Finding the Second Derivative Using the Chain Rule

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Homework Statement


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Homework Equations


Chain rule.

The Attempt at a Solution


$$\frac {dy}{dt} . \frac{dt}{dx} = \sqrt{t^2+1}.cos(π.t)$$
$$\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}.(\frac{dt}{dx})^2 = 2 $$
$$\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}.(t^2+1).cos^2(π.t)= 2 $$ and for the t=3/4,
$$\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}.\frac{25}{16}.\frac{1}{2} = 2 $$
$$\frac{d^2y}{dt^2} = \frac{64}{25}$$
$$\frac{dy}{dt} = \frac{8}{5}$$

I count the dt\dx as the function itself because it is the previous status of the function, I mean the function in the problem statement is a result of dt/dx.

Is my solution correct? Is my approach correct? If not , where am I wrong and how to solve?

Thank you!
 

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Check your arithmetic on the last step. Also note that cos(3π/4) is negative but there's a sign ambiguity for (dt/dx), if you're getting it from your second equation.
 
Last edited:
John Park said:
Hmm: ##\frac d {dx} = \left( \frac {dt} {dx} \right ) \frac d {dt}## applied twice to y looked credible. But you're right: it doesn't seem to work for your case.
For typing ease, I'll use dot for d/dt and ' for d/dx.
##\dot y=y'\dot x##
Differentiating and applying the product rule:
##\ddot y=\dot x \frac d{dt}y'+y'\ddot x##
##=\dot x \frac {dx}{dt}y"+y'\ddot x##
##=\dot x^2y"+y'\ddot x##.
That checks out with my example.
 
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Looks good. I can insist to myself that I've learned from the experience.