MHB Robert's questions at Yahoo Answers regarding differentiation

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The discussion addresses two calculus problems posed by Robert. For the first problem, involving a point moving along the circle defined by x² + y² = 144, the derivative dx/dt is calculated using implicit differentiation, resulting in dx/dt = -2√35 cm/min at the point (-2, -√140). The second problem requires finding the derivative dy/dx for the function y = x^(x^6) + 2, which is derived using logarithmic differentiation, yielding dy/dx = x^(x^6 + 5)(1 + 6ln(x)). Both solutions demonstrate the application of differentiation techniques in calculus. The thread provides clear step-by-step calculations for each problem.
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Here are the questions:

Please help solve these calculus questions quick tmrw?


A point moves along the circle x^2+y^2=144so that dy/dt=2cm/min. Find dx/dt at the point (-2,−√140).

Given y=x^x^6+2, find dy/dx

I have posted a link there to this topic so the OP can see my work.
 
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Hello Robert,

For the first problem, we are given the following curve along which a point moves:

$$x^2+y^2=144$$

We are asked to find $$\frac{dx}{dt}$$ at a particular point, so implicitly differentiating with respect to $t$, we find:

$$2x\frac{dx}{dt}+2y\frac{dy}{dt}=0$$

Solving for $$\frac{dx}{dt}$$, we obtain:

$$\frac{dx}{dt}=-\frac{y}{x}\frac{dy}{dt}$$

Plugging in the given data:

$$x=-2\text{ cm},\,y=-\sqrt{140}\text{ cm}=-2\sqrt{35}\text{ cm},\,\frac{dy}{dt}=2\,\frac{\text{cm}}{\text{min}}$$

we have:

$$\frac{dx}{dt}=-\frac{-2\sqrt{35}\text{ cm}}{-2\text{ cm}}\cdot2\,\frac{\text{cm}}{\text{min}}=-2\sqrt{35}\,\frac{\text{cm}}{\text{min}}$$

For the second problem, we are given:

$$y=x^{x^6}+2$$

Differentiating with respect to $x$, we may write:

$$\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{d}{dx}\left(x^{x^6} \right)+\frac{d}{dx}(2)$$

Let's rewrite the first term on the right using an exponential/logarithmic identity and observing that for the second term, the derivative of a constant is zero, hence:

$$\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{d}{dx}\left(e^{x^6\ln(x)} \right)$$

Using the differentiation rule for the exponential function, the chain and product rules, we may write:

$$\frac{dy}{dx}=e^{x^6\ln(x)}\left(x^6\frac{1}{x}+6x^5\ln(x) \right)$$

Hence:

$$\frac{dy}{dx}=x^{x^6}\left(x^5+6x^5\ln(x) \right)$$

Factoring and using the rule for exponents $a^ba^c=a^{b+c}$:

$$\frac{dy}{dx}=x^{x^6+5}\left(1+6\ln(x) \right)$$
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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