Derivative of Composite Function

Kenji Liew
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Homework Statement



\begin{equation}
f(x)=
\begin{cases}
5x+2 &, x \leq 1 \\
3x^2 &, 1<x<2\\
4-x &, x\geq 2
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

\begin{equation}
g(x)=
\begin{cases}
\frac{1}{5}(2+3 cos x) &, x <0 \\
4-sin x &, x \geq 0
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

Find h = f \circ g and then by using chain rule to find the derivative of f \circ g .

Homework Equations



\begin{equation}
h(x)=f\circ g =
\begin{cases}
4+3 cos x &, x <0 \\
sin x &, x \geq 0
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

The Attempt at a Solution


From h(x) = f \circ g above, I directly differentiate and I get the following
\begin{equation}
h'(x)=
\begin{cases}
-3 sin x &, x < 0 \\
cos x &, x > 0
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

If chain rule are requested in finding the derivative, I know the formula is h&#039;(x) = f&#039; (g(x)) \cdot g&#039;(x). Any idea to find the derivative using chain rule?

Thank you.
 
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Kenji Liew said:

Homework Statement



\begin{equation}
f(x)=
\begin{cases}
5x+2 &, x \leq 1 \\
3x^2 &, 1<x<2\\
4-x &, x\geq 2
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

\begin{equation}
g(x)=
\begin{cases}
\frac{1}{5}(2+3 cos x) &, x <0 \\
4-sin x &, x \geq 0
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

Find h = f \circ g and then by using chain rule to find the derivative of f \circ g .

Homework Equations



\begin{equation}
h(x)=f\circ g =
\begin{cases}
4+3 cos x &, x <0 \\
sin x &, x \geq 0
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

The Attempt at a Solution


From h(x) = f \circ g above, I directly differentiate and I get the following
\begin{equation}
h'(x)=
\begin{cases}
-3 sin x &, x < 0 \\
cos x &, x > 0
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

If chain rule are requested in finding the derivative, I know the formula is h&#039;(x) = f&#039; (g(x)) \cdot g&#039;(x). Any idea to find the derivative using chain rule?

Thank you.

It seems overly pedantic to do it explicitly with the chain rule, but if you must do so, just write h(x) as a two piece formula like this:

If x ≥ 0, f(x) = 4-x, g(x) = 4 - sin(x) and h=f\circ g
If x < 0 f(x) = 5x+2, g(x) = (1/5)(2+3cos(x)) and h=f\circ g
Then do the chain rule on each piece.
 
LCKurtz said:
It seems overly pedantic to do it explicitly with the chain rule, but if you must do so, just write h(x) as a two piece formula like this:

If x ≥ 0, f(x) = 4-x, g(x) = 4 - sin(x) and h=f\circ g
If x < 0 f(x) = 5x+2, g(x) = (1/5)(2+3cos(x)) and h=f\circ g
Then do the chain rule on each piece.

Thank you for the reply. I got the idea from it. This is because my lecturer want us to compare whether the answer obtained from directly differentiate h(x) is the same
as the answer obtained from the chain rule. :smile:
 
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