Basic Differentiation

Basic Differentiation

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Example 1:

$$ y=x^4+x^2,\;\;\; \textup{Find} \;\;\frac{dy}{dx}$$

Solution:

\begin{align*} y&=x^4+x^2\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{d}{dx}(x^4+x^2)\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{d}{dx}x^4+\frac{d}{dx}x^2\\\\ \because\frac{d}{dx}x^n&=nx^{n-1}\\\\ \therefore\;\; \frac{dy}{dx}&=4x^{4-1}+2x^{2-1}\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=4x^3+2x\\ \end{align*}

Example 2:

$$ y=x^3+\sqrt{x},\;\;\; \textup{Find} \;\;\frac{dy}{dx}$$

Solution:

\begin{align*} y&=x^3+\sqrt{x}\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{d}{dx}(x^3+\sqrt{x})\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{d}{dx}x^3+\frac{d}{dx}\sqrt{x}\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{d}{dx}x^3+\frac{d}{dx}x^{\frac{1}{2}}\\\\ \because\frac{d}{dx}x^n&=nx^{n-1}\\\\ \therefore\;\; \frac{dy}{dx}&=3x^{3-1}+\frac{1}{2}x^{\frac{1}{2}-1}\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=3x^2+\frac{1}{2}x^{-\frac{1}{2}}\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=3x^2+\frac{1}{2x^{\frac{1}{2}}}\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=3x^2+\frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}}\\ \end{align*}

Example 3:

$$ y=5x^6+2x^4,\;\;\; \textup{Find} \;\;\frac{dy}{dx}$$

Solution:

\begin{align*} y&=5x^6+2x^4\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{d}{dx}(5x^6+2x^4)\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=\frac{d}{dx}5x^6+\frac{d}{dx}2x^4\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=5\frac{d}{dx}x^6+2\frac{d}{dx}x^4\\\\ \because\frac{d}{dx}x^n&=nx^{n-1}\\\\ \therefore\;\; \frac{dy}{dx}&=5(6x^{6-1})+2(4x^{4-1})\\ \frac{dy}{dx}&=30x^5+8x^3\\ \end{align*}