Diff. Exponentials
Diff. Exponentials
It follows that if you can find a value for a so that this gradient is 1 then, for
dy
this value of a, = a x . This value is just the constant e = 2.718…, which is
dx
the base of natural logarithms. You can verify this result numerically in your
e0.0001 1
calculator, by finding the value of .
0.0001
It follows that:
dy
y = ex ex
dx
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Edexcel A level Maths Further diff 1 Notes & Examples
y e kx
du
Let u kx k
dx
dy
y eu eu
du
Using the chain rule:
dy dy du
dx du dx
keu
ke kx
dy
y ekx kekx
dx
Example 1
Differentiate:
x2
(i) y xe (ii) y y ex
2
2x
(iii)
1 2e3 x
Solution
(i) Using the product rule with u = x and v = e2x
du
u x 1
dx
dv
v e2 x 2e2 x
dx
dy du dv
v u
dx dx dx
x 2e 1 e 2 x .
2x
(2 x 1)e 2 x
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Edexcel A level Maths Further diff 1 Notes & Examples
dx
More generally:
dy
y ax a x ln a
dx
Differentiating logarithms
y ln x x e y
dx
ey
dy
dy 1 1
.
dx e y x
dy 1
y ln x
dx x
Example 2
Differentiate:
ln x
(i) x ln x (ii) (iii) ln(1 x3 )
1 ln x
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Edexcel A level Maths Further diff 1 Notes & Examples
Solution
(i) Using the product rule with u x and v ln x
du 1 12 1
u x x2 2x
1
dx 2 x
dv 1
v ln x
dx x
dy du dv
v u
dx dx dx
1 1
x ln x
x 2 x
1 ln x
x 2 x
2 ln x
2 x
1 ln x ln x
x(1 ln x) 2
1
x(1 ln x) 2
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Edexcel A level Maths Further diff 1 Notes & Examples
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