Chain Rule for the Slope of f .g.

x// 1

Chain Rule for the Slope of f .g.x//

y D g.x/ z D f .y/ �� the chain is z D f .g.x//

y Dx 5
zDy 4
��
the chain is z D .x 5 /4 D x 20

 
z z y
Average slope D Just cancel y
x y x
dz dz dy
Instant slope D D CHAIN RULE (like cancelling dy)
dx dy dx
You MUST change y to g.x/ in the final answer

dz dy
Example of chain z D y 4 D .x 5 /4 D 4y 3 D 5x 4
dy dx
  
dz dz dy
Chain rule D D .4y 3 /.5x 4 / D 20y 3 x 4
dx dy dx
dz
Replace y by x 5 to get only x D 20.x 5 /3 x 4 D 20 x 19
dx
dz
CHECK z D .x 5 /4 D x 20 does have D 20 x 19
dx
dz dz
1. Find for z D cos .4x/ Write y D 4x and z D cos y so D
dx dx
dz dz
2. Find for z D .1 C 4x/2 Write y D 1 C 4x and z D y 2 so D
dx dx

dz
CHECK .1 C 4x/2 D 1 C 8x C 16x 2 so D
dx

Practice Questions

dh
3. Find for h.x/ D .sin 3x/.cos 3x/
dx
Product rule first Then the Chain rule for each factor
dh d d
D .sin 3x/ .cos 3x/ C .cos 3x/ .sin 3x/
dx dx dx
D .sin 3x/.CHAIN/ C .cos 3x/.CHAIN/ D ‹
2 Chain Rule for the Slope of f .g.x//

4. Tough challenge: Find the second derivative of z.x/ D f .g.x//

  
FIRST dz dz dy Function of y.x/
D
DERIV dx dy dx times function of x
d 2z
       
PRODUCT dz d dy dy d dz
D C
RULE dx 2 dy dx dx dx dx dy
  2    2  
SECOND dz d y dy d z dy dy
C twiceŠ
DERIV dy dx 2 dx dy 2 dx dx

dz d 2z
Check y D x 5 z D y 4 D x 20 D 20x 19 D 380x 18
dx dx 2
SECOND
.4y 3 /.20x 3 / C .5x 4 /.12y 2 /.5x 4 / 80 C 300 D 380 OK
DERIV
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Resource: Highlights of Calculus

Gilbert Strang

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