IGCSEFM :: Differentiation

jfrost@tiffin.kingston.sch.uk
www.drfrostmaths.com
@DrFrostMaths

Last modified: 30th August 2017

Chapter Overview
1:: Find the derivative of 2:: Find equations of tangents and normal
polynomials. to curves.
 If , find  The point lies on the curve with equation .
Determine the equation of the tangent to
at the point .
3:: Identify increasing and
decreasing functions.   Find and understand the second
4::
 Find the range of values for derivative or
which is increasing.
 If determine

5:: Find stationary points and

determine their nature. AQA IGCSEFM Specification:
 Find the stationary points of
and state whether each is a
maximum or minimum point.
What actually is gradient?

How would you describe gradient in words?

 It is
the rate at which something changes.  Exam Note: A question
might use the phrase “the
i.e. What the variable changes?by per unit rate of change of with
respect to ” instead of “the
increase in . gradient”.

We’re often concerned with

rates in maths/Science.
e.g. Speed is the rate at which
 𝑚
distance is changing.
Acceleration is the rate at which
1 speed is changing.
Gradient Function
At GCSE, you found
For a straight line, the the gradient of a 𝑚=
  6
gradient is constant: 𝑚=−
  6 curve at a particular
point by drawing a
tangent.
+2

 𝑦=𝑥 2
3𝑥

 𝑚=3 𝑚=− 4
  𝑚= 4
 𝑦 =

𝑚=−
  2 𝑚=
  2
𝑚=
  0
 However, for a curve the
gradient varies. We can no
longer have a single value -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
for the gradient; we ideally Gradient -6
want an expression in terms ? -4? -2? 0? 2? 4
? 6
?
of that gives us the gradient
for any value of   looking at the relationship between and the
By
(unsurprisingly known as the gradient at that point, can you come up with an
expression, in terms of for the gradient?
gradient function).
?
Finding the Gradient Function
The question is then: Is there a method to work out the gradient function
without having to draw lots of tangents and hoping that we can spot the rule?

To
  approximate the gradient on the curve As the second point gets closer and closer,
when , we could pick a point on the curve the gradient becomes a better
just slightly to the right, then find the approximation of the true gradient:
gradient between the two points:

  𝑦= 𝑥 2
(  6,36
? )
 11 ( 5.01,25.1001
  ) ?
 1   0.1001
0.01 
(  5,25
?) (  5,25 )

  Δ 𝑦 11 0.1001 ?
𝑚= ?
= =11  
𝑚= =10.01 The
  actual gradient
Δ𝑥 1 0.01 when is 10, so this
approximation is
damn close!
Finding the Gradient Function
 This gives us a numerical method to get the gradient at a particular , but doesn’t give
us the gradient function in general. Let’s use exactly the same method, but keep
general, and make the ‘small change’ (which was previously 0.01) ‘’:
  𝒚= 𝒙 𝟐

As
  always, gradient is
(  𝑥+ h , ( 𝑥 ?+h )2 )   ? change in over change
in .
( 𝑥 , 𝑥?2 )  ?
 ? ?

?
The
  lim means “the limit of
the following expression as The
tends towards 0”. ?   disappears as
tends towards 0, i.e. we
For example, , because as can effectively treat it as
“tends towards” infinity, the 0 at this point.
“limiting” value of the
expression is 0.
 
And voila, we got the
we saw earlier!
Finding the Gradient Function
 
The gradient function, or derivative, of the curve is written as
or .

The gradient function can be used to find the gradient of the

curve for any value of .

Notation
  Note:
Note: You do not need to know differentiation Whether we use or for the gradient
‘by first principles’ until A Level. We will shortly function depends on whether we use or
see a quicker way to find the gradient function. to start with:
“Leibniz’s notation”

“Lagrange’s
notation”
Advanced
  Notation Note:
Rather than for the small change in , the formal
notation is . So actually: There’s
  in fact a third way to indicate the gradient function,
notation used by Newton: (but you won’t use at IGCSEFM)
So we in fact have 3 symbols for “change in”!
• : any change in (as seen before: )
• : a small change in
So
 butthe estimated gradient using some point close by was ,
• : an infinitesimally small change in in the ‘limit’ as ,
Example
 The point with coordinates lies on the curve with equation .
At point the curve has gradient .
a) Show that
b) Deduce the value of .

a
  Use the “differentiation by first
principles” formula.

