Calculus Examples

$\sec (\frac{1}{2} x) \tan (\frac{1}{2} x)$

Step 1

Combine fractions.

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Step 1.1

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $x$ .

$\frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2}) \tan (\frac{1}{2} x)]$

Step 1.2

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $x$ .

$\frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2}) \tan (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 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 $f (x) = \sec (\frac{x}{2})$ and $g (x) = \tan (\frac{x}{2})$ .

$\sec (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\tan (\frac{x}{2})] + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 3

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

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Step 3.1

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

$\sec (\frac{x}{2}) (\frac{d}{d u_{1}} [\tan (u_{1})] \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x}{2}]) + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 3.2

The derivative of $\tan (u_{1})$ with respect to $u_{1}$ is $\sec^{2} (u_{1})$ .

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

Step 3.3

Replace all occurrences of $u_{1}$ with $\frac{x}{2}$ .

$\sec (\frac{x}{2}) (\sec^{2} (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x}{2}]) + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 4

Raise $\sec (\frac{x}{2})$ to the power of $1$ .

$\sec^{2} (\frac{x}{2}) \sec^{1} (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x}{2}] + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 5

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

${\sec (\frac{x}{2})}^{2 + 1} \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x}{2}] + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 6

Differentiate.

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Step 6.1

Add $2$ and $1$ .

$\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x}{2}] + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 6.2

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

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

Step 6.3

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})$ .

$\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} \frac{d}{d x} [x] + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 6.4

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

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

Step 6.5

Multiply $\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2}$ by $1$ .

$\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\sec (\frac{x}{2})]$

Step 7

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

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Step 7.1

To apply the Chain Rule, set $u_{2}$ as $\frac{x}{2}$ .

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

Step 7.2

The derivative of $\sec (u_{2})$ with respect to $u_{2}$ is $\sec (u_{2}) \tan (u_{2})$ .

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

Step 7.3

Replace all occurrences of $u_{2}$ with $\frac{x}{2}$ .

$\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} + \tan (\frac{x}{2}) (\sec (\frac{x}{2}) \tan (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x}{2}])$

Step 8

Raise $\tan (\frac{x}{2})$ to the power of $1$ .

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

Step 9

Raise $\tan (\frac{x}{2})$ to the power of $1$ .

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

Step 10

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

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

Step 11

Add $1$ and $1$ .

$\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} + \tan^{2} (\frac{x}{2}) (\sec (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{x}{2}])$

Step 12

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

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

Step 13

Combine fractions.

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Step 13.1

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $\tan^{2} (\frac{x}{2})$ .

$\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} + \frac{\tan^{2} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} \sec (\frac{x}{2}) \frac{d}{d x} [x]$

Step 13.2

Combine $\frac{\tan^{2} (\frac{x}{2})}{2}$ and $\sec (\frac{x}{2})$ .

$\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} + \frac{\tan^{2} (\frac{x}{2}) \sec (\frac{x}{2})}{2} \frac{d}{d x} [x]$

Step 14

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

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

Step 15

Multiply $\frac{\tan^{2} (\frac{x}{2}) \sec (\frac{x}{2})}{2}$ by $1$ .

$\frac{\sec^{3} (\frac{x}{2})}{2} + \frac{\tan^{2} (\frac{x}{2}) \sec (\frac{x}{2})}{2}$