Quote of the Day:
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life
by what we give." -- Winston Churchill
Objectives:
The student will prove the product rule for derivatives.
The student will apply the product rule to
differentiation problems.
1. Bellringer.
2. To introduce the Product Rule:
First, list rules for differentiation that we have
already proven:
(A) Definition of the derivative
(B) Derivative of a constant
(C) Power Rule
(D) Derivative of a sum or difference
Recall some of the rules the student has already
learned:
(A) The limit of a sum is the sum of the limits.
(B) The limit of a product is the product of the
limits.
(C) The derivative of a sum is the sum of the
derivatives.
(D) The derivative of a difference is the difference
of the derivatives.
So, many calculus students conjecture that the
derivative of a product is the product of the
derivatives. Have the students test this
conjecture with a few examples:
3. Example #1
4. Testing the conjecture on Example #2:
5. Proof of the PRODUCT RULE
6. Extended Product Rule:
(f g h)' = f' g h + f g' h + f g h'
(f g h j)' =
7. Example:
Given y = (5x2 - 3) (7x3 + x), Find y'
Answer: y' = 175x4 - 48x2 - 3
8. Assignment:
p. 203 (1, 3, 5, 9, 19a, 21a,b, 33)
Click here to go to the next page