Differentiating y*x^2: x^2/(1+x^2)

In summary, Tide was telling you that to solve for dy from the equation dx^2y=x^2dx/(1+x^2), you need to divide both sides by x2 to get simply dy=\frac{dx}{1+x^2}. However, if yx^2 is encapsulated by parentheses, like in the equation you posted, then you mistakenly think you can't do this. When you solve for dy, you get y=tan^-1(x) which is what you were supposed to get when y*x^2 is solved. Finally, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus!
  • #1
sony
104
0
d/dx(y*x^2)=x^2/(1+x^2)

I guess I can't write this as:
dyx^2=x^2dx/(1+x^2)
dy=dx/(1+x^2)
beacuse I don't get the right answer...

So what do I do?
 
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  • #2
You can't just divide out the [itex]x^2[/itex] in the differential. I suggest direct integration of the DE with respect to x.
 
  • #3
well, it's the d/dx(y*x^2) that confused me.
we have only learned to solv the types:
dy/dx=f(x)g(y)

what is direct integration?

Thanks
 
  • #4
Direct integration means this:
[tex]\int_{x_0}^{x} \frac {d}{dx'}\left(x'^2 y\right) dx' = \int_{x_0}^{x} \frac {x'^2}{1+x'^2} dx'[/tex]
 
  • #5
Then I don't think we have learned about direct integration...
 
  • #6
Well, Tide said that, simply

[tex] \int du = u +\mathcal{C} [/tex]

You must understand what I've written, else why attempt to solve diff. eqns. ?

Daniel.
 
  • #7
okey, I understand what you just wrote :P

but I still don't know how to solve my problem...
 
  • #8
sony said:
d/dx(y*x^2)=x^2/(1+x^2)
I guess I can't write this as:
dyx^2=x^2dx/(1+x^2)
dy=dx/(1+x^2)
beacuse I don't get the right answer...
So what do I do?

Tide's point was just that you need to divide both sides by x2 to get simply [itex]dy= \frac{dx}{1+x^2}[/itex].

"Direct integration" just meant regular integration!

[tex]y= \int dy= \int \frac{dx}{1+ x^2}[/itex]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #9
Oh, but I didn't think I could do that when y*x^2 was encapsulated by parantheses.

When I solve what you posted I get y=tan^-1(x) but the answer is supposed to be:
(pi/4)(1/x^2)-(1/x)-tan^-1(x)/x^2

(the pi/4 comes from the start value...)
 
  • #10
sony said:
Oh, but I didn't think I could do that when y*x^2 was encapsulated by parantheses.
When I solve what you posted I get y=tan^-1(x) but the answer is supposed to be:
(pi/4)(1/x^2)-(1/x)-tan^-1(x)/x^2
(the pi/4 comes from the start value...)
Oops! Sorry about that. I misread the original equation!

It's not that the yx2 was "encapsulated by parentheses" but that here, specifically, the parentheses mean that the entire function yx2 is being differentiated. I read it as [itex]x^2\frac{dy}{dx}[/itex] rather than [itex]\frac{dx^2y}{dx}[/itex].

Given that, Tide meant that
[tex]x^2y= \int d(x^2y)= \int \frac{x^2dx}{x^2+ 1}[/tex].

That right hand side is a little more complicated. First divide it out:
[tex]\frac{x^2}{x^2+1}= 1- \frac{1}{x^2+1}[/itex]
and it becomes easy to integrate.
 
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  • #11
Oh, thanks! Now I see it :)
 
  • #12
Bah, sorry. I don't see what the integral of "dx^2y" evaluates to :(
 
  • #13
sony said:
Bah, sorry. I don't see what the integral of "dx^2y" evaluates to :(

Fundamental Theorem of Calculus!

[tex] \int d(Anything)= Anything+ C[/tex]

[tex]\int d(x^2y)= x^2y + C[/tex]
 
  • #14
Oh! sorry! I see it! bah

hehe, the yx^2 messed up my head :P
 

1. What is the process for differentiating y*x^2?

The process for differentiating y*x^2 is to use the power rule, which states that the derivative of x^n is equal to n*x^(n-1). In this case, we have y*x^2, so we would use the power rule to get 2y*x^(2-1) = 2y*x.

2. Why is the derivative of x^2/(1+x^2) different from that of y*x^2?

The derivative of x^2/(1+x^2) is different from that of y*x^2 because the variables are different. In the first equation, x is the variable being differentiated with respect to, while in the second equation, y is the variable being differentiated with respect to. This means that the power rule would be applied differently in each equation.

3. Can the quotient rule be used to differentiate x^2/(1+x^2)?

Yes, the quotient rule can be used to differentiate x^2/(1+x^2). The quotient rule states that the derivative of f(x)/g(x) is equal to (g(x)*f'(x) - f(x)*g'(x)) / (g(x))^2. In this case, f(x) = x^2 and g(x) = 1+x^2, so the derivative would be ((1+x^2)*2x - x^2*2x) / (1+x^2)^2 = 2x / (1+x^2)^2.

4. How can the chain rule be applied to differentiate x^2/(1+x^2)?

The chain rule can be applied to differentiate x^2/(1+x^2) by first rewriting the equation as x^2*(1+x^2)^-1. Then, we can treat x^2 as the outer function and (1+x^2)^-1 as the inner function. Applying the chain rule, we would get the derivative as 2x*(1+x^2)^-1 - x^2*(1+x^2)^-2 *2x = 2x / (1+x^2)^2.

5. Is there a simpler form for the derivative of x^2/(1+x^2)?

Yes, there is a simpler form for the derivative of x^2/(1+x^2), which is 2x / (1+x^2)^2. This can be simplified further by expanding the denominator to get 2x / (1+2x^2+x^4), but this may not be considered simpler depending on the context of the problem.

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