Derivative

[red cloud]

the dy is throwing me off

[nova patrol]

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[red cloud]

wait do you just find dy and then find dx and then divide

wait no thats not how that works

[lucid patrol]

You just need to derive y with respect to x

Well differentiate

[red cloud]

do you put dy/dx after 3a^2

or like da/dx

or smth

[lucid patrol]

Well here y=f(x) if you want

It’s a function

So dy/dx=f’(x)

it’s the division of the infinitesimally small change of y and of x

[red cloud]

im so confused

so f(x) = (a^3-x^2)^2

[lucid patrol]

Yes

Now f’(x)=?

[red cloud]

and f'(x) is 2(a^3-x^2)^2(3a^2-2x)

but you're finding the derivative of a^3 in the process

[lucid patrol]

No …

a is a constant

x is the only variable

[red cloud]

well it doesnt say that a is a constant in the question

[lucid patrol]

Yes well dy/dx assumes a is a constant

[red cloud]

hmmm

[lucid patrol]

Except if a is a function

But I doubt it

If a weren’t a constant it would be dy/da

[unreal anvil]

even if a was a function this is wrong since you need to have a da/dx

[red cloud]

yeah that was what i was asking

[unreal anvil]

also i think the answer is -4x(a^3-x^3)

assuming a constant

[red cloud]

if a was a function then do i put da/dx there

i'll just put both down

thanks

+close