Pratik N Sheth

Lecturer, Chemical Engineering Group

Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani - 333 031
Differential Calculus
What is Differential Calculus ?
The Calculus, comprising the Differential Calculus and the
Integral Calculus, is one of the great achievements of
Mathematics.

We normally regard it as the brain-child of Isaac Newton (1642-
1727)

The basic problem that led up to the development of the
Differential Calculus was that of constructing the tangent line to
an arbitrary curve at a given point.

But, for Newton,
the much more serious problem was that of describing motion
and making rigorous the concepts of velocity and acceleration.
What is Differential Calculus ?
The slope of a graph and the
tangent
Suppose we want to find the slope of the graph
y = f(x) at the point P(a; f(a)) on the graph.

We take another point Q(a + h; f(a + h))
close to P on the graph (either side) and
work out the slope of the chord PQ. This
comes out as shown below and called as
Newtons Quotient
Contd
What is Differential Calculus ?
Contd
We imagine Q moving closer and closer to P (h 0).
The slope of the line PQ will get closer and closer to the
slope of the tangent line at P.
Slope of the tangent line at P is given by
The limiting value of h shrinks to zero.

Slope of the tangent at P, is called the
derivative of f(x) at x = a
What is Differential Calculus ?
Contd
Example : The derivative of f(x) = x
2

the slope of the graph
y = x
2
at the point (2; 4) on the graph.
P is the point (2; 4) and Q is the point (2+h; (2+h)
2
)
Slope of the graph at (2; 4) is 4
What is Differential Calculus ?
Contd
We take the point P(a; a
2
) on
the graph the Newton Quotient
becomes
value of the derivative of f(x) = x
2

at
x = a is 2a
What is Differential Calculus ?
Contd
Increasing and Decreasing

positive slope of a line means that the line is sloping upwards
negative slope of a line means that it is sloping downwards.

if f (x) > 0 then the value of f(x) is increasing
if f (x) < 0 then the value of f(x) is decreasing

derivative of a constant function is zero

f (x) is always zero then f(x) is constant
What is Differential Calculus ?
Contd
Velocity
A car is moving along the x-axis and is in position x(t) at time
t (x is a function of t).
At a slightly later time t + h, it is in position x(t + h).
So, in time h it has covered distance x(t +h) x(t)
average speed between times t and t + h is

Speed at time t to be the limiting value of average speed (h 0)
0 1 2 3 4
0
10
20
30

y
x
2 3
2
+ + = x x y
Geometrical model
A positive
change of x
Increase in
x
Any change of
x, but zero
Increment in
x
If Ax is an increment in x, then Ay is the
corresponding increment in y, i.e. change in y
that occurs as a result of change in x
Notation for a change x
2
-x
1
in a variable x:

Symbol Means

Ax Change of any magnitude

ox Small change

dx infinitesimal change
(approaching zero)

cx infinitesimal change
under specified condition
Slope of a curve
0 1 2 3 4
0
10
20
30

y
x
2 3
2
+ + = x x y
Algebraic equation Geometrical model

+ A + + A + = A +
+ + =
2 ) ( 3 ) (
2 3
2
2
x x x x y y
x x y

A + A + A + + + = A +
+ + =
x x x x x x y y
x x y
3 2 2 3
2 3
2 2
2
( ) x x x x x x x y A + + A = A + A + A = A 2 3 2 3
2
x x
x
y
A + + =
A
A
2 3
Slope of a curve
0 1 2 3 4
0
10
20
30

y
x
2 3
2
+ + = x x y
Geometrical model
x x
x
y
A + + =
A
A
2 3 x x
x
y
2 3

+ + =
x
x
y
x
2 3

lim
0
+ =

x
x
y
x
y
x
2 3

lim
d
d
0
+ =

tangent at x = 3
has slope 9.
The derivative of the
function x
2
+3x+2 with
respect to x is 3 + 2x
Values of the increment ratio
for x = 3

ox oy

1 10 10
0.5 4.75 9.5
0.2 1.84 9.2
0.1 0.91 9.1
0.01 0.0901 9.01
0.001 0.009001 9.001
0.0001 0.00090001 9.0001
0.00001 0.0000900001 9.00001
x
y
Slope of a curve
Some Basic Derivatives
f(x) = x
n
where n is a positive integer.
Some Basic Derivatives
Contd
Some Basic Derivatives
Contd
Derivative of sin x where x is in radians
Rules of Differentiation
Examples
Examples
Contd
Examples
Contd
Examples
Contd
Examples
Contd
Chain Rule
Chain Rule
Example of Chain Rule
Example of Chain Rule
Contd
Higher Derivatives
The derivative of a function is a function and it may be
possible to differentiate it again and again and again.

The derivative of the derivative is called the Second
Derivative
The derivative of this is called the Third Derivative
Examples of Higher Derivatives
Slope = 0
Maximum of a
function
Not always true
Always true
Where a maximim
occurs ???
0 1 2 3 4
0
10
20
30

v
a
si
2
K
K
v
a
a
Va
m
+ +
=
Substrate inhibition in an
enzyme-catalyzed reaction
Slope = 0
at the maximum
A derivative
shows the slope !
0 1 2 3 4
0
10
20
30

v
a
si
2
K
K
v
a
a
Va
m
+ +
=
Substrate inhibition in an
enzyme-catalyzed reaction
Va a u = ) (
si
2
) (
K
K
a
a a w
m
+ + =
) (
v
a w
a u ) (
=
2
D Du
d
d
w
w u w
a

=
v
2
si
2
si
2
d
d
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +

=
K
K
K
K

v
a
a
Va
V
a
m
m
0 0
d
d
si
2
= =
K
K
v Va
V
a
m
si
K K =
m
a

y
x
Slope = 0
Maximum of a
function
Not always true
Always true
Maximum
slope = 0
Minimum
slope = 0
Function decreases
when x increases,
slope < 0
Function increases
when x increases,
slope > 0
'+ 0 ' is the sequence of signs of
first derivative around a
maximum.
' 0 +' is the sequence of signs of
first derivative around a
minimum.
A stationary point embraces
both maxima and minima.
A stationary
point
0 1 2 3 4
0
5
10
15
y
x
0 1 2 3 4
-5
0
5
10

y'
x
0 1 2 3 4
-10
-5
0
5
10

y''
x
9 12 3
d
d
2
+ = x x
x
y
12 6
2
= x
x
y
d
d
2
A maximum
corresponds to a
zero in first
derivative and
negative second
derivative.
A minimum
corresponds to a
zero in first
derivative and
positive second
derivative.
A inflection point
corresponds to a
stacionary point in
first derivative and
zero in second
derivative.
2 9 6
2 3
+ + = x x x y
p
RT
V =
???
d
d
=
T
V
) (T f p =
. all at ) ( if ,
d
d
0
0
T p T p
p
R
T
V
= =
. ) ( if , 0
d
d
T a T p
T
V
= =
RT pV =
Boyles law for
a mole of perfect gas
The partial derivative of
one variable with respect
to another is defined as
the result of differen-
tiating the expression
while treating all other
independent variables as
constants.
p
R
T
V
p
=
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
Treat p as a constant !
Use of special
symbol c
What variable(s)
is constant
Partial Differentiation
Let f(x,y) be a function of two independent variables x and y.
f has derivatives with respect to both x and y. These are the
partial derivatives
Partial Differentiation
Contd
Partial Differentiation
Contd
Product Rule
Partial Differentiation
Contd
Chain Rule
Higher Order Partial Derivative
Higher Order Partial Derivative
Contd
Thank You