Calculus Examples

$y = {(\frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3})}^{2}$

Step 1

Differentiate using the chain rule, which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [f (g (x))]$ is $f' (g (x)) g' (x)$ where $f (x) = x^{2}$ and $g (x) = \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3}$ .

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Step 1.1

To apply the Chain Rule, set $u$ as $\frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3}$ .

$\frac{d}{d u} [u^{2}] \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3}]$

Step 1.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d u} [u^{n}]$ is $n u^{n - 1}$ where $n = 2$ .

$2 u \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3}]$

Step 1.3

Replace all occurrences of $u$ with $\frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3}$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3}]$

Step 2

Differentiate using the Quotient Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [\frac{f (x)}{g (x)}]$ is $\frac{g (x) \frac{d}{d x} [f (x)] - f (x) \frac{d}{d x} [g (x)]}{{g (x)}^{2}}$ where $f (x) = 3 x - 1$ and $g (x) = x^{2} + 3$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{(x^{2} + 3) \frac{d}{d x} [3 x - 1] - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3

Differentiate.

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Step 3.1

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $3 x - 1$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [3 x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 1]$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{(x^{2} + 3) (\frac{d}{d x} [3 x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 1]) - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.2

Since $3$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $3 x$ with respect to $x$ is $3 \frac{d}{d x} [x]$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{(x^{2} + 3) (3 \frac{d}{d x} [x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 1]) - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.3

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 1$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{(x^{2} + 3) (3 \cdot 1 + \frac{d}{d x} [- 1]) - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.4

Multiply $3$ by $1$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{(x^{2} + 3) (3 + \frac{d}{d x} [- 1]) - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.5

Since $- 1$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 1$ with respect to $x$ is $0$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{(x^{2} + 3) (3 + 0) - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.6

Simplify the expression.

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Step 3.6.1

Add $3$ and $0$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{(x^{2} + 3) \cdot 3 - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.6.2

Move $3$ to the left of $x^{2} + 3$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 \cdot (x^{2} + 3) - (3 x - 1) \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} + 3]}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.7

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $x^{2} + 3$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [3]$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 (x^{2} + 3) - (3 x - 1) (\frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [3])}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.8

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 2$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 (x^{2} + 3) - (3 x - 1) (2 x + \frac{d}{d x} [3])}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.9

Since $3$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $3$ with respect to $x$ is $0$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 (x^{2} + 3) - (3 x - 1) (2 x + 0)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.10

Simplify the expression.

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Step 3.10.1

Add $2 x$ and $0$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 (x^{2} + 3) - (3 x - 1) (2 x)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3.10.2

Multiply $2$ by $- 1$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 (x^{2} + 3) - 2 (3 x - 1) x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4

Simplify.

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Step 4.1

Apply the distributive property.

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 3 \cdot 3 - 2 (3 x - 1) x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.2

Apply the distributive property.

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 3 \cdot 3 + (- 2 (3 x) - 2 \cdot - 1) x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.3

Apply the distributive property.

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 3 \cdot 3 - 2 (3 x) x - 2 \cdot - 1 x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.4

Simplify the numerator.

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Step 4.4.1

Simplify each term.

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Step 4.4.1.1

Multiply $3$ by $3$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 9 - 2 (3 x) x - 2 \cdot - 1 x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.4.1.2

Multiply $x$ by $x$ by adding the exponents.

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Step 4.4.1.2.1

Move $x$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 9 - 2 (3 (x \cdot x)) - 2 \cdot - 1 x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.4.1.2.2

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 9 - 2 (3 x^{2}) - 2 \cdot - 1 x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.4.1.3

Multiply $3$ by $- 2$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 9 - 6 x^{2} - 2 \cdot - 1 x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.4.1.4

Multiply $- 2$ by $- 1$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{3 x^{2} + 9 - 6 x^{2} + 2 x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.4.2

Subtract $6 x^{2}$ from $3 x^{2}$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- 3 x^{2} + 9 + 2 x}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.5

Reorder terms.

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- 3 x^{2} + 2 x + 9}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.6

Factor $- 1$ out of $- 3 x^{2}$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- (3 x^{2}) + 2 x + 9}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.7

Factor $- 1$ out of $2 x$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- (3 x^{2}) - (- 2 x) + 9}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.8

Factor $- 1$ out of $- (3 x^{2}) - (- 2 x)$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- (3 x^{2} - 2 x) + 9}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.9

Rewrite $9$ as $- 1 (- 9)$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- (3 x^{2} - 2 x) - 1 (- 9)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.10

Factor $- 1$ out of $- (3 x^{2} - 2 x) - 1 (- 9)$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.11

Rewrite $- (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)$ as $- 1 (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)$ .

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} \frac{- 1 (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.12

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$2 \frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3} (- \frac{3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}})$

Step 5

Combine terms.

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Step 5.1

Combine $2$ and $\frac{3 x - 1}{x^{2} + 3}$ .

$\frac{2 (3 x - 1)}{x^{2} + 3} (- \frac{3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}})$

Step 5.2

Multiply $\frac{2 (3 x - 1)}{x^{2} + 3}$ by $\frac{3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$ .

$- \frac{2 (3 x - 1) (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)}{(x^{2} + 3) {(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 5.3

Multiply $x^{2} + 3$ by ${(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}$ by adding the exponents.

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Step 5.3.1

Multiply $x^{2} + 3$ by ${(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}$ .

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Step 5.3.1.1

Raise $x^{2} + 3$ to the power of $1$ .

$- \frac{2 (3 x - 1) (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{1} {(x^{2} + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 5.3.1.2

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$- \frac{2 (3 x - 1) (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{1 + 2}}$

Step 5.3.2

Add $1$ and $2$ .

$- \frac{2 (3 x - 1) (3 x^{2} - 2 x - 9)}{{(x^{2} + 3)}^{3}}$