Deriving Using Product and Quotient

Rules
Michael Turner
Alex Barbolovici

Objective
This presentation will help you refresh your memory of the Product and
Quotient rules, used for deriving equations consisting of two or more
distinct functions.
You should know
the following
single-function
derivative rules:
f ' (c ) 0

f ' ( x) 1
f ' ( x n ) nx n 1
f ' (cx) cf ' ( x)
f ' (sin x) cos x
f ' (cos x) sin x
f ' (tan x) sec 2 x
f ' (csc x) csc x cot x
f ' (sec x ) sec x tan x
f ' (cot x) csc 2 x
f ' (e x ) e x
f ' (ln x) 1 / x

You should know

how to use the
chain rule:
h( x) f ( g ( x ))
h' ( x) f ' ( g ( x )) * g ' ( x )

Click these
buttons to go to a
specific section:
Product Rule
Quotient Rule
Both Rules

Quick Review:
True or False: the derivative of

Hint: Click true or false

5x 2 is 10 x

Incorrect!
False
Think again!

Click here to go
back

Correct!
True!
The derivative of

5x 2 is indeed 10 x

Product Rule
The Product Rule is used to derive an
equation consisting of two or more
distinct functions multiplied
together.

p( x) f ( x) g ( x)
f ' ( x)
f ( x)
g ' ( x)
g ( x)
p ' ( x) f ( x) g ' ( x) f ' ( x) g ( x)

A common mistake when deriving is to

simply multiply the separate functions
together, and derive this resulting
equation. This, however, leads you to
derive a different equation than the
one you started with.

Objective

Example 1
p ( x) f ( x) g ( x) x 2 (2 x 1)

f ( x) x 2
g ( x) 2 x 1
f (x) g ' ( x)

f ' ( x) 2 x

g ' ( x) 2
f ' ( x)

1. Initial equation
2. Separate and derive
functions

g (x)

p ' ( x) ( x 2 )( 2) (2 x)( 2 x 1)
p ' ( x) 2 x 2 4 x 2 2 x

3. Recombine using product

rule
4. Expand

p ' ( x) 6 x 2 2 x

5. Simplify

Example 2
p( x) f ( x) g ( x) e

f ( x) e

g ( x) cos 2 x
f (x)

p ' ( x ) (e

p' ( x) (2e

1. Initial equation

cos 2 x
x2

x2

x2

x2

f ' ( x) 2 xe
g ' ( x) 2 sin 2 x
g ' ( x)

f ' ( x)
x2

)( 2 sin 2 x) (2 xe
x2

sin 2 x) (2e

x2

2. Separate and derive

functions

g (x)

)(cos 2 x )

cos 2 x)

3. Recombine using product

rule
4. Expand

Now try one yourself!

p ( x) ( x 3 2 x)(sin 3x)
p ' ( x) 9 x 2 cos 3 x 6 cos 3 x

A.)
B.) p' ( x) cos 3x(3x 3 6 x) sin 3x( x 2 2)
5
3
p
'
(
x
)

3
x

8
x
4 x 3 sin 3x cos 3 x
C.)
2
p
'
(
x
)

9
x
cos 3 x 6 sin 3 x
D.)
Hint: Click the choice you
think is correct

Incorrect!
p ' ( x) 9 x 2 cos 3 x 6 cos 3 x

Did you remember to use the Product

Rule?

Click here to go
back

Incorrect!
p ' ( x) 3 x 5 8 x 3 4 x 3 sin 3 x cos 3 x
Did you recombine the
functions properly?

Click here to go
back

Incorrect!

p ' ( x) 9 x 2 cos 3 x 6 sin 3x

Did you remember to use the Product
Rule?

Click here to go
back

Correct!
p ' ( x) cos 3 x(3x 3 6 x) sin 3x( x 2 2)

p ( x) f ( x) g ( x) ( x 2 x)(sin 3x)
3

f ( x) x 3 2 x

f ' ( x) 3x 2 2

g ( x) sin 3 x

g ' ( x) 3 cos 3 x

f (x)

g ' ( x)

f ' ( x)

1. Initial equation
2. Separate and
derive functions

g (x)

p ' ( x) ( x 2 x)(3 cos 3 x) (3 x 2)(sin 3 x)

3. Recombine using
product rule

p ' ( x) 3 x 3 cos 3x 6 x cos 3x 3 x 2 sin 3 x 2 sin 3 x

4. Expand

p ' ( x) cos 3x(3 x 3 6 x) sin 3 x( x 2 2)

5. Simplify

Quotient Rule
The Quotient Rule is used to derive
an equation consisting of two or more
distinct functions divided by each
other.

q ( x)

f ( x)
g ( x)

f ( x)

f ' ( x)

g ( x)

g ' ( x)

g ( x) f ' ( x) g ' ( x) f ( x)
q' ( x)
( g ( x)) 2
Many students find the hardest part
of the Quotient Rule to be
remembering the order used. Dont
be afraid to check the formula if
youre lost!

