COLLEGE OF GENERAL EDUCATION
MATH1030
Unit 3
Transcendental Functions and Their
Derivatives
The Derivative of Trigonometric Functions ................................................................... 3
The Derivative of the Natural Exponent ...................................................................... 10
Exponent Properties ................................................................................................ 10
The Derivative of the Natural Logarithm ..................................................................... 12
Derivative of General Exponential and Logarithmic Functions ................................... 15
Logarithmic Differentiation.......................................................................................... 17
Mixed Derivatives ........................................................................................................ 20
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The Derivative of Trigonometric Functions
To find the derivative of y = sin ( x ) we will consider the slopes
π
At each multiple of ,
2
draw and estimate the
slope of the tangent (the
derivative)
What do you notice
about the graph you
get? Do you recognize
it?
E1 For y = cos ( x ) we will do the same
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d d
sin ( x ) = cos ( x ) =
dx dx
E2 Find the higher order derivatives
y' y '' y ''' y (4)
y = sin x
y = cos x
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We can use Basic Trig Identities and the Basic Derivative Rules we have already
learned to find rules for the other functions:
We don’t know the derivative of y = tan ( x ) , but we can rewrite it.
tan ( x ) =
Then the derivative will be:
d tan ( x )
=
dx
Likewise for the Co-Functions:
sec ( x ) =
d sec ( x )
=
dx
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E3 Find the derivative of:
cot ( x )
d cot ( x )
=
dx
E4 csc ( x )
d csc ( x )
=
dx
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These rules can be applied with other rules to find more complex derivatives
Functions Co-Functions
d d
sin ( x ) = csc ( x ) =
dx dx
d d
cos ( x ) = sec ( x ) =
dx dx
d d
tan ( x ) = cot ( x ) =
dx dx
Note: The c-Functions have a negative in their derivative.
Since we can find the derivative of trigonometric functions, we can also find the
slope at any point on a graph.
Always be sure to use your calculator in radians when doing calculus
Check your calculator skills by
determining the slope of this sine curve
at:
π
x=0 x=
4
π
x=
2
When we write trig functions with powers, they are not nice for taking the
derivative.
We can rewrite these functions as follows:
( 5 x ) ( sin ( 5 x ) )
3 3
=y sin
=
Now the function is a power rule, with
trig and chain rule, etc
y'=
Rewrite trig powers using brackets to avoid making mistakes!
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Example: Find the following derivatives using the appropriate rules
a) y = sin ( 5 x ) ( )
b) y = 3 tan x
2
( )
( x ) 2cot x − 1 + csc ( 2 x )
c) f=
3
π
Example: For the graph of y = sec ( x ) find the slope of the curve at x=0 and x = .
3
Draw the slopes on the graph
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Example: Rewrite as needed to take the following derivatives
3 2
a) g ( x) = csc ( x) b) f ( x) = sin (cos x)
2
c) Find the slope of sin y = x at the marked point.
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The Derivative of the Natural Exponent
Exponent Properties
We have studied these previously, complete the review assignment to refresh your
skills.
x y x+y ax 1
1) a a = a 2) =a
x−y 3) a − x =
a
y ax
( ) x x
6) ( ab ) = a x b x
y
4) a x = ax y a ax
5) =
b bx
0
7)=
a 1, a ≠ 0
Derivative of y = ex : Use your calculator to fill in the table.
d
You can find derivatives at a point ( ) =
using: d
x f ( x ) = ex f '( x)
0
What do you notice between the function values and the derivatives?
We can find a general rule for e using the chain rule:
Natural de f ( x )
Exponential Rule =
dx
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Example: Find the derivative of:
4x 3x
a) y = e b) y = 5e
2
c) y = e x
2 1
d) y = 2e x −x
e) y =
e5 x
Note: It is often helpful to use the Exponent Properties to simplify before taking the
derivative.
Example: Simplify first, then find the derivative
( )
2x
b) y = e
2 2
a) y = e 2 x e x 2
c) y = 3e x
x
e
E3 Use a combination of rules to find the following derivatives
sin(2 x ) 2 sec( x )
a) y = e b) f ( x) = x e
4x
c) Find the slope of y = cos(e ) at x = 0
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The Derivative of the Natural Logarithm
Logarithms: Remember, logarithms are the inverse of exponentials
Properties: Let a and b be real numbers not equal to 1 and u ∈ , then:
1) ln1 = 0
u
( )
2) ln e = u
( )
3) ln a = u ln ( a )
u
4) ( ab ) ln ( a ) + ln ( b )
ln =
log b ( x )
( ba ) ln ( a ) − ln ( b )
5) ln= 6) log a ( x ) =
log b ( a )
7) log a x
= x log
b ( ) b
(a ) for all x ∈ R 8) log
=
a ( )
a x x for all x ∈ R
Derivative of y = ln ( x )
We can find a general rule for ln using the chain rule:
Natural d ln( f ( x))
=
Logarithm Rule dx
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Example: Find the derivative of:
a) y = ln(5 x) ( )
v ( t ) 2ln t 2 + 1
b)= c) f ( x) = ln ( x)
d) g ( x) = ln(sin x) e)
Note: It is often helpful to use the Logarithmic Properties to simplify before taking a
derivative.
Example: Simplify, then take the derivative
a) s = ln(t 4 ) b) v = ln(4t 3 ) c) g ( x) = ln( x )
x −1
d) f ( x) = ln( x tan x) e) y = ln
x +1
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Example: Use a combination of rules to find the following derivatives
a) f ( x ) = x ln ( x ) ( ( ))
b) y = sin ln x 2
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Derivative of General Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
f ( x) = g ( x)
Find the derivative of y = a f ( x) , knowing that
ln( f ( x)) = ln( g ( x))
For y = log b ( f ( x) ) , we can use the change of base formula to find the derivative.
Exponential Rule Logarithm Rule
Derivative of a ( ) :
f x
Derivative of logb ( f ( x ) ) :
d f (x) d
a = logb ( f ( x ) ) =
dx dx
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Example: Find the derivative of:
5x
a) f ( x) = 10
x
b) y ( x) = 20
cos(2 x )
d) y = b
2
c) y = 10 x +3
Example: Find the derivative of:
a) y = log x b) f ( x) = log 3 5 x
c) d)
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Logarithmic Differentiation
** Know your logarithmic properties!! They are very useful for simplification.
We have looked at the Power Rule and the Logarithmic Rule.
x
What is the derivative of y = x ?
The same idea can be used to make a very complex derivative quite simple
3
x 4 x2 + 1
y=
(3 x + 2)5
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Example: Find the derivative of:
5x
a) y = (3 x)
2
b) y = x x +1
(1 − 3x )
cos x
c) y=
Example: Take the derivative of:
x 5 ( x + 1) 2
a) y =
x −1
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b) y = x 3cos x2
( x − 1)
x cos x
c) y=
( 3x − 7 ) ln ( x 2 )
4
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Mixed Derivatives
You should at this point be able to find the derivative of any function involving any
mix of the rules from this unit.
Try the following:
Example:
2
( x +1)
1. f ( x) = sin( x)e x
2. sin y = ln(cos(e 2 x ))
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tan(2 x)
3. y=
1 + 4x2
3
4. x ln y = 5sec( x )
yx
5. = 2x + 3
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