Calculus Examples

$\frac{x^{3}}{4} - 3 x$

Step 1

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $\frac{x^{3}}{4} - 3 x$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x^{3}}{4}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 3 x]$ .

$\frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x^{3}}{4}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 3 x]$

Step 2

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x^{3}}{4}]$ .

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Step 2.1

Since $\frac{1}{4}$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $\frac{x^{3}}{4}$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{1}{4} \frac{d}{d x} [x^{3}]$ .

$\frac{1}{4} \frac{d}{d x} [x^{3}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 3 x]$

Step 2.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 3$ .

$\frac{1}{4} (3 x^{2}) + \frac{d}{d x} [- 3 x]$

Step 2.3

Combine $3$ and $\frac{1}{4}$ .

$\frac{3}{4} x^{2} + \frac{d}{d x} [- 3 x]$

Step 2.4

Combine $\frac{3}{4}$ and $x^{2}$ .

$\frac{3 x^{2}}{4} + \frac{d}{d x} [- 3 x]$

Step 3

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [- 3 x]$ .

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Step 3.1

Since $- 3$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 3 x$ with respect to $x$ is $- 3 \frac{d}{d x} [x]$ .

$\frac{3 x^{2}}{4} - 3 \frac{d}{d x} [x]$

Step 3.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 1$ .

$\frac{3 x^{2}}{4} - 3 \cdot 1$

Step 3.3

Multiply $- 3$ by $1$ .

$\frac{3 x^{2}}{4} - 3$