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Differentiation. ​

It's a warm summer evening in ancient Greece...

::: author Apollonius of Perga A tangent to a curve C is a line l that intersects C, such that no other line could fall between l and C. :::

Finding the tangent Using a limit. ​

  • the line through P an Q is called a secant.
  • the tangent to the curve (at P) is the limit of the secant line for Q approaching P.
  • the slope of the secant through P and Q is:
f(x0+h)−f(x0)h
  • The slope of the tangent to C at P is
limh→0f(x0+h)−f(x0)h

Differentiability and continuity ​

Definition

Let f be a function defined on an open interval I, and let x0∈I the derivative of f at x0 is

f′(x0)=limh→0f(x0+h)−f(x0)h

provided this limit exists.

  • If the limit exists we say: f is differentiable at x0

  • When a function is differentiable it is also continuous.

  • But a function can be continuous but not differentiable.

Possible notations for derivatives: ​

  • f′(x0)
  • dfdx(x0)
  • fx(x0)

Differentiation Rules 📜 ​

  • Sum Rule: ddx(f+g)(x)=f′(x)+g′(x)
  • Difference Rule: ddx(f−g)(x)=f′(x)−g′(x)
  • Constant multiple Rule: k⋅fx=k⋅f′(x)
  • Product Rule: ddx(f⋅g)(x)=f′(x)⋅g(x)+f(x)g′(x)
  • Quotient Rule: ddx(fg)(x)=f′(x)⋅g(x)−f(x)⋅g′(x)g(x)2
  • Chain Rule: ddxf(g(x))=f′(g(x))⋅g′(x)

Derivatives of elementary functions: ​

f(x)f′(x)condition
c0c∈R
x12xx>0
1x−1x2x≠0
xααxα−1α∈R
exex
ln⁡x1xx>0
sin⁡xcos⁡x
cos⁡x−sin⁡x
arcsin⁡x11−x2\absx<1
arccos⁡x−11−x2\absx<1
arctan⁡x1x2+1

The tangent Line: ​

info

Let f be differentiable at a. The tangent line to the graph of f at P(a, f(a)) is given by the equation:

y=f(a)+f′(a)(x−a)

Linearization ​

the function L is called the linearization of f at a. (it's the tangent line)

L(x)=f(a)+f′(a)(x−a)

Linearization as approximation: ​

  • linearizations can be used as an approximation for a more complicated function.
  • linearizations have less error the closer x is to the point at which you linearized (a in the tangent equation)

Extreme Values: ​

Definition

Let f be a real function with domain D. Let c∈D.

  • f has an absolute maximum value on D at c if:
∀x∈D[f(x)≤f(c)]
  • f has an absolute minimum value on D at c if:
∀x∈D[f(x)≥f(c)]

Extreme Value info

Conditions:

  • function f is continuous on interval [a, b]
  • interval [a, b] is closed == (a and b are included in the interval)
  • interval [a, b] is bounded == (a and b are real numbers)

Result:

  • f attains both an absolute maximum value and an absolute minimum value on [a, b].

Local Extrema: ​

Definition

Let f be a real function with domain D. Let c∈D.

  • f has an local maximum value at c if there exists an open interval I containing c such that:
∀x∈I∩D[f(x)≤f(c)]
  • f has an local minimum value at c if there exists an open interval I⊆D:
∀x∈I∩D[f(x)≥f(c)]

First Derivative info

If f has a local maximum or minimum value at an interior point c of it's domain, and f' is defined at c, then f'(c) = 0

If: f:I→R has a local extreme value at c: The requirements of the info do not hold:

  • c is not an interior point of I
  • f is not differentiable at c. Or:
  • f′(c)=0.

Critical points ​

Definition

An interior point of the domain of f where f' is undefined or where f'(c) = 0 is called a critical point of f.

  • A critical point is not necessarily a local extreme.

Finding absolute extrema: ​

  1. Find all points (a, b) where f' does not exist.
  2. Find all c∈(a,b) where f'(c) = 0.
  3. Calculate the f(x) for x = [a, b, points that don't exist, points c where f'(c) = 0]
  4. The largest value is the absolute maximum value.
  5. The smallest value is the absolute minimum value.

L'Hôpital's rule ​

Indeterminate form 00 ​

L'Hôpital's rule

Suppose that f(c) = g(c) = 0, that f and g are differentiable on an open interval I containing c and that g′(x)≠0 on I if x≠c,

limx→cf(x)g(x)=limx→cf′(x)g′(x)

assuming that the limit on the right side of the equation exists.

  • if the limit on the right hand side is of type 00 you can apply L'Hôpital again.

Indeterminate form ∞∞ ​

  • L'Hôpital's rule is also correct when c=∞ or c=−∞

Indeterminate form 0⋅∞ ​

For limits of the type: 0⋅∞ you can write the limit as a fraction to be able to apply L'Hôpital.

  • limx→cf(x)⋅g(x)=limx→cf(x)1g(x)
  • limx→cf(x)⋅g(x)=limx→cg(x)1f(x)

Indeterminate form 0∞ and similar ​

If a limit of type limx→cf(x)g(x) after substitution results in a limit of type 0∞,∞0 or 1∞ then it should be written as:

limx→cf(x)g(x)=limx→ceg(x)ln⁡f(x)
  • first calculate L=limx→cg(x)ln⁡f(x) (hopital may be needed at this step)
  • then limx→cf(x)g(x)=eL