Function
  is

b As
  , clearly the limiting value of is
8. ?
 Just for your interest…
 
Why couldn’t we just immediately make
equal to 0 in ?

 is known as an indeterminate form. Whereas

 If we just stick in straight away: we know what happens with expressions like
(i.e. its value tends towards infinity),
indeterminate forms are bad because their
Wait, uh oh… values are ambiguous, and prevent
expressions from being evaluated.
Consider for example: 0 divided by anything
usually gives 0, but anything divided by 0 is
Thankfully,
  when indeterminate forms appear in expressions,
there are variety of techniques to turn the expression into one usually infinity. We can see these conflict.
that doesn’t have any indeterminate forms.

One simple technique, that worked in our example, is to expand

and simplify. This gave us and clearly is fine. Other techniques
are more advanced.
Can
  you guess some other indeterminate forms, i.e.
This is important when sketching harder functions:
http://www.drfrostmaths.com/resources/resource.php?rid=163
expressions whose value is ambiguous?

?
ME-WOW!
 
Differentiating
 Thankfully, there’s a quick way to differentiate terms of the form (where
is a constant) with having to use first principles every time:

  If then (where are constants)

i.e. multiply by the power and reduce the power by 1

Examples:

  5 𝑑𝑦 4
𝑦= 𝑥 → =5 𝑥? Power is 5, so multiply by 5 then
𝑑𝑥 reduce power by 5.
1 1 The
  power need not be an integer!
  2 ′ 1 −2
𝑓 ( 𝑥)= 𝑥 → 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= ? 𝑥 Remember to use not
2
Why
  would it be incorrect to say that
  𝑑𝑦 6 5
𝑦=2 𝑥 → ? 𝑥
=12 differentiates to ?
𝑑𝑥 The rule only works when the base is and the
power is a constant. Neither is true here! Note
𝑥 that is “a power of ” whereas is an exponential
𝑓  ( 𝑥 ) = 4 = 𝑥 ? → 𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) =−
−3 ′ −2
? 3𝑥 term (which you will encounter more in Chp14),
𝑥 ? differently. You will
and therefore differentiate
learn how to differentiate exponential terms in
  6 3 𝑑𝑦 2
𝑦= √ 𝑥 = 𝑥? → ? 𝑥
=3 Year 2.
𝑑𝑥
Test Your Understanding

  7 𝒅𝒚 𝟔
1 𝑦= 𝑥 → =𝟕 𝒙 ?
𝒅𝒙
  10 𝒅𝒚 𝟗
2 𝑦=3 𝑥 → = 𝟑𝟎 ?𝒙
𝒅𝒙
1
  3 𝟓
𝑥2 −
2 𝒅𝒚 𝟑 −
𝟐
3 𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) = 2 = 𝑥 ? → 𝒅𝒙 = −? 𝟐 𝒙
𝑥

  𝑎 𝒅𝒚 𝟐 𝒂−𝟏
4 𝑦= 𝑎 𝑥 → = 𝒂? 𝒙
𝒅𝒙
3 𝟏
  7 𝟐𝟏 𝟐
5 𝑓 ( 𝑥)= √ 49 𝑥 =7?𝑥 2 → 𝒇 ′ ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙?
𝟐
Differentiating Multiple Terms

 Differentiate

First
  thing to note:
If then   𝑑𝑦
i.e. differentiate each term =2? 𝑥 ?+4?
individually in a 𝑑𝑥
sum/subtraction.

