The product rule is: differentiate one factor at a time and add. Differentiate the first and keep the second, plus keep the first and differentiate the second.
If you can expand first, expanding is sometimes faster.
Examples
-
01DifferentiateAnswerHide
Answer -
02DifferentiateAnswerHide
Answer -
03DifferentiateAnswerHide
Answer -
04DifferentiateAnswerHide
Answer -
05DifferentiateAnswerHide
Answer -
06DifferentiateAnswerHide
Answer
FAQ
Do the product rule and expanding first give the same result?
Yes. For two polynomials, expanding is often faster. When or is involved, you need the product rule.
Published 2026-09-03 · Updated 2026-09-05