What does find the dx/dy of (eq inside) for x>0 mean?

  • Thread starter Thread starter randy17
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Mean
randy17
Messages
4
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



find dy/dx for the function xy^2+xlnx=4y for x>o

Homework Equations



xy^2+xlnx=4y

The Attempt at a Solution



I found the dy/dx to be "(y^2+lnx+1)/(4-x)=dx/dy"
What is it asking me to do with the x>0? Do they want me to plug in a value greater than 0 for x and solve for y? or what?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
The function ln, as you might know, isn't defined for values less than zero. Hence it is meaningless to speak of a function value, let alone a derivative there.

By the way, for this to make sense to me, you have to have an equal sign somewhere. Like xy^2+xlnx = 0 or something - else it's just a value, not anything to define a function y(x).
 
jeppetrost said:
By the way, for this to make sense to me, you have to have an equal sign somewhere. Like xy^2+xlnx = 0 or something - else it's just a value, not anything to define a function y(x).

Sorry, the eq is actually xy^2+xlnx=4y. Thank you for pointing out the mistake, I'll edit it out.
 
I get a slightly different answer. Check your derivative of the first term on the left.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top