   
Therefore applying the usual rule: Therefore applying the usual rule:

Alternatively, if you compare to , it’s clear Alternatively, if you sketch , the line is
that the gradient is fixed and . horizontal, so the gradient is 0.
Quickfire Questions

  2 𝒅𝒚
1 𝑦=2 𝑥 −3 𝑥 → =𝟒 𝒙? − 𝟑
𝒅𝒙
2   3 𝒅𝒚 𝟐
𝑦= 4 − 9 𝑥 → =− 𝟐𝟕
? 𝒙
𝒅𝒙
  𝒅𝒚
𝑦 =5 𝑥 + 1 → =𝟓
3 𝒅𝒙?

  𝒅𝒚
4 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 → ? 𝒂
=
(where is a constant)
𝒅𝒙
 
  𝒅𝒚 2
5 𝑦=6 𝑥 −3+ 𝑝 𝑥 → = 𝟔+𝟐
? 𝒑𝒙
(where is a constant)
𝒅𝒙
 
Harder Example
 Let
a) Find the gradient of at the point
b) Find the coordinates of the point on the graph of where the gradient is 8.
c) Find the gradient of at the points where the curve meets the line .

a  
When ? Remember
  that the ‘gradient function’ allows you
to find the gradient for a particular value of .

b   This
  example is important!
Point is Previously you used a value of to get the gradient . This
? time we’re doing the opposite: using a known gradient to
get the value of . We therefore substitute for 8.

Once
  you have your , you need to work out .
c  First find point of intersection: Ensure you use the correct equation!

Solving, we obtain:
? or
When
When
Test Your Understanding
 Let
a) Find the gradient of at the point
b) Find the coordinates of the point on the graph of where the gradient is 5.
c) Find the gradient of at the points where the curve meets the line .

a  
When ?

b  
Point is

c  
Solving: or
When ?
When
Exercise 1
1  For each of the following, find the gradient function , 3 For
  the curve , determine:
and hence find the gradient of the tangent to the (a) The gradient of the tangent to
curve when the curve at the point
?
a The tangent to the curve has gradient 6. Determine
b
the possible values of .
? (b) The point on?the curve where
the gradient is 5.
c ?

d ?

e ? ?

f ? Find the points on the curve

where the gradient is 11.
g ? 4
2

? ?
Finding equations of tangents
 Find the equation of the tangent to the curve when .

  want to use for the tangent (as it is a straight line!). Therefore we need:
We
(a) A point
(b) The gradient .

 Gradient function:
?
Gradient when :
?
-value when :
ent ?
g
tan
So equation of tangent:
  ,? )
(3
?
Finding equations of normals
 Find the equation of the normal to the curve when .

The normal to a
curve is the line
perpendicular to
the tangent.
 Equation of tangent (from earlier):
no
rm

nt
al

e Therefore equation of normal:

ta ng
?
(3,9)
 

Fro Exam Tip: A very common error is for students to

accidentally forget whether the question is asking for
the tangent or for the normal.
Test Your Understanding
AQA IGCSEFM June 2012 Paper 1 (Q1 on provided sheet)

  𝒅𝒚 𝟐
=𝟑 𝒙 +𝟏𝟎 𝒙
𝒅𝒙 ?

 At ,

Therefore: ?
 (questions on
Exercise 2 worksheet)

1  [IGCSEFM June 2012 Paper 1 Q8] A curve has 3  [IGCSEFM Set Paper 1 Q11] Show that the
equation tangents to the curve at and are parallel.
(a) When , show that the value of is -7.
At ,
(b) Work out the equation of the tangent to At ,
the curve at the point where . Same gradient therefore parallel.
? ?
[IGCSEFM Set 1 Paper 2 Q17] Work out the
[IGCSEFM June 2013 Paper Q8] A curve has equation of the normal to the curve at the
equation point (1, 2). Give your answer in the form .
(a) Work out . 4
(b) Work out the equation of the tangent to
?
the curve at the point where
Give your answer in the form
2

?
?

?
 (questions on
Exercise 2 worksheet)

 [IGCSEFM Set 4 Paper 2 Q20] A sketch of

5  [IGCSEFM Set 2 Paper 1 Q15] The graph shows 6 the curve is shown.
a sketch of . The curve intersects the -axis at
and are points on the curve.
and .

