The Symbol ∆

Any change in a variable quantity is called an

increment. The symbol ∆ (read as “delta”) is used to
denote this change or increment. If we regard x as
the variable, then the symbol ∆x (read as “delta x)
denotes increment of x.

Note that while ∆ is not a number or a variable, the

symbol ∆x is a variable.
Note also that ∆x may either be positive or negative,
but not zero.
 The Derivative of a Function

The derivative of a function is the instantaneous rate of change of f(x) at x or

simply the rate of change of f(x) at x. If this rate of change has a limit L, then the
number L is called the derivative of y with respect to x and this derivative is
𝒅𝒚
denoted by the symbol .
𝒅𝒙

Definition:
The derivative of a function f given by y = f(x) with respect to x at any x in its domain is
the number
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒇 𝚫𝒚 𝒇 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒇(𝒙)
= 𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝒚′ = 𝑫𝒙 𝒚 = 𝑫𝒙 𝒇 = = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 𝚫𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

provided the limit exists.

𝒇 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒇(𝒙)
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
 DEFINITION OF THE DERIVATIVE
The derivative of the function f(x) with respect to x is the function
f ’(x) defined by
𝒇 𝒙+𝒉 −𝒇 𝒙 𝒇 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒇 𝒙
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒉→𝟎 𝒉 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
provided the limit exists. f ’(x) is read as “f prime of x”

Things to know about derivatives:

1. If f ’(x) exists, then f(x) is said to be differentiable at x.

2. The process of finding the derivative of a function is called differentiation.
3. The notations for the derivative of a function f(x) with respect to x are:
𝑑𝑦
f ’(x), y’, , Dx [f(x)], Dxy.
𝑑𝑥
Example 1: Find the derivative of the f(x) = 2 – 5x.
𝒇 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒇 𝒙
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
Solution:
f(x) = 2 – 5x
′
[𝟐 − 𝟓 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 ] − (𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙) Substitute the given function to the
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 definition of derivative of a function.
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟓∆𝒙 − 𝟐 + 𝟓𝒙 Distribute 5 to the binomial (x + ∆x)
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 Distribute (-) to the binomial (2 – 5x)
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
−𝟓∆𝒙
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 −𝟓
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎

𝒇′ 𝒙 = −𝟓 Therefore, the derivative of

f(x) = 2 – 5x is f’(x) = -5.
 Example 2: Find the derivative of the f(x) = 4x2 – 7x.
𝒇 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒇(𝒙)
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
Solution: f(x) = 4x2 – 7x

′
𝟒(𝒙 + ∆𝒙)𝟐 −𝟕(𝒙 + ∆𝒙) − 𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟕𝒙
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
′
𝟒 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟐𝒙∆𝒙 + ∆𝒙𝟐 − 𝟕𝒙 − 𝟕∆𝒙 − 𝟒𝒙𝟐 + 𝟕𝒙
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
′
𝟒𝒙𝟐 + 𝟖𝒙∆𝒙 + 𝟒∆𝒙𝟐 − 𝟕𝒙 − 𝟕∆𝒙 − 𝟒𝒙𝟐 + 𝟕𝒙
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 Therefore,
𝟐
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝟖𝒙∆𝒙 + 𝟒∆𝒙 − 𝟕∆𝒙
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙(𝟖𝒙 + 𝟒∆𝒙 − 𝟕) the derivative of
∆𝒙 ∆𝒙
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙→𝟎
f(x) = 4x2 – 7x
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟖𝒙 + 𝟒∆𝒙 − 𝟕
∆𝒙→𝟎
= 𝟖𝒙 + 𝟒(𝟎) − 𝟕 is
𝒇′(𝒙) = 𝟖𝒙 − 𝟕 f’(x) = 8x - 7.
 𝟏
Example 3: Find the derivative of the f(x) = 𝒙.
𝒇 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒇(𝒙)
𝟏 𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
Solution: f(x) =
𝒙
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝒙 − 𝟏 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 𝒙 − 𝒙 − ∆𝒙
− (𝒙 + ∆𝒙)(𝒙) (𝒙 + ∆𝒙)(𝒙)
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
−∆𝒙 𝟏 −𝟏
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 ⋅ = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 (𝒙 + ∆𝒙)(𝒙) ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 (𝒙 + ∆𝒙)(𝒙)

−𝟏
=
(𝒙 + 𝟎)(𝒙)
−𝟏 Therefore, the derivative of
𝒇′(𝒙) = 𝟐 1 −1
𝒙 f(x) = is f’(x) = 2 .
𝑥 𝑥
Example 4 Find the derivative of the f(x) = 𝒙.
𝒇 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒇 𝒙
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
Solution: f(x) = 𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒙 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙
𝒇′ 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 ⋅
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙
𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒙 ∆𝒙
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙
𝟏
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙
𝟏
= Therefore, the derivative of
𝒙+𝟎+ 𝒙 1
f(x) = 𝑥 is f’(x) = .
𝟏 2 𝑥
𝒇′(𝒙) =
𝟐 𝒙
PRACTICE Find the derivatives of the following functions.

5x2
1. f(x) = 4. f(x) = 𝑥 + 1 7. f(x) = 7𝑥
4x−1
f(x) = x2 + 1 f(x) = 11x + x2
f(x) = 3x + 2
5. f(x) = 2x2 – 6 8. f(x) = x2 + 2x - 1
2. f(x) = 3x
f(x) = 5 𝑥 f(x) = 2𝑥
f(x) = x2
𝑥2 4
6. f(x) = 9. f(x) =
3. f(x) = 3x2 –4 𝑥 −3 𝑥+3

1 f(x) = -4x2 + 7x f(x) = x2 – x + 5

f(x) =
𝑥2