Understanding the Derivative of a Complex Function

  • Thread starter Mozart
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In summary, a discussion took place about a problem that involved finding the derivative of a function. The original function was corrected and a question about the use of the quotient rule was raised. After some clarification, it was determined that the final answer was correct. The conversation also included a mention of using LaTeX and practicing with it.
  • #1
Mozart
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Hey my teacher worked this problem out the other day and I wrote it down but now I am having trouble understanding it. This is what he wrote. Can someone verify if it is correct.

[tex]y=\frac{e^{2u}}{e^u+e^{-u}}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\frac{(e^u+e^(-u))(e^(2u))(2)-e^(2u)(e^u+e^-u(-1))}{(e^u+e^-u)^2}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\frac{e^(2u)[2e^u+2e^-u-e^u+e^-u]}{(e^u+e^-u)^2}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\frac{e^(2u)[e^u+3e^-u]}{(e^u+e^-u)^2}[/tex]

What I don't understand is how in the step after the quotient rule was used there is in brackets [tex]-e^u+e^-u[/tex] Doesn't multiplying it by-1 make it [tex]e^u+e^-u[/tex]
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Oh forget it I can't use latex if my life depended on it. What a waste of time.
 
  • #3
Here, I tried to clean it up a bit. Use {} for exponents instead of (), for example: e^{2u} instead of e^(2u). You can also double click on the Tex expression to see the code:

Mozart said:
Hey my teacher worked this problem out the other day and I wrote it down but now I am having trouble understanding it. This is what he wrote. Can someone verify if it is correct.

[tex]y=\frac{e^{2u}}{e^u+e^{-u}}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\frac{(e^u+e^{-u})e^{2u}(2)-e^{2u}(e^u+e^{-u}(-1))}{(e^u+e^{-u})^2}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\frac{e^{2u}[2e^u+2e^{-u}-e^u+e^{-u}]}{(e^u+e^{-u})^2}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\frac{e^{2u}[e^u+3e^{-u}]}{(e^u+e^{-u})^2}[/tex]

What I don't understand is how in the step after the quotient rule was used there is in brackets [tex]-e^u+e^{-u}[/tex] Doesn't multiplying it by-1 make it [tex]e^u+e^{-u}[/tex]
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Would that be:
[tex]y(u)=\frac{e^{2u}}{e^{u}+e^{-u}}[/tex]
 
  • #5
Yes that is exactly what I wanted Benorin except i think for the (2) it should be on the outside of those brackets, and arildno yeah that's the original function. Thanks for fixing it.

So is the final answer correct? I'm confused because of the (-1) in brackets. I don't see how it could give a [tex]-e^u[/tex] when there is a negative times a negative.

edit:
Ohhhh nevermind I see it now. Anyways this thread was not in vain. I got some good latex practice in. Thanks again.
 
  • #6
Just to confirm (since I didn't really folow your question,) I compute the derivative as follows:

[tex]y=\frac{e^{2u}}{e^u+e^{-u}}\Rightarrow y^{\prime}=\frac{2e^{2u}(e^u+e^{-u})-e^{2u}(e^u-e^{-u})}{(e^u+e^{-u})^2} =\frac{e^{2u}(e^u+3e^{-u})}{(e^u+e^{-u})^2} [/tex]

Yep, same as you.
 
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  • #7
Thank you for confirming it.
 

What is a derivative?

A derivative is a mathematical concept that represents the rate of change of a function at a specific point. It can also be thought of as the slope of a line tangent to the function at that point.

Why is finding the derivative important?

The derivative is important because it allows us to analyze how a function is changing at a particular point. This is useful in many fields, such as physics, economics, and engineering, where understanding the rate of change of a system is crucial.

How do you find the derivative of a function?

To find the derivative of a function, you can use the rules of differentiation, such as the power rule, product rule, quotient rule, and chain rule. These rules allow you to find the derivative of any function, as long as you know the basic derivatives of simple functions.

What is the difference between the derivative and the slope of a line?

The derivative and the slope of a line are closely related, but they are not the same. While the slope of a line represents the ratio of the change in the y-value to the change in the x-value, the derivative represents the instantaneous rate of change of a function at a specific point. In other words, the derivative gives us the slope of the tangent line at a point, rather than the slope of a secant line between two points.

What are some real-world applications of finding derivatives?

There are many real-world applications of finding derivatives. For example, in physics, the derivative is used to calculate velocity and acceleration from position data. In economics, the derivative is used to determine marginal cost and marginal revenue. In engineering, the derivative is used to optimize designs and analyze systems. It is also used in fields such as finance, biology, and computer science.

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