Calculus Examples

$y = x - 4 \ln (3 x - 9)$

Step 1

Differentiate.

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Step 1.1

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $x - 4 \ln (3 x - 9)$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 4 \ln (3 x - 9)]$ .

$\frac{d}{d x} [x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 4 \ln (3 x - 9)]$

Step 1.2

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

$1 + \frac{d}{d x} [- 4 \ln (3 x - 9)]$

Step 2

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [- 4 \ln (3 x - 9)]$ .

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Step 2.1

Since $- 4$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 4 \ln (3 x - 9)$ with respect to $x$ is $- 4 \frac{d}{d x} [\ln (3 x - 9)]$ .

$1 - 4 \frac{d}{d x} [\ln (3 x - 9)]$

Step 2.2

Differentiate using the chain rule, which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [f (g (x))]$ is $f' (g (x)) g' (x)$ where $f (x) = \ln (x)$ and $g (x) = 3 x - 9$ .

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Step 2.2.1

To apply the Chain Rule, set $u$ as $3 x - 9$ .

$1 - 4 (\frac{d}{d u} [\ln (u)] \frac{d}{d x} [3 x - 9])$

Step 2.2.2

The derivative of $\ln (u)$ with respect to $u$ is $\frac{1}{u}$ .

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{u} \frac{d}{d x} [3 x - 9])$

Step 2.2.3

Replace all occurrences of $u$ with $3 x - 9$ .

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{3 x - 9} \frac{d}{d x} [3 x - 9])$

Step 2.3

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $3 x - 9$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [3 x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 9]$ .

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{3 x - 9} (\frac{d}{d x} [3 x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 9]))$

Step 2.4

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

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{3 x - 9} (3 \frac{d}{d x} [x] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 9]))$

Step 2.5

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

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{3 x - 9} (3 \cdot 1 + \frac{d}{d x} [- 9]))$

Step 2.6

Since $- 9$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 9$ with respect to $x$ is $0$ .

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{3 x - 9} (3 \cdot 1 + 0))$

Step 2.7

Multiply $3$ by $1$ .

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{3 x - 9} (3 + 0))$

Step 2.8

Add $3$ and $0$ .

$1 - 4 (\frac{1}{3 x - 9} \cdot 3)$

Step 2.9

Combine $\frac{1}{3 x - 9}$ and $3$ .

$1 - 4 \frac{3}{3 x - 9}$

Step 2.10

Cancel the common factor of $3$ and $3 x - 9$ .

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Step 2.10.1

Factor $3$ out of $3$ .

$1 - 4 \frac{3 \cdot 1}{3 x - 9}$

Step 2.10.2

Cancel the common factors.

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Step 2.10.2.1

Factor $3$ out of $3 x$ .

$1 - 4 \frac{3 \cdot 1}{3 (x) - 9}$

Step 2.10.2.2

Factor $3$ out of $- 9$ .

$1 - 4 \frac{3 \cdot 1}{3 (x) + 3 (- 3)}$

Step 2.10.2.3

Factor $3$ out of $3 (x) + 3 (- 3)$ .

$1 - 4 \frac{3 \cdot 1}{3 (x - 3)}$

Step 2.10.2.4

Cancel the common factor.

$1 - 4 \frac{3 \cdot 1}{3 (x - 3)}$

Step 2.10.2.5

Rewrite the expression.

$1 - 4 \frac{1}{x - 3}$

Step 2.11

Combine $- 4$ and $\frac{1}{x - 3}$ .

$1 + \frac{- 4}{x - 3}$

Step 2.12

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$1 - \frac{4}{x - 3}$

Step 3

Combine terms.

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Step 3.1

Write $1$ as a fraction with a common denominator.

$\frac{x - 3}{x - 3} - \frac{4}{x - 3}$

Step 3.2

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{x - 3 - 4}{x - 3}$

Step 3.3

Subtract $4$ from $- 3$ .

$\frac{x - 7}{x - 3}$