Objective

q ( x)

f ( x) ( x 3)
2
g ( x) ( x 3)

Example 1

f ( x) x 3

f ' ( x) 1

g ( x) x 2 3

g ' ( x) 2 x

1. Initial equation
2. Separate and derive
functions

g (x) f ' ( x) g ' ( x) f (x)

( x 2 3)(1) ( 2 x)( x 3)
q' ( x)
( x 2 3) 2
g (x)
x2 3 2x2 6x
q' ( x)
( x 2 3) 2

x2 6x 3
q' ( x)
( x 2 3) 2

3. Recombine using
quotient rule

4. Expand

5. Simplify

Example 2
f ( x) ( x 2 4 x 3)
q ( x)

g ( x)
x
f ( x) x 2 4 x 3
g ( x) x1/ 2

g (x) f ' ( x)
q ' ( x)

1. Initial equation

f ' ( x) 2 x 4
1
g ' ( x ) 1/ 2
2x

g ' ( x)

( x1/ 2 )(2 x 4) ( x 2 4 x 3)(

( x1 / 2 ) 2

2. Separate and derive

functions

f (x)
1
)
2 x1 / 2

3. Recombine using
quotient rule

g (x)
x2
3
2 x 4 x 1 / 2 2 x1 / 2 1 / 2
2x
2x
q ' ( x)
x
x2 3
3
2 x 2 x
2 x
q ' ( x)
x
3/ 2

1/ 2

4. Expand

5. Simplify

Now try one yourself!

e x
q( x) 3
4x
2 x
q
'
(
x
)

4
x
e ( x 3)
A.)

e x ( x 3)
B.)q' ( x) 4 x 4
e x ( x 3)
C.)q' ( x) 4 x 4
e x
D.)q' ( x) 2
12 x

Incorrect!
q ' ( x) 4 x 2 e x ( x 3)
Did you remember to use the Quotient
Rule?

Click here to go
back

Incorrect!
e x ( x 3)
q ' ( x)
4x4
Did you recombine the functions
properly?

Click here to go
back

Incorrect!
e x
q' ( x)
12 x 2
Did you remember to use the Quotient
Rule?

Click here to go
back

Correct!

f ( x) e x
q( x)
3
g ( x) 4 x

e x ( x 3)
q' ( x)
4x4

f ( x) e x

f ' ( x ) e x

g ( x) 4 x 3

g ' ( x) 12 x 2

g (x)

f ' ( x)

g ' ( x)

4 x 3e x 12 x 2e x
q' ( x)
16 x 6
e x ( x 3)
q' ( x)
4x4

2. Separate and derive

functions

f (x)

(e x )(4 x 3 ) (e x )(12 x 2 )
q' ( x)
(4 x 3 ) 2
g (x)

1. Initial equation

3. Recombine using
quotient rule

4. Expand

5. Simplify

Both Rules

Sometimes, a single equation may

consist of multiple functions both
multiplied and divided by each other.
In these cases, both rules must be
used.
h( x ) f ( x ) g ( x )

k ( x) i ( x) j ( x)
h( x ) f ( x ) g ( x )

b( x )

f ( x)

f ' ( x)

Objective

k ( x) i( x) j ( x)
i( x)

i ' ( x)

g ( x)
g ' ( x)
j ( x)
j ' ( x)
h' ( x) f ( x ) g ' ( x) g ( x) f ' ( x) k ' ( x) i ( x ) j ' ( x) j ( x)i ' ( x)
k ( x ) h' ( x ) h( x ) k ' ( x )
b' ( x )
(k ( x)) 2

It is helpful when using both rules

simultaneously to separate the
functions further.

