5.

4 Differentiation of
Exponential Functions
By
Dr. Julia Arnold and Ms. Karen Overman
using Tans 5th edition Applied Calculus for the
managerial , life, and social sciences text

Lets consider the derivative of the exponential function.

Going back to our limit definition of the derivative:

d
f x h f x
f x lim
h 0
dx
h

d x
e xh e x
e lim
h 0
dx
h
First rewrite the exponential
using exponent rules.

Next, factor out e

x.

Since e does not contain h, we

can move it outside the limit.
x

exeh ex
lim
h 0
h

e x e h 1
lim
h 0
h

h
e
1
e x lim
h 0
h

Substituting h=0 in the limit expression results in the

0
indeterminate form 0 , thus we will need to determine it.

ex 1
We can look at the graph of f(x)
and observe what
x

happens as x gets close to 0. We can also create a table of

values close to either side of 0 and see what number we are
closing in on.
Graph

Table
x -.1 -.01 -.001
y .95 .995 .999

At x = 0, f(0) appears to be 1.

.001 .01
.1
1.0005 1.005 1.05

As x approaches 0, y approaches 1.

e h 1
We can safely say that from the last slide that lim
1
h 0
h

e h 1
d x
x
e e lim
e x 1 e x
Thus
h 0
dx
h

Rule 1: Derivative of the Exponential Function

d x
e ex
dx
The derivative of the exponential function is the exponential function.

Example 1: Find the derivative of f(x) = x2ex .

Solution: Do you remember the product rule? You will need it
here.
Product Rule:
(1st)(derivative of 2nd) + (2nd)(derivative of 1st)
Factor out the common factor xex.

f(x) x 2 e x
f (x) x 2 e x e x 2x
f (x) xe x x 2

Example 2: Find the derivative of f(t) = e 2

t

3
2

Solution: We will need the chain rule for this one.

Chain Rule:
(derivative of the outside)(derivative of the inside)

f(t) e 2
t

3
2

1
3 t
f(t) e 2 2 e t
2

Why dont you try one: Find the derivative of f x

ex
x

To find the solution you should use the quotient rule.

Choose from the expressions below which is the correct use of the
quotient rule.

ex
f ' x
2x
f ' x

f ' x

x 2 e x e x 2x
x4
e x 2x x 2 e x
x4

No thats not the right choice.

Remember the Quotient Rule:
(bottom)(derivative of top) (top)(derivative of bottom)
(bottom)

Try again. Return

Good work!
The quotient rule results in f ' x

x 2 e x e x 2x
x

Now simplify the derivative by factoring the numerator and

canceling.

f ' x

f ' x

x 2 e x 2xe x
x

e x x 2
x3

xe x x 2
x4

What if the exponent on e is a function of x and not just x?

Rule 2: If f(x) is a differentiable function then

d f( x )
e
e f( x ) f(x)
dx

In words: the derivative of e to the f(x) is an exact copy of

e to the f(x) times the derivative of f(x).

3x
Example 3: Find the derivative of f(x) = e

Solution: We will have to use Rule 2.

The exponent, 3x is a function of x whose derivative is 3.

f(x) e 3x
f(x) e 3x 3

An exact copy of
the exponential function

Times the derivative of

the exponent

Example 4: Find the derivative of f(x) e

2 x2 1

Solution:

f(x) e

2x 2 1

f (x) e

2x 2 1

4x

Or rewritten:

f (x) 4xe

2x 2 1

Again, we used Rule 2. So the derivative

is the exponential function times the
derivative of the exponent.

et
Example 5: Differentiate the function f(t) t t
e e
Solution: Using the quotient rule

e
f (t)

e t e t e t e t e t

t 2

Distribute e t into the

f (t)

f (t)

e
2

t 2

Keep in mind that the

derivative of e-t is e-t(-1)
or -e-t

' s.

e 2t e 0 e 2t e 0
t 2

Recall that e0 = 1.

Find the derivative of

f x e

5x

Click on the button for the correct answer.

f ' x

5e

f ' x e

5x

2 5x

5x

5x

No, the other answer was correct.

Remember when you are doing the derivative of e raised to the
power f(x) the solution is e raised to the same power times the
derivative of the exponent.
What is the derivative of

Try again. Return

5x ?

Good work!!
Here is the derivative in detail.

f ' x e

5x

f ' x e

5x

f ' x e

5x

f ' x

5e

5x
dx
-1
1
5x 2 5
2
5

2 5x

5x

2 5x

Example 6: A quantity growing according to the law

Q(t) Q0 e kt where Q0 and k are positive constants and t

belongs to the interval 0, experiences exponential growth.

Show that the rate of growth Q(t) is directly proportional to
the amount of the quantity present.
Solution:

Q(t) Q0 e kt
Q(t) Q0 e kt k kQ (t)

Remember: To say Q(t) is directly proportional to Q(t)

means that for some constant k, Q(t) = kQ(t) which was easy
to show.

Example 7: Find the inflection points of f(x) e

x2

Solution: We must use the 2nd derivative to find inflection points.

f(x) e x

f(x) 2xe

x2

First derivative

f(x) 2x e x 2x e x 2
2

Product rule for second derivative

f(x) 4x2e x 2e x Simplify

2
Set equal to 0.
0 2e x 2x2 1

x2

Exponentials never equal 0.

2x2 1 Set the other factor = 0.
1
Solve by square root of both sides.
x2
2
1
2
x

2
2
2e

To show that they are inflection points we put them on a

number line and do a test with the 2nd derivative: f(x) e x

2
.7
2

Intervals

Test Points

2
,

-1

2 2

2 , 2

2 ,

f(x) 4x2e x 2e x

2
.7
2

Value
f(-1)= 4e-1-2e-1=2e-1=+

f(0)=0-2=-2 = -

f(1)= 4e-1-2e-1=2e-1=+
Since there is a sign change across the potential inflection points,
2 21

2 ,e

and

2 2

2 ,e

are inflection points.

In this lesson you learned two new rules of differentiation and

used rules you have previously learned to find derivatives of
exponential functions.
The two rules you learned are:
Rule 1: Derivative of the Exponential Function

d x
e ex
dx
Rule 2: If f(x) is a differentiable function then

d f( x )
e
e f( x ) f(x)
dx