Question

Don't know why, but I'm having trouble deriving this equation: 1/sqrt(x)

Answer 1

derivative?

Answer 2

Yes, sorry, I meant *differentiating, not deriving.

Answer 3

ok\[\sqrt x \text{ means } x^{\frac{1}{2}} \]right?

Answer 4

Yup

Answer 5

But it's actually 1/sqrt(x), so x^(-1/2)

Answer 6

ok so \[\frac{1}{\sqrt x} = \frac{1}{x^{\frac{1}{2}}} = x^{\frac{-1}{2}}\]

Answer 7

\[\sqrt{x}/(x ^{2}+x)\] I keep ending up with this after attempting to differentiate it.

Answer 8

\[\large{\frac{d}{dx} x^{-\frac{1}{2}} = -\frac{1}{2}x^{\frac{-3}{2} } }\]

Answer 9

How did you find that?

Answer 10

\[\frac{d}{dx} x^m = mx^{m-1}\]

Answer 11

its called the power rule

Answer 12

Ah, I see. Well, thanks.

Answer 13

:) http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~hass/Calculus/HTAC/excerpts/node19.html

Answer 14

Makes perfect sense, thanks.