First Way Simple Differentiation

This is called the power rule in most books.

This is how you go:

• multiply by the power and take one away
from the power
• Power(x) ( power - 1 )
So let’s go through the examples:
Example One
f(x) = 3 x21
f ’(x) = 21 × 3 x 21 - 1
= 63 x 20

The answer is f ’(x) = 63 x 20

Notice if you have a number there already just

times the number by the power.
Watch out for x 1/2 and x - 1, it is those negative
numbers again!!
f( x) = x 1/2
f ’(x) = 1/2 x - 1/2
= 1
2√ x
The answer is f ’(x) = 1
2√ x
f( x) = x - 1
f ’(x) = - 1 x - 2
= - 1
x2
The answer is f ’(x) = - 1/ x2
 Second Way Chain Rule Differentiation
This is where we have a slightly more
complicated looking function than the simple
differentiation function.
This method I call “The twist” as you use the
simple method with a twist at the end.
The function looks more complicated such as
3(x3 + 21 - 10x)7 or (x + 4x3)1/2
This is how you go:
• Differentiate as if it is simple, multiply by the
power and take one away from power.
• Because it is not simple, here is the twist
multiply by the derivative of the bracket.
• Simplify if possible
So let’s go through the examples
Example Two
f (x) = 3(x3 + 21 - 10x) 7

f ’(x) = (7 × 3) (x3 + 21 - 10x) 6

(3x2- 10)
(multiply by power) (Original bracket) Power-

1
(derivative of the bracket)

The answer is f’(x) = 21 (3x2- 10) (x3 +

21 - 10x) 6
Example Three
f (x) = (x + 4x3) 1/2
f ’(x) = 1/2 (x + 4x3) - 1/2

(1 + 12x2)
(multiply by power) (Original bracket) Power-

1
(derivative of the bracket)

(Using Simple differentiation)

The answer is f ’(x) = 1/2 (1 + 12x 2) (x

+ 4x 3) - 1/2

Third Way Logarithm Differentiation

I find it handy to put brackets around my x-
values to help when differentiating.
This is how you go:
• Put bracket around the expression being
logged.
• Use logarithm rules to simplify if possible.
• The answer is a fraction.
• The denominator is the original bracket.
• The numerator is the derivative of the
bracket.
So let’s go through the example:
Example Four
f (x) = ln x 3
+5x
f (x) = ln (x 3
+5x)
f ’(x) = 3x 2 + 5 Derivative of the bracket
(using simple differentiation in this case)
x 3 +5x Original Bracket
The answer is f ’(x) = 3x 2 + 5
x 3 +5x

Fourth Way Exponential Differentiation

This differentiation always has the original
function in the answer, once again I find it
handy to put brackets around the power.
This is how you go:
• Put brackets around the power.
• Write down the original exponential.
• Multiply by the derivative of the bracket.
f(x) = e(bracket)
f’(x) = e(bracket) . ( derivative of the bracket).
So let’s go through the example:
Example Five
f(x) = e (- 3x)
 f ’(x) = e (- 3x)
. (- 3 )
f ’(x) = e (bracket)
.( derivative of the bracket).
The answer is f ’(x) = - 3 e - 3x

Fifth Way Implicit Differentiation

This is not difficult and in one way is similar to
the chain differentiation. We write down
dy/dx or f ’(x) without saying or thinking that
differentiating y or f(x) gives us dy/dx or f ’(x)
as we are so worried about differentiating the x-
values on the other side. This time we have
not got “ y = some expression” instead we have
the x and y values mixed together.
This is how you go:
• Check to see if you can get the expression
into y = ......
• Differentiate the x-values as normal.
• Differentiate the y-values as if they are x-
values.
• But the twist is any y-value must be
multiplied by dy/dx.
• Move all terms with dy/dx to one side, all
other terms on the other side.
• Take dy/dx out as a factor and divide by the
bracket.
So let’s go through the example
Example Six
 y 2
+ 4y + 7 = e 6x

Now we cannot simplify the expression to y = .....

so follow the instructions
2y (2 - 1)
dy/dx + 4
dy/dx + 0 = 6 e6x
(Treat just (multiply by (Treat just
(multiply by = (Exponential
like x-value) dy/dx) like x-value)
dy/dx) Differentiation)
2y dy/dx + 4 dy/dx = 6 e 6x

dy/dx ( 2y + 4 ) = 6 e 6x
(Take dy/dx out
as a factor)

dy/dx = 6e 6x
( Divide by the
bracket)
( 2y + 4 )

The answer is f ’(x) = 6e 6x

( 2y + 4 )