Porisma

Worked solution

Use chain, logarithmic, product and quotient differentiation

Differentiate the following expressions with respect to xx, simplifying your answers whenever possible.

(a) tan⁡−1(e3x)\tan^{-1}(e^{3x}), marks

(b) 52x5^{2x}, marks

(c) axx3+1\dfrac{ax}{\sqrt{x^3+1}}, where aa is a constant. marks

[2015/CJC/Promo/1]

CJC · Review Problems · Question 5

Answer

(a) 3e3x/(1+e6x)3e^{3x}/(1+e^{6x}); (b) (2ln⁡5)52x(2\ln5)5^{2x}; (c) a(2−x3)/[2(x3+1)3/2]a(2-x^3)/[2(x^3+1)^{3/2}].

(a)

The derivative is 3e3x1+(e3x)2=3e3x1+e6x\dfrac{3e^{3x}}{1+(e^{3x})^2}=\dfrac{3e^{3x}}{1+e^{6x}}.

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(b) Method 1: exponential chain rule

ddx52x=52xln⁡5⋅2=(2ln⁡5)52x\dfrac{d}{dx}5^{2x}=5^{2x}\ln5\cdot2=(2\ln5)5^{2x}.

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(b) Method 2: logarithmic differentiation

Let y=52x>0y=5^{2x}>0. Taking logarithms gives ln⁡y=2xln⁡5\ln y=2x\ln5, so y′/y=2ln⁡5y\prime/y=2\ln5 and y′=(2ln⁡5)52xy\prime=(2\ln5)5^{2x}.

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(c) Method 1: product rule

Write ax(x3+1)−1/2ax(x^3+1)^{-1/2}. Its derivative is a(x3+1)−1/2−32ax3(x3+1)−3/2a(x^3+1)^{-1/2}-\frac32ax^3(x^3+1)^{-3/2}, the printed form. Combining the terms gives a(2−x3)2(x3+1)3/2\dfrac{a(2-x^3)}{2(x^3+1)^{3/2}}, for x>−1x>-1.

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(c) Method 2: quotient rule

The quotient-rule numerator is ax3+1−ax⋅12(x3+1)−1/2(3x2)a\sqrt{x^3+1}-ax\cdot\frac12(x^3+1)^{-1/2}(3x^2) and its denominator is x3+1x^3+1. This simplifies to the same printed two-term form and hence the same combined fraction.

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Common mistakes

A variable exponent on a constant base supplies a logarithm of the base.

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