Question

f(x)= (2x-5x^5)^4
steps to finding the derivative.?

Answer 1

Opp, gonna be the chain rule hun.You've got a F(x) which is the ^4 and the g(x) which is 2x-5x^5.

Answer 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_rule

Answer 3

the derivative would = 4x^3(2-5x^4)^3(2-25x^4)

Answer 4

Close, but I believe that the 4x^3 factor in the first part would just be 4. Imagine that the equation inside the ^4 is just a regular x and so you can see that the derivative would be 4(equation inside)^3 * derivative of inside equation.

Answer 5

why don't you just multiply out the function so it becomes a straightforward polynomial? Am I missing something?

Answer 6

You could do that, but I don't think most teachers require it.

Answer 7

they don't require it or they don't allow it? It should be much easier (2-3 years at school) than using the chain rule.

Answer 8

I for one, wouldn't want to multiply out (2x-5x^5) (2x-5x^5) (2x-5x^5) (2x-5x^5), because the chain rule only takes me a min to do and that ugly equation would take forever to multiply out. Even through the last step might be a little easier I believe your teacher is looking to see if you understand how to do the chain rule.

Answer 9

1 4 6 4 1

I have no idea what the teacher is looking for; if I were a teacher who wanted to constrain the students to using the chain rule, I would make some mention of "don't just multiply out" or "using the chain rule, ..."

Answer 10

Strange, well that's how I'd approach it, besides practicing it will become very useful later on when you get to some of the really complex and can be manipulated around a bit to help solve many types of integrals.