(a) Write down the coordinates of point .

Show that the tangents at and are
(b) Show that the normal to the curve at
perpendicular.
intersects the curve again at .
At ,
(a)
At ,
(b)
therefore the lines are perpendicular.
? At ,

At ?
Thus is on the line
 (questions on
Exercise 2 worksheet)

7  [IGCSEFM Specimen Paper 2 Q22] The diagram

shows the graph of
The curve cuts the -axis at the points and .
The tangent to the curve at the point (5,8) cuts
the -axis at the point .
Show that .

At
Equation of tangent:
When :

?
Increasing and Decreasing Functions
A function can also be increasing
and decreasing in certain intervals.

(  2,3 )

What do you think

it means for a
function to be an ( 4 ,− 1 )
‘increasing
function’?

 ! An increasing function is Increasing

   Decreasing Increasing
 
one whose gradient is for ? ? for for ?
always at least 0.
for all . We
  could also write “ is decreasing in
the interval ”
It
  would be ‘strictly increasing’ represents all the real numbers
if for all , i.e. is not allowed to between and inclusive.
go horizontal.
Examples
 Show that the function  Find the interval on which the
is increasing for all real values function is decreasing.
of .

 
 
So is decreasing for
for all real ,
for all real
?
is an increasing function for all .
?

Fro Tip: To show a quadratic is

always positive, complete the
square, then indicate the
squared term is always at
least 0.
Test Your Understanding
 Show that the function  Find the interval on which the
is increasing for all real values function is decreasing.
of .

   
for all real
for all real . So is decreasing for
Therefore is an increasing
? .
function for all real ?
Exercise 3
4  
  Determine the values of for which is increasing.
1 a) Find
b)
?
By completing the square, hence show
Show that is an increasing function for all values of .
that this function is increasing for all . ?
Since for all , for all . for all for all .

? 5 [AQA IGCSEFM June 2012 Paper 2 Q20] For what

c) Find values of is an increasing function?
d) Hence or otherwise, determine the
2 values of for which is increasing.
? ?
[Set 4 Paper 1 Q10] for all values of . Show that is a
decreasing function for all values .
6
?
Determine the values of for which is for all therefore for all . Therefore is decreasing for
all .
decreasing.
?
3

7
?
?
Stationary/Turning Points
 A stationary point is where the gradient is 0, i.e. .

Local maximum 𝑓  ′ ( 𝑥 )=0

Fro Note: It’s called a ‘local’ maximum
because it’s the function’s largest
output within the vicinity. Functions
may also have a ‘global’ maximum, i.e.
the maximum output across the entire
function. This particular function
doesn’t have a global maximum
because the output keeps increasing up
Local minimum 𝑓  ′ ( 𝑥 ) =0 to infinity. It similarly has no global
minimum, as with all cubics.

 Find the coordinates of the turning points of

 
When
When
?
More Examples
 Find the least value of  Find the turning point of
Spec Note: For
IGCSEFM, the powers
will always be positive
  integers, not
 Method 1: Differentiation fractional.
? When ,

So 5 is theMethod 1:
minimum value. So turning point is
Differentiation

 Method 2: Completing the square ?

?
ThereforeMethod
the minimum2:value of is
Completing the Square
5, and this occurs when
.

Fro Note: Method 2 is only applicable for

quadratic functions. For others,
differentiation must be used.
Points of Inflection
There’s a third type of stationary point (that we’ve encountered previously):

A point of inflection is where

the curve changes from convex
concave (or vice versa).
𝑓  ′ ( 𝑥 )=0

concave
(the same terms
convex used in optics!)
Technically we could label
these either way round i.e. the line curves in one
depending on where we view
the curve from. What’s direction before the point of
important is that the inflection, then curves in the
concavity changes.
other direction after.

