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The '''chain rule''' is an approach for differentiating a composition of functions in terms of those functions. The '''chain rule''' is an approach for [[Calculus/Derivative|differentiating]] a composition of functions.
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== Notation == == Description ==
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The common notation for the chain rule is, given a function ''h(x) = f(g(x))'', the derivative ''h'(x) = f'(g(x)) g'(x)''. Given a function defined like ''f(x) = g(h(x))'', the derivative of ''f'' is ''g'(h(x)) h'(x)''.
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An equivalent notations is that ''h = fg'' and ''h' = (f ∘ g)' = (f' ∘ g)g' ''. Sometimes this is notated as ''f = gh'' and ''f' = (g' ∘ h)h' ''.
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A parallel notation is: Equivalently, consider:
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{{attachment:leibniz.svg}} {{attachment:notation1.svg}}

{{attachment:notation2.svg}}



=== Multivariate ===

A notation for [[Calculus/PartialDerivative|partial derivatives]] will be used such that ''a,,b,, = ∂a/∂b''.

Given a multivariate composition like ''f(g,h)'' where ''g = g(x,y)'' and ''h = h(x,y)'', the [[Calculus/Differential|total differential]] demonstrates that:

''df = f,,g,,dg + f,,h,,dh''

''df = f,,g,,(g,,x,,dx + g,,y,,dy) + f,,h,,(h,,x,,dx + h,,y,,dy)''

''df = f,,g,,g,,x,,dx + f,,g,,g,,y,,dy + f,,h,,h,,x,,dx + f,,h,,h,,y,,dy''

''df = (f,,g,,g,,x,, + f,,h,,h,,x,,)dx + (f,,g,,g,,y,, + f,,h,,h,,y,,)dy''

Clearly then ''f,,g,,g,,x,, + f,,h,,h,,x,, = f,,x,,'' and ''f,,g,,g,,y,, + f,,h,,h,,y,, = f,,y,,''. Equivalently, consider:

{{attachment:notation3.svg}}
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Several of these terms are trivial to derive. The derivative of ''e'' to an exponent is itself, so the derivative of ''P'' with respect to ''v'' is ''P''. The derivative of a natural logarithm of some variable is 1 over that variable, so the derivative of ''u'' with respect to ''Q'' is ''1/Q''. This leaves the equation as: Several of these terms are trivial to derive. The derivative of ''e'' to an exponent is itself, so the derivative of ''P = e^v^'' with respect to ''v'' is ''P''. The derivative of a natural logarithm of some variable is 1 over that variable, so the derivative of ''u = ln Q'' with respect to ''Q'' is ''1/Q''. This leaves the equation as:

Chain Rule

The chain rule is an approach for differentiating a composition of functions.


Description

Given a function defined like f(x) = g(h(x)), the derivative of f is g'(h(x)) h'(x).

Sometimes this is notated as f = g ∘ h and f' = (g' ∘ h)h' .

Equivalently, consider:

notation1.svg

notation2.svg

Multivariate

A notation for partial derivatives will be used such that ab = ∂a/∂b.

Given a multivariate composition like f(g,h) where g = g(x,y) and h = h(x,y), the total differential demonstrates that:

df = fgdg + fhdh

df = fg(gxdx + gydy) + fh(hxdx + hydy)

df = fggxdx + fggydy + fhhxdx + fhhydy

df = (fggx + fhhx)dx + (fggy + fhhy)dy

Clearly then fggx + fhhx = fx and fggy + fhhy = fy. Equivalently, consider:

notation3.svg


Usage

Point elasticity is defined as:

elasticity1.svg

It can be simplified using the chain rule into:

elasticity2.svg

Start with the final formulation and use u- and v-substitution:

substitution1.svg

Note in particular that the equation for v can be rewritten in terms of P:

substitution2.svg

Now the final formulation can be rewritten as:

substitution3.svg

Several of these terms are trivial to derive. The derivative of e to an exponent is itself, so the derivative of P = ev with respect to v is P. The derivative of a natural logarithm of some variable is 1 over that variable, so the derivative of u = ln Q with respect to Q is 1/Q. This leaves the equation as:

substitution4.svg


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Calculus/ChainRule (last edited 2025-10-16 20:27:40 by DominicRicottone)