The chain rule is used when we are trying to differentiate compositefunctions
“function of a function”How do I use the chain rule?
In trickier problems chainrule may have to be applied more than once
Are there any standard results for using chain rule?
There are five general results that can be useful
Exam Tip
You should aim to be able to spot and carry out the chain rule mentally (rather than use substitution)
every time you use it, say it to yourself in your head “differentiate the first function ignoring the second, then multiply by the derivative of the second function"
Worked Example
Product Rule
What is the product rule?
How do I know when to use the product rule?
Exam Tip
Worked Example
Quotient Rule
What is the quotient rule?
Final answers should match the notation used throughout the question
How do I know when to use the quotient rule?
if the numerator is a constant, negativepowers can be used
if the denominator is a constant, treat it as a factor of the expression