ProdQuotChain.

nb 1

Product Rule (from last time)

Suppose that h(x) = f(x)g(x). Then the

derivative of h(x), h'(x) is given by

h'(x) = f'(x)g(x) + f(x)g'(x).

Example:
Let g(x) = (x5 - 2 x3 + 3 x)(3 x2 - 2 x + 7).
Find the equation of the line tangent to y=g(x)
when x=1.
Solution: Use the product rule to find g'(x)
g'(x) = (x5 2 x3 3 x)'(3 x2 2x 7)

+(x5 2 x3 3 x)(3 x2 2x 7)'

=(5 x4 - 6 x2 + 3)(3 x2 - 2 x + 7)+(x5 - 2 x3 + 3 x)(6 x - 2).

So the slope of our tangent line at x=1 is g'(1) which is

g'(1)=(5-6+3)(3-2+7)+(1-2+3)(6-2) = (2)(8)-(2)(4) = 8.

The point of tangency is (1,g(1)) =(1,(1-2+3)(3-2+7)) =

(1,16). The line through (1,16) with slope 8 has equation
y-16 = 8(x-1) or, equivalently y = 8x + 8.
ProdQuotChain.nb 2

Quotient Rule:

pHxL
Suppose that f(x) =
qHxL . Then the derivative

qHxL p' HxL pHxL q' HxL

HqHxLL2
f'(x) = .

Find the derivative of f HxL =

x10
.

x7
Example: The number of bacteria, N(t), in a
certain culture t minutes after a certain bactericide
is introduced obeys the rule

10,000
N(t) =
1+t 2 + 2000.

Find the rate of change of the number of bacteria

in the culture 1 minute and 2 minutes after the
bactericide is introduced. What is the bacteria
population at those instants?
ProdQuotChain.nb 3

Solution: Use the quotient rule to find N'(t), and

then find N'(1) and N'(2).

H1 t 2 L H10000L' H10000L H1 t 2 L'

H1 t 2 L2
N'(t) =

H1 t 2 L H0L H10000L H2 tL'

H1 t 2 L2 H1 t 2 L2
20000 t
= = .
This will provide the rate at which the size of the
culture changes at any time t.
20000 H1L 20000
H1 H1L L
N'(1) = 2 2
= 4
= -5000 bacteria/min.

20000 H2L 40000

H1 H2L2 L
N'(2) = 2 = 25
= -1600 bact. / min.

After 1 minute, there are N(1) = 10000

1 12
+2000 =
7000 bacteria in the culture and the culture is los-
ing bacteria at a rate of 5000 bacteria per minute.
After 2 minutes the bacteria population is N(2) =
10000
1 22
+2000 = 4000, and the loss rate is 1600
bacteria per minute.
ProdQuotChain.nb 4

Composing two functions, p(x) and q(x) in both

orders.

(pq)(x) = p(q(x)) and (qp)(x) = q(p(x))

!!!!!!!!!!!
Suppose that
p HxL x 3 and q HxL Hx 7L2 . Then
Hp qL HxL p Hq HxLL p HHx 7L2 L
"################
2 ######## "################
###########
Hx 7L 3 x 2 14 x 52.

Hq pL HxL q Hp HxLL
But in the other order we have

!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!
qI x 3 M I x 3 7M
2

!!!!!!!!!!!
Hx 3L 14 x 3 49
!!!!!!!!!!!

"################ ###########
x 14 x 3 52 . So

Hp qL HxL
!!!!!!!!!!!
x 2 14 x 52 while
Hq pL HxL x 14 x 3 52. Not equal.
ProdQuotChain.nb 5

Chain Rule
(for differentiating function compositions):
If h(x) = (fg)(x) = f(g(x)), then the derivative,
h'(x) = f'(g(x)) g'(x).

Examples in class!