Derivatives of Products

Example:
F(z) = z ln((p)*z + 3)

The first thing to notice when finding the derivative of this function is that it is the product of several terms, as shown in color below:

F(z) = ( z) ( ln((p)*z + 3))

The Derivative Rule for Products:

The derivative of a product is the derivative of the first term times the second (and third, etc.) term(s), plus the first (and third, etc.) term(s) times the derivative of the second, etc.
If
  z = (f(x) g(x))
then the derivative of z is
  z ' = (f(x) g(x))'
    = f '(x) g(x) + f(x) g '(x)

So our example,

F(z) = ( z) ( ln((p)*z + 3))
we can think of as
F(z) = f(z) g(z)    
So the derivative is
F '(z) = ( f(z) g(z) )'    
  = f '(z) g(z) + f(z) g '(z)
  = ( z )' ( ln((p)*z + 3) ) + ( z ) ( ln((p)*z + 3) )'
and we just need to know each of the derivatives on the right-hand side of the equation. In this case these are
( z )' = 1 (by the derivative rule for variables)
( ln((p)*z + 3) )' = ((p)*z + 3)-1 (p + 0) (by the chain rule)
so the finished derivative is
F '(z) = ( 1 ) ( ln((p)*z + 3) ) + ( z ) ( ((p)*z + 3)-1 (p + 0) )
  = ln((p)*z + 3) + (p)*z ((p)*z + 3)-1
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additional explanation for the product rule
see another product rule example
practice gateway test
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Comments to Gavin LaRose
glarose@umich.edu
©2001 Gavin LaRose, University of Michigan Math Dept.