Apparently easy Chain Rule Problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter rambo5330
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Chain Chain rule
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the derivative of the function F(s) = (s - 1/s^2)^3 using the chain rule. Participants are attempting to understand their calculations and compare them with a solution provided in a textbook.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss their initial steps in applying the chain rule and express uncertainty about their expansions. There are questions about the correctness of their derivatives and the potential errors in their calculations.

Discussion Status

Some participants have confirmed their approaches appear correct, while others are still trying to reconcile their results with the textbook answer. There is an ongoing exploration of the expansion process and where errors may have occurred.

Contextual Notes

Participants note discrepancies between their results and the textbook answer, indicating a need to clarify the expansion steps and assumptions made during the differentiation process.

rambo5330
Messages
83
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



F(s) = ( s - [tex]\frac{1}{s^2}[/tex])3

I have to calculate the derivative of this using chain rule everytime i try i get something way different than in the back of the book... my first move is

3( s - [tex]\frac{1}{s^2}[/tex])2 X ( 1 + [tex]\frac{2}{s^3}[/tex])

is this correct? then expand out from here? maybe there's a problem when i expand.. i don't know but any help would be great thanks...
 
Physics news on Phys.org
hi rambo5330! :smile:
rambo5330 said:
F(s) = ( s - [tex]\frac{1}{s^2}[/tex])3

I have to calculate the derivative of this using chain rule everytime i try i get something way different than in the back of the book... my first move is

3( s - [tex]\frac{1}{s^2}[/tex])2 X ( 1 + [tex]\frac{2}{s^3}[/tex])

looks ok to me …

what do you get when you expand it?
 
Yeah,

[tex]\frac{d}{ds}F(s) = 3(s - \frac{1}{s^2})^2 (1 + \frac{2}{s^3})[/tex]

Seems fine.

Maybe the author expanded the expression, what answer do you have in the back of the book?

_________________

EDIT: Listen, I've expanded it and what I've found was something like this

[tex]\frac{d}{ds}F(s) = 3(\frac{s^3-1}{s^2})^2(\frac{s^3 +2}{s^3}) \Rightarrow 3(\frac{(s^3-1)^2}{s^4})(\frac{s^3 +2}{s^3}) = \frac{3}{s^7}((s^3-1)^2(s^3+2))[/tex]
 
Last edited:
sorry for late response...

the answer in the text is.

[tex]\frac{d}{ds}F(s) = \frac{3( s^9 - 3s^3 + 2)}{s^7}[/tex]

when i expand i end up with something similar to yours but i obviously made an error somewhere I'm going to try again right now... i really don't see how they are arriving at this solution
 
so i finally arrived at the solution thanks a bunch.. i justt needed to know if i was wrong right off the bat or if it was in my expansion and you jeez.. after awhile of work i found where i made my error.. and i arrived at

[tex]\frac{d}{ds}F(s) = 3(s^2 - \frac{3}{s^4} + \frac{2}{s^7})[/tex]

which in then became clear that the book cleared the fractions by multiplying/dividing by s7

pain in the butt
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K