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Home Q & A Board Science-Related Homework Help Mathematics
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finnykev finnykev
wrote...
Posts: 37
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12 years ago
I need help understanding how to use the power/chain rule when there is division in an equation
Ex..

7/x^3+5

I would appreciate it if someone could explain the steps to find the derivative as well as the rules to rearranging the equation, Thanks in advance
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wrote...
#1
12 years ago
You don't need chain rule for this one. Just rewrite the first term into a negative exponent and differentiate using the Power Rule as normal:

7x^-3 + 5

becomes: -21x^-4, or -21/x^4.

Miss Kristin
wrote...
#2
12 years ago
sure Slight Smile it's rather simple really
consider 1/x^25
1/x^25=x^-25
and the power rule states
that for any expression a*x^b where a,b are real numbers
the derivative is a*b*x^(b-1)
so
the derivative of x^-25=y is
y' = -25*x^(-25-1)=-25*x^-26=-25/x^26

so now for your equation y=7/x^3+5
y=7*x^-3+5
so
y' = 7*-3*x^(-3-1)
y' = -21*x^(-4)=-21/x^4
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