1.

Differentiation of a simple power

To differentiate s = tn . Example
• Bring the existing power down and use it to multiply. s = t3
ds
• Reduce the old power by one and use this as the = 3t3−1
dt
new power.
ds
Answer = ntn−1 = 3t2
dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

ds dv da dy
(a) s = t9 , (b) v = t4 , (c) a = t5 , (d) y = x7 ,
dt dt dt dx
dy dV dP dA
(e) y = x12 , (f) V = r3 , (g) P = v 6 , (h) A = r2 ,
dx dr dv dr
dT dR dv dp
(i) T = θ8 , (j) R = t19 , (k) v = t11 , (l) p = V 10 ,
dθ dt dt dV

c
 2. Differentiation of a unit power

To differentiate s = t.

• The phrase ‘a unit power’ refers to the fact that the power is 1.
• Note that t is the same as t1 . We can use the previous rule.
• Differentiating the term t = t1 gives 1t0 = 1

ds
Answer =1
dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

dr dv da dy
(a) r = t, (b) v = t, (c) a = t, (d) y = x,
dt dt dt dx
dz dV dP dW
(e) z = y, (f) V = r, (g) P = v, (h) W = z,
dy dr dv dz
dT dQ dm dx
(i) T = θ, (j) Q = r, (k) m = s, (l) x = y,
dθ dr ds dy
 3. Differentiation of a constant

To differentiate s = a where a is a constant. Example

• An isolated constant always differentiates to zero. s = 4
ds ds
Answer =0 =0
dt dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

ds dv 1 dθ dr
(a) s = 5, (b) v = 0.6, (c) θ = , (d) r = 1,
dt dt 2 dt dθ
dT dz dx df
(e) T = π, (f) z = 29.6, (g) x = 3−1 , (h) f = 2.7,
dt dx dt dx
dp √ dq 3 dw dm
(i) p = 4, (j) q = 2, (k) w = , (l) m = 2.7,
dr dt 4 dz dθ
4. Differentiation of a simple power multiplied by a constant

To differentiate s = atn where a is a constant. Example

• Bring the existing power down and use it to multiply. s = 3t4
ds
• Reduce the old power by one and use this as the new power. = 4 × 3t4−1
dt
ds
Answer = antn−1 = 12t3
dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

ds dy dr dv
(a) s = 3t4 , (b) y = 7x3 , (c) r = 0.4θ5 , (d) v = 4r3 ,
dt dx dθ dr
dA dT dv dp
(e) A = πr2 , (f) T = 6θ4 , (g) v = 5t9 , (h) p = 6v 3 ,
dr dθ dt dv
dy dr dP dC
(i) y = 14x2 , (j) r = 5t7 , (k) P = 7v 6 , (l) C = 12N 8 ,
dx dt dv dN
5. Differentiation of a unit power multiplied by a constant

To differentiate s = at where a is a constant. Example

• The result is always the same as the constant. s = 3t

ds ds
Answer =a =3
dt dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

dy ds dp
(a) y = 5x, (b) s = 6t, (c) p = 4v,
dx dt dv
dC dQ dz
(d) C = 7n, (e) Q = 0.5v, (f) z = πw,
dn dv dw
dN 1 dθ 1 dr
(g) N = 1.7n, (h) θ = t, (i) r = t,
dn 3 dt 4 dt
ds dw dR
(j) s = 3.14ω, (k) w = 5z, (l) R = 9.6φ,
dω dz dφ
 6. Differentiation of a general power

To differentiate s = tn for any value of n. Example

• Bring the existing power down and use it to multiply. s = t−3.4

ds
• Reduce the old power by one and use this as the = −3.4t−3.4−1
dt
new power.

ds
Answer = ntn−1 = −3.4t−4.4
dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

ds dy dr
(a) s = t2.8 , (b) y = x2/3 , (c) r = 0.4θ1/4 ,
dt dx dθ
dv dA dT
(d) v = 4r−3 , (e) A = r1/2 , (f) T = θ−6 ,
dr dr dθ
dv dp dy
(g) v = t−1 , (h) p = v −3.5 , (i) y = x3/4 ,
dt dv dx
dr dP dC
(j) r = t−1/3 , (k) P = v 1.8 , (l) C = N −6 ,
dt dv dN
7. Differentiation of a general power multiplied by a constant

