Calculus Examples

$y = x e^{- x^{2}}$

Step 1

Find the first derivative.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1

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

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

Step 1.2

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

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.2.1

To apply the Chain Rule, set $u$ as $- x^{2}$ .

$x (\frac{d}{d u} [e^{u}] \frac{d}{d x} [- x^{2}]) + e^{- x^{2}} \frac{d}{d x} [x]$

Step 1.2.2

Differentiate using the Exponential Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d u} [a^{u}]$ is $a^{u} \ln (a)$ where $a$ = $e$ .

$x (e^{u} \frac{d}{d x} [- x^{2}]) + e^{- x^{2}} \frac{d}{d x} [x]$

Step 1.2.3

Replace all occurrences of $u$ with $- x^{2}$ .

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

Step 1.3

Differentiate.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.3.1

Since $- 1$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- x^{2}$ with respect to $x$ is $- \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}]$ .

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

Step 1.3.2

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

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

Step 1.3.3

Multiply $2$ by $- 1$ .

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

Step 1.4

Raise $x$ to the power of $1$ .

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

Step 1.5

Raise $x$ to the power of $1$ .

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

Step 1.6

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

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

Step 1.7

Simplify the expression.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.7.1

Add $1$ and $1$ .

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

Step 1.7.2

Move $- 2$ to the left of $e^{- x^{2}}$ .

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

Step 1.8

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

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

Step 1.9

Multiply $e^{- x^{2}}$ by $1$ .

$x^{2} (- 2 e^{- x^{2}}) + e^{- x^{2}}$

Step 1.10

Simplify.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.10.1

Reorder terms.

$- 2 e^{- x^{2}} x^{2} + e^{- x^{2}}$

Step 1.10.2

Reorder factors in $- 2 e^{- x^{2}} x^{2} + e^{- x^{2}}$ .

$f' (x) = - 2 x^{2} e^{- x^{2}} + e^{- x^{2}}$

Step 2

Find the second derivative.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1

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

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

Step 2.2

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [- 2 x^{2} e^{- x^{2}}]$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.1

Since $- 2$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 2 x^{2} e^{- x^{2}}$ with respect to $x$ is $- 2 \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2} e^{- x^{2}}]$ .

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

Step 2.2.2

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

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

Step 2.2.3

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

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.3.1

To apply the Chain Rule, set $u_{1}$ as $- x^{2}$ .

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

Step 2.2.3.2

Differentiate using the Exponential Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d u_{1}} [a^{u_{1}}]$ is $a^{u_{1}} \ln (a)$ where $a$ = $e$ .

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

Step 2.2.3.3

Replace all occurrences of $u_{1}$ with $- x^{2}$ .

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

Step 2.2.4

Since $- 1$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- x^{2}$ with respect to $x$ is $- \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}]$ .

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

Step 2.2.5

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

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

Step 2.2.6

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

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

Step 2.2.7

Multiply $2$ by $- 1$ .

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

Step 2.2.8

Multiply $x^{2}$ by $x$ by adding the exponents.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.8.1

Move $x$ .

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

Step 2.2.8.2

Multiply $x$ by $x^{2}$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.8.2.1

Raise $x$ to the power of $1$ .

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

Step 2.2.8.2.2

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

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

Step 2.2.8.3

Add $1$ and $2$ .

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

Step 2.2.9

Move $- 2$ to the left of $e^{- x^{2}}$ .

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

Step 2.3

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [e^{- x^{2}}]$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.3.1

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

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.3.1.1

To apply the Chain Rule, set $u_{2}$ as $- x^{2}$ .

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

Step 2.3.1.2

Differentiate using the Exponential Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d u_{2}} [a^{u_{2}}]$ is $a^{u_{2}} \ln (a)$ where $a$ = $e$ .

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

Step 2.3.1.3

Replace all occurrences of $u_{2}$ with $- x^{2}$ .

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

Step 2.3.2

Since $- 1$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- x^{2}$ with respect to $x$ is $- \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}]$ .

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

Step 2.3.3

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

$- 2 (x^{3} (- 2 e^{- x^{2}}) + e^{- x^{2}} (2 x)) + e^{- x^{2}} (- (2 x))$

Step 2.3.4

Multiply $2$ by $- 1$ .

$- 2 (x^{3} (- 2 e^{- x^{2}}) + e^{- x^{2}} (2 x)) + e^{- x^{2}} (- 2 x)$

Step 2.4

Simplify.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.4.1

Apply the distributive property.

$- 2 (x^{3} (- 2 e^{- x^{2}})) - 2 (e^{- x^{2}} (2 x)) + e^{- x^{2}} (- 2 x)$

Step 2.4.2

Combine terms.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.4.2.1

Multiply $- 2$ by $- 2$ .

$4 (x^{3} (e^{- x^{2}})) - 2 (e^{- x^{2}} (2 x)) + e^{- x^{2}} (- 2 x)$

Step 2.4.2.2

Multiply $2$ by $- 2$ .

$4 x^{3} e^{- x^{2}} - 4 (e^{- x^{2}} (x)) + e^{- x^{2}} (- 2 x)$

Step 2.4.2.3

Move $e^{- x^{2}}$ .

$4 x^{3} e^{- x^{2}} - 4 x e^{- x^{2}} - 2 x e^{- x^{2}}$

Step 2.4.2.4

Subtract $2 x e^{- x^{2}}$ from $- 4 x e^{- x^{2}}$ .

$4 x^{3} e^{- x^{2}} - 6 x e^{- x^{2}}$

Step 2.4.3

Reorder terms.

$4 e^{- x^{2}} x^{3} - 6 e^{- x^{2}} x$

Step 2.4.4

Reorder factors in $4 e^{- x^{2}} x^{3} - 6 e^{- x^{2}} x$ .

$f'' (x) = 4 x^{3} e^{- x^{2}} - 6 x e^{- x^{2}}$