The Derivative of a

Function

Sir DJ
Review of the Previous Lesson

Limit of a Function
 Review of the Past Lesson
Writing Equation of a Line

1. Slope-Intercept Form
y = mx + b
2. Point-Slope Form
y – yo = m(x – xo)
 Review of the Past Lesson
Slope of a Straight Line Find the slope of the
line below:

Slope is the rate of

change of a variable
with respect to the other
variable.
Slope in a Distance-Time Graph

Slope of the line = speed of the object

Slope is the same at any point on a
straight line.
How do we find the slope on a CURVE line?

Is the slope the same in all points of the

curve line just like in a straight line?
Animated Tangent
• The slope of a curve line is the same as the
slope of the line tangent to the curve at the point
of tangency.
• The slope is different at varying points on a
curve line.
Secant Line and Tangent Line
Producing a tangent line on a
curve
Slope of Line Tangent on a
Curve Line

f ( x0  x)  f ( x0 )
m  lim
x 0 x
What is the derivative of a
function?
• The derivative of a
function f(x) is,
mathematically
speaking, the slope
of the line tangent
to f(x) at any point
x.
• It is also called “the
instantaneous rate
of change” of a
function.
Formal Definition of the
Derivative of a Function
Notations for the derivative of a
function.
 Example 1
Let y = x2
a. What is the slope of the curve at (x, y)?
b. What is the slope of the curve at (3, 9)?
c. What is the slope of the curve at (-2, 4)?
d. What is the slope of the curve at (0, 0)?
 Example 2

Let y = x3. Find the equation of the tangent

line at x = 4. Find the equation of the normal
line.
 Example 3
Let f ( x)  x  6 x
2

a. Find the derivative f’ of f.

b. Find the point on the graph of f where
the tangent line to the curve is horizontal.
c. Find an equation of the tangent line at
the point (2, 16).
Example 4
Example 5
 Board work
Find the derivative of f at any point (x, y) on
f.
1. f(x) = x2 + 1
2. f(x) = 2x2 + 3x
3. f(x) = 2x3
 Board Work
4. Find the equation of the tangent line and
the normal line to the graph of f(x) = x2 – 4x
at x = -2.

5. Find the slope of the tangent line to the

graph of f(x) = -2x2 + 4 at the point (-1, 2)?
ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CLARIFY?
Exercises
 Conclusion
1. What is the derivative of a function?
2. How do we find the slope of the tangent
line at a point on a curve?
 Quiz
1. Find the derivative of the following
functions:
a. f(x) = x2 – 2x + 1
b. g(x) = 5x3
2. Find the equation of the line tangent to
the graph of h(x) = 3 – 2x2 at the point (1, 1).