 12x3 (h) − 2x−2 + 2x−3
y
(i) 3 +
2
Section 9
Section 10
(a) − t−2 (b) 10t (c) − 5t−2 − 6t−3 − 3t−4 (d) − 14x−3 − 6x−2
3 7 32 −5
(e) − x−2 (f ) − t−2 (g) − 4t−3 − 5t−2 + 2 (h) − z − 4z −3
4 3 3
1
(i)
2
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26 Basic Differentiation - A Refresher
Section 11
(a) 12(2t + 3)5 (b) 14(5 + 2t)6 (c) (0.4t + 1)1.5 (d) 10π(πx + 2.4)9
(e) − 10(5t − 3)−3 (f ) 18(3 − 6t)−4 (g) 2(4x − 1)−1/2 (h) 1.5(2 + 0.5t)2
Section 12
(a) 10(3t2 + 2t + 4)4 (3t + 1) (b) − 4(4θ2 − 2θ + 1)−3 (4θ − 1) (c) 2(8x2 + 5x)(16x + 5)
(g) − 60x2 (5x3 + 1)−5 (h) 8(2t + 1)3 (i) 6(3y 2 − 4y)2(3y − 2)
Section 13
Exercise 1
1 −1/2
(a) − 2t−2 (b) t (c) − 8t−3
2
(d) 1/3 (e) − t−2 (f ) 1 + 3t−2 − 8t−3
(j) 10t + 3 (k) − 6t−4 + 4t3 (l) − 5(2t + 3t−1 )−6 (2 − 3t−2 )
Exercise 2
1 −1/2 1
(a) x (b) (x + 1)−1/2 (c) − 3x−2
2 2
(d) 5 − x−2 (e) 10x (f ) 70x(x2 + 1)4
2 10 −3
(g) (2x + 1)−2/3 (h) − 7x−2 (i) − x
3 3
3 −7/4
(j) − 8x−3 − 3x−2 (k) x (l) 2(2x3 + 3x2 − 5x)(6x2 + 6x − 5)
2
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Basic Differentiation - A Refresher 27
Exercise 3
(a) 3 (b) − 2.1t−4 − 18t2 (c) − 2.5(5t − 6)−1.5
Acknowledgements
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be supplied in electronic format suitable for printing.
email: enquiries@mathcentre.ac.uk
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