DIFFERENTIATION & FUNCTIONS (Q 6, 7 & 8, PAPER 1)

LESSON NO. 3: DIFFERENTIATION 1: SUMS OF TERMS

2007
6 (a) Let g ( x) = x 2 − 6 x, x ∈ R.
(i) Write down g ′( x), the derivative of g (x).

(ii) For what value of x is g ′( x) = 0 ?

7 (a) Differentiate 6 x 4 − 3 x 2 + 7 x with respect to x.

SOLUTION
6 (a) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
g ( x) = x 2 − 6 x ⇒ g ′( x) = 2 x − 6
6 (a) (ii)
g ′( x) = 0 ⇒ 2 x − 6 = 0
⇒ 2x = 6 ⇒ x = 3
REMEMBER IT AS:
7 (a)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
dy
y = 6 x 4 − 3x 2 + 7 x ⇒ = 24 x3 − 6 x + 7
dx

2006
7 (a) Differentiate 5 x3 − 4 x + 7 with respect to x.
SOLUTION REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.
dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 5 x3 − 4 x + 7
dy
⇒ = 5 × 3x 2 − 4 ×1 + 0
dx
dy
⇒ = 15 x 2 − 4
dx
2005
7 (a) Differentiate 9 + 3 x − 5 x 2 with respect to x.
SOLUTION
REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 9 + 3x − 5 x 2
dy
⇒ = 0 + 3 ×1 − 5 × 2 x
dx
dy
⇒ = 3 − 10 x
dx

2004
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x:
(i) 2x 5
(ii) 4(3 − x 2 ).
SOLUTION
7 (a) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
dy
y = 2 x5 ⇒ = 2 × 5 x 4 = 10 x 4
dx
7 (a) (ii)

y = 4(3 − x 2 ) = 12 − 4 x 2
dy
⇒ = 0 − 4 × 2 x = −8 x
dx
2003
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x:
(i) x 3
x2 − x4
(ii) .
2
SOLUTION
7 (a) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
dy
y = x3 ⇒ = 3x 2
dx
7 (a) (ii)
x2 − x4 1 2 1 4
y= =2x −2x
2
dy 1
⇒ = 2 × 2 x − 12 × 4 x3 = x − 2 x3
dx

2002
7 (a) Differentiate 7 x3 − 3 x 2 + 9 x with respect to x.

1
(b) (i) Differentiate x5 − 17 + with respect to x.
x5
SOLUTION REMEMBER IT AS:
7 (a)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 7 x3 − 3x 2 + 9 x
dy
⇒ = 7 × 3 x 2 − 3 × 2 x + 9 = 21x 2 − 6 x + 9
dx
7 (b) (i)
1
y = x5 − 17 + 5
= x5 − 17 + x −5
x
dy POWER RULES
⇒ = 5 x 4 − 0 − 5 x −6 1 1
dx 4. a − n = n Ex. x −3 =
a x3
dy 5
⇒ = 5x4 − 6
dx x
2001
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x
(i) 6 x5 + x 2
(ii) ( x − 3)( x + 3)

8 (a) Let g ( x) = x 4 − 32 x for x ∈ R.

(i) Write down g ′( x), the derivative of g(x).
(ii) For what value of x is g ′( x) = 0 ?
SOLUTION
7 (a) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:
dy
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx Multiply down by the power and
subtract one from the power.
dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 6 x5 + x 2
dy
⇒ = 6 × 5 x 4 + 2 x = 30 x 4 + 2 x
dx
7 (a) (ii)
You could use the product rule but it is easier to multiply out the brackets and differentiate
term by term.
y = ( x − 3)( x + 3) = x 2 + 3 x − 3 x − 9 = x 2 − 9
dy
⇒ = 2x − 0 = 2x
dx

8 (a) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:

dy
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx Multiply down by the power and
subtract one from the power.
dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
g ( x) = x 4 − 32 x
⇒ g ′( x) = 4 x3 − 32

8 (a) (ii)
g ′( x) = 0 ⇒ 4 x3 − 32 = 0
⇒ 4 x 3 = 32
⇒ x3 = 8
∴x = 2
2000
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x
(i) 4x2 + 5
(ii) 9 x − x3.
SOLUTION
7 (a) (i) REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 4 x2 + 5
dy
⇒ = 4 × 2 x + 0 = 8x
dx
7 (a) (ii)
y = 9 x − x3
dy
⇒ = 9 − 3x 2
dx

1999
7 (a) Differentiate
2 x3 − 7
with respect to x.
SOLUTION REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = 2 x3 − 7
dy
⇒ = 2 × 3x 2 − 0 = 6 x 2
dx
1998
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x
(i) x 2 − 3x
1
(ii) .
x2
SOLUTION
REMEMBER IT AS:
7 (a) (i)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = x 2 − 3x
dy
⇒ = 2x − 3
dx
7 (a) (ii)
1
y = 2 = x −2 POWER RULES
x 1 1
dy 2 4. a − n = n Ex. x −3 =
⇒ = −2 x −3 = − 3 a x3
dx x
1997
7 (a) Differentiate with respect to x
(i) −x 2
(ii) x 4 + x + 1.

8 (a) Let f ( x) = x 2 − 4 x, for x ∈ R.

Find f ′( x), the derivative of f (x).
For what value of x is f ′( x) = 0 ?
SOLUTION
REMEMBER IT AS:
7 (a) (i)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
dy
y = − x2 ⇒ = −1 × 2 x = − 2 x
dx
7 (a) (ii)
dy
y = x4 + x + 1 ⇒ = 4 x3 + 1 + 0 = 4 x3 + 1
dx
REMEMBER IT AS:
8 (a)
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
y = f ( x) = x 2 − 4 x
dy
⇒ = f ′( x) = 2 x − 4
dx
f ′( x) = 0 ⇒ 2 x − 4 = 0
⇒ 2x = 4
∴x = 2
1996
ds
8 (a) Find when s = 6t 2 − 3t + 7.
dt
SOLUTION
REMEMBER IT AS:
dy Multiply down by the power and
y = xn ⇒ = nx n −1 ....... 1
dx subtract one from the power.

dy
CONSTANT RULE: If y = Constant ⇒ =0
dx
dy du
MULTIPLY BY A CONSTANT RULE: If y = cu, where c is a constant and u is a function of x, = c× .
dx dx
s = 6t 2 − 3t + 7
ds
⇒ = 6 × 2t − 3 + 0 = 12t − 3
dt