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AP Calculus AB : Understanding the derivative of a sum, product, or quotient

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Derivative Of A Sum, Product, Or Quotient

Find the derivative of the following function:

$f(x) = x^3 + \frac{1}{x}$

Possible Answers:

$f'(x) = 3x^2+\frac{1}{x^2}$

f'(x) = 3x^2+x

$f'(x) = 3x^2-\frac{1}{x}$

f'(x) = 3x^2

$f'(x) = 3x^2-\frac{1}{x^2}$

Correct answer:

$f'(x) = 3x^2-\frac{1}{x^2}$

Explanation:

Since this function is a polynomial, we take the derivative of each term separately.

From the power rule, the derivative of

x^3

is simply

3x^2

We can rewrite $\frac{1}{x}$ as

$x^{-1}$

and using the power rule again, we get a derivative of

$-x^{-2}$ or $-\frac{1}{x^2}$

So the answer is

$f'(x) = 3x^2-\frac{1}{x^2}$

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Example Question #2 : Understanding The Derivative Of A Sum, Product, Or Quotient

What is $\frac{\mathrm{d} }{\mathrm{d} x}f(x)*g(x)\mathrm{d x} ?$

Possible Answers:

f(x)g'(x)-f'(x)g(x)

f(x)g'(x)+f'(x)g(x)

f(x)*f'(x)+g(x)*g'(x)

$\frac{g(x)f'(x)-f(x)g'(x)}{g(x)^2}$

f(x)g(x)+f'(x)g'(x)

Correct answer:

f(x)g'(x)+f'(x)g(x)

Explanation:

The chain rule is "first times the derivative of the second plus second times derivative of the first".

In this case, that means $\frac{\mathrm{d} }{\mathrm{d} x}f(x)*g(x)\mathrm{d x} =f(x)g'(x)+f'(x)g(x)$ .

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Example Question #3 : Understanding The Derivative Of A Sum, Product, Or Quotient

Which of the following best represents $\frac{\mathrm{d} }{\mathrm{d} x}\frac{f(x)}{g(x)}$ ?

Possible Answers:

$\frac{f'(x)}{g'(x)}$

f'(x)g(x)+g'(x)f(x)

$\frac{g(x)g'(x)-f(x)f'(x)}{g(x)^2}$

$\frac{f(x)g'(x)-g(x)f'(x)}{g(x)^2}$

$\frac{g(x)f'(x)-f(x)g'(x)}{g(x)^2}$

Correct answer:

$\frac{g(x)f'(x)-f(x)g'(x)}{g(x)^2}$

Explanation:

The question is just asking for the Quotient Rule formula.

Recall the Quotient Rule is the bottom function times the derivative of the top minus the top function times the derivative of the bottom all divided by the bottom function squared.

Given,

$\frac{\mathrm{d} }{\mathrm{d} x}\frac{f(x)}{g(x)}$

the bottom function is g(x) and the top function is f(x) . This makes the bottom derivative g'(x) and the top derivative f'(x) .

Substituting these into the Quotient Rule formula resulting in the following.

$\frac{\mathrm{d} }{\mathrm{d} x}\frac{f(x)}{g(x)}=\frac{g(x)\cdot f'(x)-f(x)\cdot g'(x)}{(g(x))^2}$

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AP Calculus AB : Understanding the derivative of a sum, product, or quotient

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Calculus AB

All AP Calculus AB Resources

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Derivative Of A Sum, Product, Or Quotient

Example Question #2 : Understanding The Derivative Of A Sum, Product, Or Quotient

Example Question #3 : Understanding The Derivative Of A Sum, Product, Or Quotient

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