Calculus Examples

$y = {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7}}$

Step 1

Differentiate using the chain rule, which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [f (g (x))]$ is $f' (g (x)) g' (x)$ where $f (x) = x^{\sqrt{7}}$ and $g (x) = x + \frac{1}{x^{2}}$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1

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

$\frac{d}{d u} [u^{\sqrt{7}}] \frac{d}{d x} [x + \frac{1}{x^{2}}]$

Step 1.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d u} [u^{n}]$ is $n u^{n - 1}$ where $n = \sqrt{7}$ .

$\sqrt{7} u^{\sqrt{7} - 1} \frac{d}{d x} [x + \frac{1}{x^{2}}]$

Step 1.3

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

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} \frac{d}{d x} [x + \frac{1}{x^{2}}]$

Step 2

Differentiate.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $x + \frac{1}{x^{2}}$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [x] + \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{1}{x^{2}}]$ .

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (\frac{d}{d x} [x] + \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{1}{x^{2}}])$

Step 2.2

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

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 + \frac{d}{d x} [\frac{1}{x^{2}}])$

Step 2.3

Apply basic rules of exponents.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.3.1

Rewrite $\frac{1}{x^{2}}$ as ${(x^{2})}^{- 1}$ .

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 + \frac{d}{d x} [{(x^{2})}^{- 1}])$

Step 2.3.2

Multiply the exponents in ${(x^{2})}^{- 1}$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.3.2.1

Apply the power rule and multiply exponents, ${(a^{m})}^{n} = a^{m n}$ .

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 + \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2 \cdot - 1}])$

Step 2.3.2.2

Multiply $2$ by $- 1$ .

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 + \frac{d}{d x} [x^{- 2}])$

Step 2.4

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

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 - 2 x^{- 3})$

Step 3

Rewrite the expression using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 - 2 \frac{1}{x^{3}})$

Step 4

Simplify.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1

Combine terms.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1.1

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

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 + \frac{- 2}{x^{3}})$

Step 4.1.2

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 - \frac{2}{x^{3}})$

Step 4.2

Reorder the factors of $\sqrt{7} {(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} (1 - \frac{2}{x^{3}})$ .

${(x + \frac{1}{x^{2}})}^{\sqrt{7} - 1} \sqrt{7} (1 - \frac{2}{x^{3}})$