Chapter 3: Problem 2
Differentiate. \(f(x)=\sqrt{x} \sin x\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The derivative is \( f'(x) = \frac{\sin x}{2\sqrt{x}} + \cos x \sqrt{x} \).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Rule to Use
The function to differentiate is a product of two functions: \( u(x) = \sqrt{x} \) and \( v(x) = \sin x \). Thus, we will use the product rule for differentiation: \( (uv)' = u'v + uv' \).
02
Differentiate \(u(x)\)
First, find the derivative of \( u(x) = \sqrt{x} = x^{1/2} \). Using the power rule, \( u'(x) = \frac{1}{2}x^{-1/2} \).
03
Differentiate \(v(x)\)
The function \( v(x) = \sin x \). The derivative of \( \sin x \) is \( \cos x \), so \( v'(x) = \cos x \).
04
Apply the Product Rule
Using the product rule, substitute the derivatives into the formula: \( (uv)' = u'v + uv' \).\[ f'(x) = \frac{1}{2}x^{-1/2} \cdot \sin x + \sqrt{x} \cdot \cos x \]
05
Simplify the Expression
Combine and simplify the expression for the derivative: \[ f'(x) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{\sin x}{\sqrt{x}} + \cos x \sqrt{x} \]. This can be rewritten as \[ f'(x) = \frac{\sin x}{2\sqrt{x}} + \cos x \sqrt{x} \].
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Power Rule Differentiation
The power rule is a fundamental tool in calculus for differentiating polynomial-like expressions. If you have a function of the form \( f(x) = x^n \), where \( n \) is a constant, the power rule states that the derivative is \( f'(x) = nx^{n-1} \). This is incredibly useful because it simplifies finding derivatives of expressions like \( x^2 \) or \( x^{1/2} \), the latter being the square root of x.
To illustrate, consider the function \( u(x) = \sqrt{x} = x^{1/2} \). Applying the power rule, we replace \( n \) with \( 1/2 \), giving us:
To illustrate, consider the function \( u(x) = \sqrt{x} = x^{1/2} \). Applying the power rule, we replace \( n \) with \( 1/2 \), giving us:
- First, bring down the exponent as a coefficient: \( \frac{1}{2} \).
- Then, subtract 1 from the exponent: \( \frac{1}{2} - 1 = -\frac{1}{2} \).
- Thus, the derivative is \( u'(x) = \frac{1}{2}x^{-1/2} \), which can also be written as \( \frac{1}{2} \frac{1}{\sqrt{x}} \).
Derivative of Sine Function
The sine function is one of the primary trigonometric functions, and its derivative is straightforward due to its cyclic nature. For the function \( v(x) = \sin x \), the derivative is \( v'(x) = \cos x \). This derivative comes from understanding the unit circle and how the sine and cosine functions represent projections of a rotating vector.
Here's how you can think about it:
Here's how you can think about it:
- As you move around the unit circle, the sine value (y-coordinate) changes smoothly.
- The cosine (x-coordinate) represents the slope or rate of change of the sine function.
- Hence, at any point \( x \), the rate at which \( \sin x \) is changing is given by \( \cos x \).
Differentiating Square Roots
Differentiating square roots may initially seem complex, but it becomes much simpler with the power rule. When confronted with \( \sqrt{x} \), rewrite it as \( x^{1/2} \) to make applying calculus rules straightforward.
Here's a step-by-step approach:
Here's a step-by-step approach:
- Rewrite \( \sqrt{x} \) as \( x^{1/2} \), making it compatible with the power rule.
- Apply the power rule: Bring down \( 1/2 \) and reduce the exponent by 1 to get \( -1/2 \).
- The derivative \( u'(x) = \frac{1}{2}x^{-1/2} \) is equivalent to \( \frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}} \).