Mathematics: Introduction to Calculus

Table of Contents

  • Calculus is the study of continous change
  • Calculus is used to find the gradient of a graph, the maximum and minimum values, the area under or over a graph, inflection points, etc.

Derivation

  • A derivation is a function which generalises some property of another function
  • the derivative of f(x) (say “f of x”) is f(x) (say “f prime of x”)

Rules (Copy into notes)

  • f(x)=dydxx=y
  • f(a)=0 if a is a number/constant
  • f(ax)=a if a is a number/constant
  • f(axn)=anxn1 if a and n are a numbers/constants
  • f(ex)=ex
  • f(ax)=ln(a)ax
  • ln(x)=1ln(x)1x

Common Graphs

Quadratic

Cubic

Quartic

Hyperbola

Exponentials other than ex

ln

First Principle

  • The first principle is used to calculate the derivative of a graph

fx=limh0f(x+h)f(x)h

Example of First Principle

Find the first derivative of f(x)=x4+5x+3
  1. Define f(x)

f(x)=x4+5x+3

  1. define f(x+h)

f(x+h)=(x+h)4+5(x+h)+3

  1. State the First Principle

fx=limh0f(x+h)f(x)h

  1. Substitute f(x) and f(x+h) into First Principle

=limh0(x+h)4+5(x+h)+3(x4+5x+3)h

  1. Expand f(x) and f(x+h) where possible

=x4+4x3h+6x2h2+4xh3+h4+5x+5h+3x45x3h

  1. Eliminate as many variables as possible from the numerator

=x4+4x3h+6x2h2+4xh3+h4+5x+5h+3x45x3h =4x3h+6x2h2+4xh3+h4+5hh

  1. factorise numerator to eliminate h

=h(4x3+6x2h+4xh2+h3+5)h \(=4x^3 +6x^2 h +4xh^2 +h^3 +5)

  1. Substitute h=0

(4x3)+(6x20)++(4x(0)2)+(0)3+5 =4x3+5

  1. Answer the question

ddx(x4+5x+3)=4x3+5

Shortcuts for the First Princple

  • Here’s some convenient shortcuts for people who don’t want to waste time doing all the steps of the First Principle
  • Use these unless a question SPECIFICALLY asks for First Principle
  • Note that anything except x, y and t represent NUMBERS
  • Remember, differentiation is just finding the gradient of a curve!!!
  1. ddx(a)=0
  2. ddxax=a
  3. ddxaxn=(an)xn1
  4. ddx(A+B)=ddx(A)+ddx(B)
  5. ddx(AB)=ddx(A)ddx(B)
  6. (AB)=AB+BA
  7. ddxAB=ABBAB2
  8. ddx((f(x))n)=n(f(x))n1
  9. dydx=dydududx
  10. ddxaf(x)=a(f(x))
ddx⇐⇒ differentiate with respect to x dydx⇐⇒ddx(y)⇐⇒y⇐⇒ differentiate y with respect to x

Graphing Derivatives

f(x)ddx(f(x))
Turning Points/Standing Pointsx-Intercepts
Points of InflectionTurning Points
Horizontal Points of InflectionTurning points ON THE X-AXIS

Chain Rule

  • The chain rule is used when one function is acting on another (e.g. f(g(x))), and you need to find the derivative of the whole thing

f(g(x))=f(g(x))g(x)

Steps

Example question: find f(x) where f(x)=(3x2+5)10

  1. Bring the exponent to the front (Parentheses stay the same)

10(3x2+5)10

  1. Subtract 1 from exponent

10(3x2+5)9

  1. Multiply by derivative of inside

10(3x2+5)9(6x)

  1. Solve and answer the question

f(x)=60x(3x2+5)9

Product Rule (UWU Rule)

  • The product rule is used to find the product of two differentials when given the original multipliers, for example:

Find f(x) where f(x)=(2x+5)(4x2+5)

  • The product rule is as follows:

If f(x)=u(x)v(x), then f(x)=u(x)v(x)+v(x)u(x)

Steps

  1. Find u(x) and v(x)

u(x)=2 v(x)=8x

  1. Find uv and vu

uv=2(4x2+5)=8x2+10

vu=8x(2x+5)=16x2+40x

  1. Solve and answer the question

f(x)=8x2+10+16x2+40x

f(x)=24x2+40x+10

Quotient Rule

  • The Quotient rule is used to find the quotient of two differentials when given the divisor and dividend, for example:

Find f(x) where f(x)=2x+54x2+5

Yes I used the same functions. Deal with it 😎

- Pranav

Example Question

Find f(x) where f(x)=2x+54x2+5

  1. Find u(x),u(x),v(x),andv(x)

    u(x)=2x+5

    u(x)=2

    v(x)=4x2+5

    v(x)=8x

  2. Substitute values into the Quotient formula

    =uvvuv2

    f(x)=2(4x2+5)8(2x+5)(4x2+5)2

  3. Solve/Simplify

2(4x2+5)8(2x+5)=8x216x30

  1. Answer the question

f(x)=8x216x30(4x2+5)2

Differentiating Sine, Cosine, and Tangent equations

TL;DR

  • dsin(x)dx=cos(x)
  • dcos(x)dx=sin(x)
  • dtan(x)dx=sec2(x)

(WHAT A PLOT TWIST) - Pranav Sharma

The Long Version

  • When differentiating Sin, Cos and Tan, it’s important to remember that dydx=dydududx
  • The First Principles (I hate it too, but it’s occasionally useful) can be used to find the derivatives of Sin, Cos, and Tan.

First derivative of Sine (f(x)=sin(x))

fx=limh0f(x+h)f(x)h

  • So in the case of f(x)=sin(x), we have:

fx=limh0sin(x+h)sin(x)h

  • From this, we can use the Sum-Difference identity sin(A+B)=sinAcosB+sinBcosA to get

f(x)=limh0sinxcosh+sinhcosxsinxh

=limh0sinx(cosh1)+sinhcosxh =limh0(sinx(cosh1)h+sinhcosxh)

=(sinx)limh0cosh1h+cos(x)limh0sinhh

  • Based on our limits, and some lad named L’Hopital, we know that limh0sinhh=1, and limh0cosh1h=0
  • Therefore:

f(x)=(sinx)limh0cosh1h+cos(x)limh0sinhh=1(cosx)+0 f(x)=cos(x)

Pranav Sharma
Pranav Sharma
Site Owner

UNSW Student, site owner and developer.

Jackson Taylor
Jackson Taylor
Post Writer

2021 Graduate, UNSW Medicine first year.

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