To differentiate s = atn for any value of n where a is a constant. Example

• Bring the existing power down and use it to multiply. s = 2.5t−4

ds
• Reduce the old power by one and use this as the new power. = −4 × 2.5t−4−1
dt
ds
Answer = antn−1 = −10t−5
dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

dy ds dp
(a) y = 5x1.5 , (b) s = 4t−3 , (c) p = 8v 1/2 ,
dx dt dv
dC dQ dz
(d) C = 6n−1 , (e) Q = 2v 0.5 , (f) z = 6w−2.5 ,
dn dv dw
dN 1 dθ dr
(g) N = 5.2n10 , (h) θ = t6 , (i) r = −5t−2 ,
dn 5 dt dt
ds dw dv
(j) s = 2.5p2.5 , (k) w = 15z −0.1 , (l) v = −3r−4 ,
dp dz dr
 8. Differentiation of a sum or difference of terms

To differentiate s = f (t) + g(t) or s = f (t) − g(t). Example

1
• Differentiate f (t) and g(t) using previous rules. s = 3t2 ± 6t 3

ds 1
= 2 × 3t2−1 ± × 6t 3 −1
1
• Add or subtract the results.
dt 3
ds df dg ds df dg
= 6t ± 2t− 3
2
Answer = + or = −
dt dt dt dt dt dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

ds dv da
(a) s = t2 + t3 , (b) v = 2t + 3t4 , (c) a = 3 + 4t,
dt dt dt
dv da ds
(d) v = 5t − 10t2 , (e) a = 3t4.5 − 4t−1 (f) s = 4t1/2 − 2.5t−2 ,
dt dt dt
dy dy 1 dx
(g) y = x2 + 3x4 (h) y = 2x−1 − x−2 , (i) x = 3y + y 2 ,
dx dx 4 dy
 9. Differentiation of a simple fraction
a
To differentiate s = where a is a constant. Example
tn
2
• Rewrite as s = at−n . s=
t3
= 2t−3
ds
• Differentiate using previous rules. = −3 × 2t−3−1
dt
ds
Answer = −ant−n−1 = −6t−4
dt

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

1 ds 2 ds 5 dy
(a) s = , (b) s = , (c) y = ,
t dt t2 dt x3 dx
2.4 dp 4.5 dv 10 da
(d) p = , (e) v = , (f) a = ,
r7 dr t1/2 dt t6 dt
4.9 dv 2.5 ds π dx
(g) v = , (h) s = , (i) x = ,
x4 dx θ3 dθ θ dθ
√
2 dθ 7 dz 3 dq
(j) θ = 5 , (k) z = , (l) q = ,
t dt 2x dx r2.5 dr
10. Differentiation of fractions reducible to simpler fractions

a + btn
To differentiate s = . Example
ctm
a btn 4 + 3t2
• Rewrite as s = + . s=
ctm ctm 5t3
4 3t2
• Use power laws to simplify. = +
5t3 5t3
4t−3 3t−1
• Differentiate using previous rules. = +
5 5
ds 3 × 4t−3−1 3t−1−1
=− + (−1) ×
dt 5 5
ds amt−m−1 b 12t−4 3t−2
Answer =− + (n − m)tn−m−1 =− −
dt c c 5 5

Practice: In the space provided write down the requested derivative for each of
the following expressions.

4t + 1 ds 5t3 + 3t ds 5t2 + 3t + 1 dv
(a) s = , (b) s = , (c) v = ,
t dt t dt t3 dt

7 + 6x + 5x2 dy 3 + 5x dy 7 + 2t dz
(d) y = , (e) y = , (f) z = ,
x2 dx 4x dx 3t dt

2 + 5t + 2t3 dθ 8 + 6z 2 dw 3y + 2y 2 dx
(g) θ = , (h) w = , (i) x = ,
t2 dt 3z 4 dz 4y dy