Consider f(x)=x2 and g(x)=x5. Applying the power rule, we get f′(x)=2x and g′(x)=5x4. Now, f(x)⋅g(x)=x2⋅x5=x7, so we have (f(x)⋅g(x))′=7x6, again by the power rule. However, f′(x)⋅g′(x)=2x⋅5x4=10x5≠7x6!
In particular, this shows that (f(x)g(x))′≠f′(x)⋅g′(x). Instead,
The Product Rule:
ddx(f(x)⋅g(x))=f′(x)⋅g(x)+f(x)⋅g′(x).
Think about what would happen if f(x) was a constant and g(x)
was changing. Then, by the constant multiple rule, the derivative of
f(x)⋅g(x) would be f(x)⋅g′(x). Likewise, if f(x) was changing and g(x)
was a constant, then we would get f′(x)⋅g(x). When f(x) and g(x)
are both changing, the actual derivative of f(x)⋅g(x) is the sum of
two terms, one proportional to how much f(x) is changing and the
other proportional to how much g(x) is changing.
Example:
Since the derivative of x2 is 2x and the derivative
of ex is ex, the derivative of x2ex is
(x2ex)′=(x2)′ex+x2(ex)′=2xex+x2ex=(x2+2x)ex.