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MODULE III
DIFFERENTIATION OF ALGEBRAIC
FUNCTIONS AND ITS APPLICATIONS
CONTENTS:
Lesson 11:
Lesson 12:
Lesson 13:
Lesson 14:
Lesson 15:
Lesson 16:
Lesson 17:

Increment and Derivatives

Rules of Differentiating Algebraic Functions
Higher Derivatives and Implicit Differentiation
Slope of a Curve, Tangent and Normal Lines
Maxima and Minima in Curve Tracing
Applied Maxima and Minima Problems
Related Rates Problems

OVERVIEW OF THE MODULE:

These modules will tackle the concepts of differentiation. Basic procedures of
differentiation (the four-step rule) and the rules of finding the derivatives will be
discussed. Applications of derivatives by giving illustrations on problem solving
will be presented to emphasize its usefulness in real-life situations.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
After completing this module, the student is expected to accomplish the
following:

define increments, derivative and higher derivatives of a function;

identify the different rules of differentiation and distinguish one from the
other;
prove the different rules of differentiation using the increment method;
find the derivative of a function by increment method(4-step rule);
solve problems involving slope, tangent and normal lines using
differentiation;
determine the derivative and the higher derivative of an algebraic
function using the basic rules of differentiation;
define maximum, minimum, inflection, stationary and critical points,
relative maximum and relative minimum;

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determine the critical, maximum and minimum points of any given curve
using the first and second derivative tests;
draw and describe the behavior of any given graph whether it is
concave upward or downward and determine the inflection points using
the first and second derivative tests;
find the derivative implicitly of an algebraic function under the specified
condition; and
solve maxima, minima and related rates problems.

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LESSON 11: Increment and Derivatives

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, the students are expected to accomplish the
following:
define increment and the derivative of a function;
find the derivative of a function by increment method(4-step rule); and
solve for y when x and x are given.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Class discussion using lecture method will be used in this topic. Exercises
with varying degree of difficulty are provided for the students. They are expected
to finish these exercises before proceeding to the next lesson. Use a portion of
the class time to discuss some of the exercises for enhancement of the lesson.
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
To measure the students understanding of the concepts, give seatwork
and board work. The students must be observed if the procedures/steps on
finding the derivatives are followed. Board work is recommended for further
evaluation of students comprehension of the topic.
DISCUSSION OF THE TOPICS
Let y be a continued-single function of x denoted by y f (x ) . If the
independent variable x changes from x to x x , then the dependent variable y
will also change from y to y y ; thus y f (x ) changes to y y f ( x x ) .
Hence y f ( x x f ( x) .

If the variable x changes from one fixed value x1 to another value x 2

the difference x 2 x1 is called the increment of x, denoted by x .

It should be noted that the increment may be positive or negative.

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Example 11.1. If y 2 x 2 1 , compute y when

a) x changes from x1 = 2 to x2 = 2.2
b) x changes from x1 = -2 to x2 = -2.2
c) x changes from x1 = a to x2 = a 1
d) x changes from x1 = 1 - h to x2 = 1
Solutions: First solve for y you have,

y y 2 x x 1
2

y 2 x 2 2 xx x 2 1 2 x 2 1
y 2 x 4 xx 2x 1 2 x 1
2

y 4 xx 2x 2

a) x = 2 and x = .2
then y 4(2)(.2) 2(.2) 2 1.68
b) x = -2 and x = -.2
y 4( 2)( .2) 2( .2) 2 1.68

c) x = a and

x = -1
y 4( a )(1) 2(1) 2 4a 2

d) x = 1 h and x = h
y 4(1 h)(h) 2( h) 2 2h 2 4h

Consider the function y = f(x). If for a fixed value of x, the quotient

f ( x x)
approaches a limit as the increment x approaches zero, the limit is
x
called the derivative of y with respect to x for the given value of x. This is
usually denoted by

dy
.
dx

The derivative of y with respect to x is defined as

dy
y
f ( x x) f ( x)
lim
lim
provided the limit exists.
dx x 0 x x 0
x

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Other notations for derivatives are:
D x y , D x f ( x), y ' , f ' ( x ), and

d
f ( x)
dx

The process of finding the derivative is called differentiation. If the

derivative exists, f(x) is said to be a differentiable function.
One method of determining the derivative of a function is the increment
method or more commonly known as the four-step rule. The procedure is as
follows;
STEP 1: Substitute x x for x and y y for y in y = f(x).
STEP 2: Subtract y = f(x) from the result of step 1 to obtain y in terms of
x and x .
STEP 3: Divide both sides of step 2 by x .
STEP 4: Find the limit of step 3 as x approaches zero.
Example 11.2. Find
Solution:
Step 1:

dy
of y 1 x 2
dx
y y 1 ( x x ) 2
2

Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:

y 1 x 2 2 xx x 1 x 2
2 xx x

y x ( 2 x x )

x
x
y
dy
lim
lim ( 2 x x) 2 x
x 0 x
x 0
dx

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Example 11.3. What is

dy
2x 1
of y
?
dx
1 2x

Solution:

2( x x) 1
1 2( x x)
2( x x) 1 2 x 1
y

1 2( x x) 1 2 x
2 x 2x 11 2 x 2 x 11 2 x 2x

Step 2:
1 2 x 2x 1 2 x)

Step 1:

y y

Step 3:
Step 4:

2 x 2x 1 4 x 2 4 xx 2 x 2 x 4 x 2 4 xx 1 2 x 2x
1 2 x 2x 1 2 x)

y
4x

x x(1 2 x 2x)(1 2 x)
y
4
lim
lim
x 0 x
x 0 (1 2 x 2 x )(1 2 x )
dy
4

dx (1 2 x) 2

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Example 11.4. Evaluate

Solution:
Step 1:
Step 2:

y y
y

Step 3:

dy
for y
dx

when x =10.

x x 1
x x 1

x 1

y
x x 1 x 1

x
x
y
x x 1 x 1 x x 1 x 1

x
x
x x 1 x 1
y
x x 1 x 1

x x x x 1 x 1

x x
y

x
Step 4: lim
x 0

x 1

x
x x 1 x 1

1
x x 1 x 1

y
1
lim

0
x
x x 1
dy
1

dx 2 x 1

x 1

when x =10,
dy
1
1
1

dx 2 10 1 2(3) 6

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EXERCISES:
I. Given f ( x) 3 x 2 2 x 1 compute y if:
1. x changes from x = 0 to x = -1
2. x changes from x = -1 to x = 0
3. x changes from x = a-b to x = a
4. x changes from x

2
1
to x
a
a

II. Find the derivative of the following functions:

1. f ( x) 4 x 2 3 x 1
2. f ( x) x

2
x 1
x 1
4. y
x

3. f ( x )

5. y x 2 4 x 4
6. y ax b 2
7.

y x 3 3x 2 3x 1

2x 3
1 2x
9. y ( 2 x)( x 3)

8. y

10. y 1 x 3
dy
with the indicated value of x:
dx
1
y
when x = 8.
2x
x2
y
when x = 6.
x3
a2
y
when x = a.
ax
y ( x 1)(2 x 3) when x = 5.

III. Evaluate
1.
2.
3.

4.
5. y x 3 1 when x 3 4 .

IV. If f ( x) x 3 3x 2 , find the values of x for which f (x) = 0.