Fro Side Note: Not all points of inflection are stationary points, as can be seen ) ≠0
in the example on the right. 𝑓 
′ (𝑥
How do we tell what type of stationary point?
Method 1: Look at gradient just before
and just after point.

Local Maximum
Gradient Gradient at Gradient
just before maximum just after

?
+ve
?0 ?
+ve

Point of Inflection
Local Minimum Gradient Gradient at Gradient
just before p.o.i just after
Gradient Gradient at Gradient
just before minimum just after

?
+ve
?0 ?
+ve
?-ve ?0 ?
+ve
How do we tell what type of stationary point?
Method 1: Look at gradient just before
and just after point.

 Find the stationary point on the curve with equation

, and determine whether it is a local maximum, a local minimum or a point of
inflection.

 
Stationary point is
? Turning Point

Strategy:
  ?
Find the gradient for values just before and after . Let’s try and .

Gradient
Shape
? Determine point type

 Looking at the shape, we can see that is a minimum.

Test Your Understanding
 Show that one of the stationary points of the curve with equation
is , and determine whether it is a maximum, a minimum or a point of
inflection.

When

When , which is negative.

When which is positive

Therefore a minimum point.

?
Points of Inflection and Increasing Functions
There’s one point squirreled away deep in the specification:

 a) Find the turning point of

b) Write in the form
c) Hence, explain why your turning point is a point of inflection.

  The idea is that a curve with a

a maximum or minimum point is
never an increasing or decreasing
? is positive
As for all , the gradient
function:

except at .

The turning point must therefore be

b ? a point of inflection:

c
?
Sketching Graphs
In the past we’ve used features such as intercepts with the axes in order to
sketch graphs.
Now we can also find stationary/turning points!

 By first finding the stationary points, sketch the graph of

 𝑦
 
Turning points:

We could also find roots:

? Turning Points ? Graph  𝑥

 3

 (2 ,− 4)
Test Your Understanding
 By finding the turning points, sketch the graph of

 𝑦

 
When
When
 ( −3,54 )

?  𝑥

(  3 ,− 54 )
 Exercise 4
(Questions on worksheet provided) [June 2013 Paper 2 Q8] A sketch of is shown. There
2  
are stationary points at and .
[Set
  4 Paper 2 Q22] A sketch of , where is a cubic
1 function, is shown.

There is a maximum point at .

(a) Write down the equation of the tangent to
the curve at . ?
(b) Write down the equation of the normal to the
(a) Write down the equation of the tangent to the

curve at . ?
curve at . ?
(b) Write down the equation of the normal to the
(c) Circle the word that describes the cubic
function when .
curve at .
?
(c) Circle the range of values of for which is an
positive negative increasing decreasing increasing function.
increasing
?
?
Exercise 4
3   2 Paper 2 Q12] A curve has equation
[Set 5 [Set
  3 Paper 1] A curve has equation
Work out the coordinates of any stationary points on
(a) Work out
?
(b) Work out the coordinates of the two
this curve and determine their nature.

stationary points on the curve. We can justify that this is an inflection point either by:
a) Seeing that gradient at and are both positive or
b) Using the fact that for all to show that the function
[Set 1 Paper 2 Q14] (a) Work out the stationary is an increasing one.
points on the curve .
(b) Sketch the curve
? ?

4 Roots: When

 𝑦

( −2,16
  )
?
 𝑥

(  2 ,− 16 )
Exercise 4
6
[Specimen
  Paper 1 Q13] (a) Work out the coordinates
8  [June 2012 Paper 2 Q23] The curve is
of the stationary point for the curve . such that
(b) Explain why has no real solutions.
The stationary points of the curve are
The minimum point is above the -axis, so the curve at and .
never crosses/touches the -axis.
? Determine the nature of each
stationary point. You must show your
[Jan 2013 Paper 1 Q13]
(a) Work out , giving your answer in the form working.
, where and are integers.
7 (b) Hence, or otherwise, work out the coordinates of
the stationary point of

(c) Explain how you know that this stationary point is a

point of inflection.

?
Since for all , function is increasing, so stationary
point is a point of inflection.