Example 1

h( x) f ( x) g ( x) 3x 2 (4 x 2 3)
b( x )

k ( x)
k ( x)
x2
h( x) f ( x) g ( x) 3x 2 (4 x 2 3)
f ( x) 3x 2

k ( x) x 2

1. Initial equation
k ' ( x) 2 x

f ' ( x) 6 x

g ( x) 4 x 2 3

g ' ( x) 8 x

f (x) g ' ( x)

f ' ( x)

2. Separate and derive

functions

g (x )

h' ( x) (3x 2 )(8 x) (6 x)(4 x 2 3)

h' ( x) 48 x 3 18 x
k (x)

h' ( x )

k ' ( x)

h(x)

( x 2 )(48 x 3 18 x ) (2 x)(3x 2 ( 4 x 2 3))

b' ( x )
( x2 )2

k (x)

48 x 18 x 24 x 5 18 x 3
b' ( x )
x4
5

24 x 5
b' ( x ) 4
x

b' ( x) 24 x

3. Recombine using
both rules

4. Expand
5. Simplify
6. Simplify

Example 2
h( x ) f ( x ) g ( x )
2 x ln x

2
k ( x)
i ( x) j ( x)
x ( x 1)
2
h( x) f ( x) g ( x) 2 x ln x k ( x) i ( x) j ( x) x ( x 1)
2
i ' ( x) 2 x
f ( x) 2 x
f ' ( x) 2 i ( x) x
1
g ' ( x)
g ( x) ln x
j ( x) x 1
j ' ( x) 1
x
b( x )

f (x) g ' ( x)

f ' ( x) g (x)

i (x ) j ' ( x )

h' ( x )

k ' ( x)

2. Separate and derive

functions

i ' ( x ) j (x )

1
h' ( x) (2 x)( ) (ln x)(2) k ' ( x) ( x 2 )(1) ( x 1)(2 x)
x
h' ( x) 2 2 ln x
k ' ( x) 3x 2 2 x
k (x)

1. Initial equation

h(x)

3. Recombine using
both rules

( x 2 ( x 1))(2 2 ln x) (2 x ln x)(3x 2 2 x)
b' ( x )
( x 2 ( x 1)) 2
k (x)

2 x 3 4 x 3 ln x 2 x 2 2 x 2 ln x
b' ( x )
x6 2x5 x 4

4. Expand

Now try one yourself!

Which of the following is NOT a solution to b( x)

12 x 3 8 x 48 x 3 ln x 16 x ln x
b' ( x )
(12 x 4 8 x 2 ) 2

A.)

12 x 3 8 x 48 x 3 ln x 16 x ln x
b' ( x )
144 x 8 192 x 6 64 x 4

B.)

12 x 3 8 x 48 x 3 ln x 16 x ln x
b' ( x )
(12 x 4 8 x 2 )

C.)

1
(12 x 4 8 x 2 )( ) (48 x 3 16 x)(ln x)
x
b' ( x )
(12 x 4 8 x 2 ) 2

D.)

ln x
?
(4 x 2 )(3 x 2 2)

Incorrect!
12 x 3 8 x 48 x 3 ln x 16 x ln x
b' ( x )
(12 x 4 8 x 2 ) 2
This is indeed a solution to b( x)

Click here to go
back

ln x
(4 x 2 )(3 x 2 2)

Incorrect!
12 x 3 8 x 48 x 3 ln x 16 x ln x
b' ( x )
144 x 8 192 x 6 64 x 4
This is indeed a solution to b( x)

Click here to go
back

ln x
(4 x 2 )(3 x 2 2)

Incorrect!
1
(12 x 4 8 x 2 )( ) (48 x 3 16 x)(ln x)
x
b' ( x )
(12 x 4 8 x 2 ) 2
ln x
This is indeed a solution to b( x)
(4 x 2 )(3 x 2 2)

Click here to go
back

Correct!
12 x 3 8 x 48 x 3 ln x 16 x ln x
b' ( x )
(12 x 4 8 x 2 )
ln x
b
(
x
)

This is NOT a solution to

,
(4 x 2 )(3 x 2 2)
because the bottom isnt squared.

Sources
http://res.cloudinary.com/primedia-

broadcasting/image/upload/v1426787802/qngwtgxuqizvskrxjgru.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/5VWST61Tz3E/UpUpFID1fuI/AAAAAAAACYk/fQ6g5tmE0po/s1600/ch
aracter10.png
http://techxb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Social-Med-gonebadly-wrong.jpeg
http://syaochan.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/boratthumbs-up-very-nice.jpg
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/imgthing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=40611214
http://i3.kymcdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/269/Screen_shot_2012-0510_at_4.38.30_PM.png

The End!
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Product Rule
Quotient Rule
Both Rules
First Slide
Objective