Thread: finding derivative

y= ((2x-5)^-1 ) * (x^(2)-5x)^6

this is what i have so far

dy/dx=

(2x-5)^-1 * 6(x^2-5x)^5 * (2x-5) * 2 +

(x^2-5x)^6 * -1(2x-5)^-2 * 2

cancel the (2x-5) in the first term right

so then i have

12(x^2-5x)^5- 2(x^2-5x)^6 * (2x-5)^-2

factor out 2(x^2-5x)^5

so i have

2(x^2-5x)^5 [ 6-(x^2-5x)*(2-5)^-2]

now i am confused how to simplify this

Originally Posted by rmn

y= ((2x-5)^-1 ) * (x^(2)-5x)^6

this is what i have so far

dy/dx=

(2x-5)^-1 * 6(x^2-5x)^5 * (2x-5) * 2 +

(x^2-5x)^6 * -1(2x-5)^-2 * 2

what is that 2 for?

Originally Posted by Jhevon

what is that 2 for?

derivative of the 2x-5
yeah i wasn't sure if i was supposed to do that?
is it part of the chain rule or something

Originally Posted by rmn

derivative of the 2x-5
yeah i wasn't sure if i was supposed to do that?
is it part of the chain rule or something

no. the chain rule was done when you wrote (2x - 5). you don't need to take the derivative of that.

so you should have:

now continue. what do we have common here? what can we factor out? and what powers should we factor out?

Originally Posted by Jhevon

no. the chain rule was done when you wrote (2x - 5). you don't need to take the derivative of that.

so you should have:

now continue. what do we have common here? what can we factor out? and what powers should we factor out?

oh, just a general question how do we know when to stop using the chain rule like in that question

Originally Posted by rmn

oh, just a general question how do we know when to stop using the chain rule like in that question

the chain rule says: ........we take the derivative of the inside function once. we don't take the derivative of the derivative of g(x) (that would be g''(x), and that's not in the formula). (the only time we may have to do that is if g(x) itself is a composite function, which was not the case here)

Originally Posted by Jhevon

the chain rule says: ........we take the derivative of the inside function once. we don't take the derivative of the derivative of g(x) (that would be g''(x), and that's not in the formula). (the only time we may have to do that is if g(x) itself is a composite function, which was not the case here)

oh ok thanks
ok so now i have

2(x^2-5x)^5 [ 3- (x^2-5x)(2x-5)^-2]

is that right

Originally Posted by rmn

oh ok thanks
ok so now i have

2(x^2-5x)^5 [ 3- (x^2-5x)(2x-5)^-2]

is that right

yes, that's fine