Advanced Integration Techniques: Background You’ll Need 2

  • Apply differentiation formulas to find derivatives of logarithmic functions and inverse trigonometric functions

Derivative of the Logarithmic Function

We can use implicit differentiation to find the derivative of the natural logarithmic function by working with its relationship to the natural exponential function.

derivative of the natural logarithmic function

If [latex]x>0[/latex] and [latex]y=\ln x[/latex], then

[latex]\frac{dy}{dx}=\dfrac{1}{x}[/latex]

 

More generally, let [latex]g(x)[/latex] be a differentiable function. For all values of [latex]x[/latex] for which [latex]g^{\prime}(x)>0[/latex], the derivative of [latex]h(x)=\ln(g(x))[/latex] is given by

[latex]h^{\prime}(x)=\dfrac{1}{g(x)} g^{\prime}(x)[/latex]

The graph of [latex]y=\ln x[/latex] and its derivative [latex]\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{1}{x}[/latex] are shown in Figure 3.

Graph of the function ln x along with its derivative 1/x. The function ln x is increasing on (0, + ∞). Its derivative is decreasing but greater than 0 on (0, + ∞).
Figure 3. The function [latex]y=\ln x[/latex] is increasing on [latex](0,+\infty)[/latex]. Its derivative [latex]y^{\prime} =\frac{1}{x}[/latex] is greater than zero on [latex](0,+\infty)[/latex].

Find the derivative of [latex]f(x)=\ln(x^3+3x-4)[/latex]

Find the derivative of [latex]f(x)=\ln\left(\dfrac{x^2 \sin x}{2x+1}\right)[/latex]

Now that we can differentiate the natural logarithmic function, we can use this result to find the derivatives of [latex]y=\log_b x[/latex] and [latex]y=b^x[/latex] for [latex]b>0, \, b\ne 1[/latex].

derivatives of general exponential and logarithmic functions

Let [latex]b>0, \, b\ne 1[/latex], and let [latex]g(x)[/latex] be a differentiable function.

  1. If [latex]y=\log_b x[/latex], then
    [latex]\frac{dy}{dx}=\dfrac{1}{x \ln b}[/latex]

    More generally, if [latex]h(x)=\log_b (g(x))[/latex], then for all values of [latex]x[/latex] for which [latex]g(x)>0[/latex],

    [latex]h^{\prime}(x)=\dfrac{g^{\prime}(x)}{g(x) \ln b}[/latex]

  2. If [latex]y=b^x[/latex], then
    [latex]\frac{dy}{dx}=b^x \ln b[/latex]

    More generally, if [latex]h(x)=b^{g(x)}[/latex], then

    [latex]h^{\prime}(x)=b^{g(x)} g^{\prime}(x) \ln b[/latex]

Find the derivative of [latex]h(x)= \dfrac{3^x}{3^x+2}[/latex]

Find the slope of the line tangent to the graph of [latex]y=\log_2 (3x+1)[/latex] at [latex]x=1[/latex].

Derivatives of Inverse Trigonometric Functions

The derivatives of inverse trigonometric functions play a crucial role in the study of integration and reveal a fascinating mathematical pattern. Unlike their trigonometric counterparts, the derivatives of inverse trigonometric functions are algebraic rather than trigonometric. This illustrates an important mathematical insight: the derivative of a function does not necessarily share the same type as the original function.

Use the inverse function theorem to find the derivative of [latex]g(x)=\sin^{-1} x[/latex].

Apply the chain rule to find the derivative of [latex]h(x)=\sin^{-1} (g(x))[/latex] and use this result to find the derivative of [latex]h(x)=\sin^{-1}(2x^3)[/latex].

The derivatives of the remaining inverse trigonometric functions may also be found by using the inverse function theorem. These formulas are provided in the following theorem.

derivatives of inverse trigonometric functions

[latex]\begin{array}{lllll}\frac{d}{dx}(\sin^{-1} x)=\large \frac{1}{\sqrt{1-x^2}} & & & & \frac{d}{dx}(\cos^{-1} x)=\large \frac{-1}{\sqrt{1-x^2}} \\ \frac{d}{dx}(\tan^{-1} x)=\large \frac{1}{1+x^2} & & & & \frac{d}{dx}(\cot^{-1} x)=\large \frac{-1}{1+x^2} \\ \frac{d}{dx}(\sec^{-1} x)=\large \frac{1}{|x|\sqrt{x^2-1}} & & & & \frac{d}{dx}(\csc^{-1} x)=\large \frac{-1}{|x|\sqrt{x^2-1}} \end{array}[/latex]

Find the derivative of [latex]f(x)=\tan^{-1} (x^2)[/latex]

The position of a particle at time [latex]t[/latex] is given by [latex]s(t)= \tan^{-1}\left(\dfrac{1}{t}\right)[/latex] for [latex]t\ge \frac{1}{2}[/latex]. Find the velocity of the particle at time [latex]t=1[/latex].