In calculus, the product rule (or Leibniz rule[1] or Leibniz product rule) is a formula used to find the derivatives of products of two or more functions. For two functions, it may be stated in Lagrange’s notation as
{\displaystyle (u\cdot v)‘=u’\cdot v+u\cdot v’}{\displaystyle (u\cdot v)‘=u’\cdot v+u\cdot v’}
or in Leibniz’s notation as
{\displaystyle {\frac {d}{dx}}(u\cdot v)={\frac {du}{dx}}\cdot v+u\cdot {\frac {dv}{dx}}.}{\displaystyle {\frac {d}{dx}}(u\cdot v)={\frac {du}{dx}}\cdot v+u\cdot {\frac {dv}{dx}}.}
The rule may be extended or generalized to products of three or more functions, to a rule for higher-order derivatives of a product, and to other contexts.
Geometric illustration of a proof of the product rule
Contents
1 Discovery
2 Examples
3 Proofs
3.1 Limit definition of derivative
3.2 Linear approximations
3.3 Quarter squares
3.4 Multivariable chain rule
3.5 Non-standard analysis
3.6 Smooth infinitesimal analysis
3.7 Logarithmic differentiation
4 Generalizations
4.1 Product of more than two factors
4.2 Higher derivatives
4.3 Higher partial derivatives
4.4 Banach space
4.5 In vector calculus
4.6 Derivations in abstract algebra and differential geometry
5 Applications
6 See also