The Chain Rule is going to make derivatives a lot messier. So cherish the videos below, where we'll find derivatives without the Chain Rule. If, however, you're already into the Chain Rule, well then you'll need to check out the Chain Rule chapter, where we'll repeat all these rules except with examples that involve the chain rule as well!
Derivatives of Polynomials (The Power Rule)
This is the first derivative you learn, and the easiest. Just put the old power out front, and reduce the exponent by one. But what about negative exponents? And constants? All is covered here. Just take it one term at a time, man.
Derivatives of Roots & Radicals
Again, if you need the chain rule, that's for a later chapter. However, this video covers the strategy you'll always use when you're taking the derivative of some junk under a square (or cube) root, and that strategy is this: convert it to a fraction exponent and use the power rule! The power rule is awesome.
Difficult Power Rule Problems
The hardest power rule problems involve the chain rule, which we'll save for the Chain Rule chapter. Instead, in this video I cover a bunch of problems that look like they'd be power rule problems, except you can use algebra (FOIL, fractions, etc.) to reduce them to polynomials first. Because let's face it, your best friend in calculus is the power rule, but your second-best friend is "avoiding the quotient rule."
Derivatives of Trig Functions
Just the basic formulas. Without the Chain Rule, Product Rule, or Quotient rules we can't get too crazy with these things. But that's why we're looking at these now, so you can see them without the craziness that is the Chain Rule. (Can you tell I meet a lot of students who are getting crushed by the Chain Rule?)
If you do not have an account, you should get one, because it is awesome! You can save a playlist for each test or each chapter, and save your "greatest hits" into a "watch right before the final" list (not that we recommend cramming, but when in Rome...)