Linearity of differentiation

In mathematics, the linearity of differentiation is a most fundamental property of the derivative, in differential calculus. It follows from the sum rule in differentiation and the constant factor rule in differentiation. Thus we can say that the act of differentiation linear, or the differential operator is a linear operator.

Let f and g be functions. Now consider:

${d \over dx}(af(x)+bg(x))$

By the sum rule in differentiation, this is:

${d \over dx}(af(x))+{d \over dx}(bg(x))$

By the constant factor rule in differentiation, this reduces to:

$af\ '(x)+bg'(x)$

Hence we have:

${d \over dx}(af(x)+bg(x))=af\ '(x)+bg'(x)$

Omitting the brackets, this is often written as:

$(af+bg)'=af\ '+bg'$