Differentiate One Infinite Product: Strategies & Formulas

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the differentiation of infinite products, exploring various strategies and formulas. Participants are seeking to understand how to apply differentiation to functions represented as infinite products, with some focusing on specific cases and generalizations.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks how to differentiate an infinite product and inquires about any relevant formulas.
  • Another suggests applying the derivative directly to the expression, but the context of what is being differentiated remains unclear.
  • A participant clarifies that differentiation applies to functions rather than numbers, questioning whether the inquiry pertains to the identity function or a constant function.
  • A proposed formula for the derivative of an infinite product is presented, involving a product of functions and a summation of their derivatives divided by the functions themselves.
  • Another participant challenges the proposed formula, suggesting a modification to ensure correctness.
  • One participant expresses difficulty in finding a proof related to differentiating an infinite product.
  • A later post elaborates on a generalization for differentiating a function defined as an infinite product, providing a detailed derivation for a finite case and expressing uncertainty about the infinite case.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the methods for differentiating infinite products, with multiple competing views and formulas presented. Uncertainty remains regarding the application of these methods to infinite cases.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the need for clarity in distinguishing between infinite products and sums, as well as the importance of proper notation in mathematical expressions.

the dude man
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How do you differentiate one? Is it possible? Any formulas?
 
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Apply d/dx to the expression.
 
One differentiates functions, not numbers. Do you mean you want to know the derivative of the identity function? Over what domain? Or do you want to know the derivative of the function that always returns 1?
 
y'(x) = y(x)*M

M=
----
\ f' / f
/
----
Does that work?
 
Last edited:
No, that doesn't work. Change one of the f's to a g, then it should work.
 
I can't figure this out can someone refer me to proof cause i can't find one.
 
The derivative of a function in the form of an infinite product.
Anything would be nice.
 
Bump. .
 
Please don't bump. You asked how to differentiate an infinite product, then posted an ascii art diagram that indicates an infinite sum, not product. Which is it? If you take time to learn how to post latex here it will help you.
 
  • #10
equation for derivative of n product

A similar question came to me while finding the derivative of a function equal to the product of three differentiable functions here is my generalization to a function equal to an infinite product:

Let [tex]g_{n} = \prod^n_{k=1}f_{k}[/tex] and assume that [tex]f'_n[/tex] exists. Then by the product rule of differentiation and some clever factoring
[tex]g'_n = (\prod^n_{k=1}f_{k})\sum^n_{j=1}\frac{f'_j}{f_j}[/tex]
which is even more simply written as
[tex]g'_{n} = g_{n}\sum^n_{j=1}\frac{f'_j}{f_j}[/tex].

To see how I get to this generalization I will work out the derivative for
[tex]g_{3} = \prod^3_{k=1}f_{k}=f_1f_2f_3[/tex].
First,
[tex]g'_{3}= f_2f_3f'_1 + f_1(f_2f_3)'= f_2f_3f'_1 + f_1(f_2f'_3+f_3f'_2)= f_2f_3f'_1+f_1f_2f'_3+f_1f_3f'_2[/tex]
Then noticing the relationship between this form and the original equation,
[tex]g'_3=\frac{g_3}{f_1}f'_1+\frac{g_3}{f_2}f'_2+\frac{g_3}{f_3}f'_3= g_3(\frac{f'_1}{f_1}+\frac{f'_2}{f_2}+\frac{f'_3}{f_3})[/tex]
which is what the general function predicted,
[tex]g'_3=g_3\sum^3_{j=1}\frac{f'_j}{f_j}[/tex]

I know that this statement is true for specific values of n, but I’m not sure what features this function has when g is an infinite product of differentiable functions. I hope that this helps with the question at hand.
 
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