2.1.4 Derivatives of Exponential Functions
Derivatives of Exponential Functions
What is the derivative of e?
- y = ex has the particular property
- ie for every real number x, the gradient of y = ex is also equal to ex (see Derivatives of Exponential Functions)
- e ≈ 2.718 (see "e")
- Recall that the derivative is the gradient function for a curve (see First Principles Differentiation)
Graphs and derivatives related to e
- The derivative of y = ekx is
- The derivative of y = e-kx is
Exam Tip
- Remember that (like π) e is a number.
- Exam questions can ask for answers to be given as exact values in terms of e (see the Worked Example below).
Worked example
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