2005 Michael Aryee(aryeemic@shu.

edu) Higher Order Derivatives Page 1

Worksheet ________________________________Name:________________

We can obtain information about the behavior of a given function f by studying the
behavior of the different derivatives of that function. If f is a given function, then its
derivative f ' (also called the first derivativeof the function) is also a function. The first
derivative f ' provides information about the steepness, or the slope of a tangent line to
the curve at any instant. The derivative of ' f , denoted as '' f , is called the second order
derivative of f. Similarly, we can consider the third, fourth, and higher order
derivatives of f whenever they exist. The table below represents the various notations for
the higher order derivatives.

Notations for the Higher-Order Derivatives

Name Notation
Assume ( ) y f x = and
( )
', '', ''', ...
n
f f f f exist, then
The First-Order Derivative
1
', ', , [ ( )], ( )
dy d
f y f x D f x
dx dx

The Second-Order Derivative
2 2
2
2 2
'', '', , [ ( )], ( )
d y d
f y f x D f x
dx dx

The Third-Order Derivative
3 3
3
3 3
''', ''', , [ ( )], ( )
d y d
f y f x D f x
dx dx

The
th
n -Order Derivative ( 4 n> )
( ) ( )
, , , [ ( )], ( )
n n
n n n
n n
d y d
f y f x D f x
dx dx



Find all derivatives of all orders of the function
4 3 2
( ) 2 5 10 8 f x x x x x = + + .
Solution: We have

3 2
2
(4)
(5)
'( ) 4 6 10 10
''( ) 12 12 10
'''( ) 24 12
( ) 24
( ) 0
f x x x x
f x x x
f x x
f x
f x
= +
= +
=
=
=

In fact
( )
( ) 0
n
f x = , for all 5 n> .
Higher order derivatives
Example of higher order derivatives

2005 Michael Aryee(aryeemic@shu.edu) Higher Order Derivatives Page 2


Find the third derivative of y=
3 2
5 x .

Solution: We must rewrite ) (x f in the form y = kx
-n
.
y =
3 2
5 x =
3
2
5x

so that
1
3
2
3
2
) 5 (

|
.
|

\
|
= x
dx
dy
=
3
3
3
2
3
2
1
) 5 (

|
.
|

\
|
x =
3
1
3
10

|
.
|

\
|
x


3
3
3
1
2
2
3
1
3
10

|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
= x
dx
y d
=
3
4
9
10

|
.
|

\
|
x


3
3
3
4
3
3
3
4
9
10

|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
= x
dx
y d
=
3
7
27
40

|
.
|

\
|
x =
3
7
27
14
x

Find the forth derivative of ) (x f =
3
8
x
.

Solution: We must rewrite ) (x f in the form ) (x f = kx
-n
.
f(x) =
3
8
x
= -8x
-3


4
4 1 3
24
24 ) 3 )( 8 ( ) (
x
x x x f = = = '




5
5 1 4
96
96 ) 4 )( 24 ( ) (
x
x x x f

= = = ' '




6
6 1 5
480
480 ) 5 )( 96 ( ) (
x
x x x f = = = ' ' '




7
7 1 6 ) 4 (
2880
2880 ) 6 )( 480 ( ) (
x
x x x f

= = =




Another example of higher order derivatives
Another example:

2005 Michael Aryee(aryeemic@shu.edu) Higher Order Derivatives Page 3


Question 1



Question 2



Question 3





Name:_______________________________

2005 Michael Aryee(aryeemic@shu.edu) Higher Order Derivatives Page 4
Question 4


Question 5



Question 6






2005 Michael Aryee(aryeemic@shu.edu) Higher Order Derivatives Page 5
Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10