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Worked solution

Simplify a logarithm before differentiating

Differentiate ln⁡ex/(2+3x2)\ln\sqrt{e^x/(2+3^{x^2})} with respect to xx.

CJC · Lecture · Example 10

Use the logarithm laws first

The square root covers the entire fraction. Write ln⁡ex/(2+3x2)=12[ln⁡(ex)−ln⁡(2+3x2)]=12[x−ln⁡(2+3x2)]\ln\sqrt{e^x/(2+3^{x^2})}=\frac12[\ln(e^x)-\ln(2+3^{x^2})]=\frac12[x-\ln(2+3^{x^2})]. This retains the printed simplification before differentiating. The radicand is strictly positive for every real xx.

How did this part go?

Differentiate the simplified expression

The inner derivative is d(3x2)/dx=3x2(ln⁡3)(2x)d(3^{x^2})/dx=3^{x^2}(\ln3)(2x). Thus the derivative is 12[1−3x2(ln⁡3)(2x)/(2+3x2)]=12−x(ln⁡3)3x2/(2+3x2)\frac12[1-3^{x^2}(\ln3)(2x)/(2+3^{x^2})]=\frac12-x(\ln3)3^{x^2}/(2+3^{x^2}), the printed result, valid for all real xx.

How did this part go?

Common mistakes

The exponent of 3 is x², and the square root covers the fraction. Losing either changes the question.

Solution notes

Printed asks and complete working compared with both source copies. No printed marks or past-paper attribution. Domain explanations independently authored where the source leaves them implicit.

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