Successive Differentiation

The Leibniz formula expresses the derivative on nth order of the product of two functions. Suppose that
the functions u(x) and v(x) have the derivatives up to nth order.

Let 𝑦 = 𝑢𝑣

𝑦1 = 𝑢𝑣1 + 𝑣𝑢1
𝑦2 = 𝑢𝑣2 + 2𝑢1 𝑣1 + 𝑢2 𝑣
= 𝑢𝑣2 + 2𝑐1 𝑢1 𝑣2−1 + 𝑢2 𝑣
𝑦3 = 𝑢𝑣3 + 3𝑢1 𝑣2 + 3𝑢2 𝑣1 + 𝑢3 𝑣
= 𝑢𝑣3 + 3𝑐1 𝑢1 𝑣3−1 + 3𝑐2 𝑢2 𝑣3−2 + 𝑢3 𝑣
𝑦𝑛 = 𝑢𝑣𝑛 + 𝑛𝑐1 𝑢1 𝑣𝑛−1 + 𝑛𝑐2 𝑢2 𝑣𝑛−2 + 𝑢𝑛 𝑣
(𝑢𝑣)𝑛 = 𝑢𝑣𝑛 + 𝑛𝑐1 𝑢1 𝑣𝑛−1 + 𝑛𝑐2 𝑢2 𝑣𝑛−2 + 𝑢𝑛 𝑣

➢ If 𝑦 = tan−1 𝑥 then show that (1 + 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 + 2(𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)𝑦𝑛 = 0

Solution: Given that 𝑦 = tan−1 𝑥

1
𝑦1 = 1+𝑥 2

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦1 = 1
(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦2 + 2𝑥𝑦1 = 0 (1)

By Leibniz theorem 𝑛𝑡ℎ derivative of (1) is

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 𝑛𝑐1 2𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐2 2𝑦𝑛 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐1 2𝑦𝑛 = 0

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 2𝑛𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + (𝑛2 − 𝑛)𝑦𝑛 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 2𝑛𝑦𝑛 = 0

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 2(𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + (𝑛2 − 𝑛 + 2𝑛)𝑦𝑛 = 0

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 2(𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)𝑦𝑛 = 0

➢ If 𝑦 = (sin−1 𝑥)2 then show that (1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 − (2𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − 𝑛2 𝑦𝑛 = 0

Solution: Given that 𝑦 = (sin−1 𝑥)2
1
𝑦1 = 2 sin−1 𝑥
√1−𝑥 2
−1
√1 − 𝑥 2 𝑦1 = 2 sin 𝑥
2𝑥 2
√1 − 𝑥 2 𝑦2 − 𝑦 =
2√1−𝑥 2 1 √1−𝑥 2
(1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦2 − 𝑥𝑦1 − 2 = 0 (1)
nth derivative of (1)
(1 − 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 𝑛𝑐1 (−2𝑥)𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐2 (−2)𝑦𝑛 − [𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐1 𝑦𝑛 ] = 0
𝑛(𝑛−1)
(1 − 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 − 2𝑛𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − (2)𝑦𝑛 − [𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑦𝑛 ] = 0
2!
 (1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 − 2𝑛𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − (𝑛2 − 𝑛)𝑦𝑛 − 𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − 𝑛𝑦𝑛 = 0
(1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 − (2𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − (𝑛2 − 𝑛 + 𝑛)𝑦𝑛 = 0
(1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 − (2𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − 𝑛2 𝑦𝑛 = 0

−1
➢ If 𝑦 = 𝑒 𝑎 sin 𝑥 then show that (1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 − (2𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − (𝑛2 + 𝑎2 )𝑦𝑛 = 0
−1
Solution : Given that 𝑦 = 𝑒 𝑎 sin 𝑥
−1 𝑥 1
𝑦1 = 𝑎𝑒 𝑎 sin
√1−𝑥 2
𝑎 sin−1 𝑥
√1 − 𝑥 2 𝑦1 = 𝑎𝑒
√1 − 𝑥 2 𝑦1 = 𝑎𝑦
(1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦1 2 = 𝑎2 𝑦 2
(1 − 𝑥 2 )𝑦2 − 𝑥𝑦1 − 𝑎2 𝑦 = 0 (1)
𝑛𝑡ℎ Derivative of (1)
(1 − 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 𝑛𝑐1 (−2𝑥)𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐2 (−2)𝑦𝑛 − [𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐1 𝑦𝑛 ] − 𝑎2 𝑦𝑛 = 0
𝑛(𝑛−1)
(1 − 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 − 2𝑛𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − (2)𝑦𝑛 − [𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑦𝑛 ] − 𝑎2 𝑦𝑛 = 0
2!
(1 − 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 − 2𝑛𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)𝑦𝑛 − 𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − 𝑛𝑦𝑛 − 𝑎2 𝑦𝑛 = 0
(1 − 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 − (2𝑛 + 1)𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 − (𝑛2 + 𝑎2 )𝑦𝑛 = 0

−1
➢ If 𝑦 = 𝑒 tan 𝑥 then show that (1 + 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 + (2𝑛𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 1)𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)𝑦𝑛 = 0
−1
Solution: Given that 𝑦 = 𝑒 tan 𝑥
−1 𝑥 1
𝑦1 = 𝑒 tan 1+𝑥 2
(1 + 𝑥 2 )𝑦1 = 𝑦
(1 + 𝑥 2 )𝑦2 + 2𝑥𝑦1 = 𝑦1
(1 + 𝑥 2 )𝑦2 + (2𝑥 − 1)𝑦1 = 0 (1)
𝑛𝑡ℎ Derivative of (1)

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 𝑛𝑐1 (2𝑥)𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐2 (2)𝑦𝑛 + (2𝑥 − 1)𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛𝑐1 2𝑦𝑛 = 0

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + 2𝑛𝑥𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)𝑦𝑛 + (2𝑥 − 1)𝑦𝑛+1 + 2𝑛𝑦𝑛 = 0

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + (2𝑛𝑥+2𝑥 − 1)𝑦𝑛+1 + (𝑛2 − 𝑛 + 2𝑛)𝑦𝑛 = 0

(1 + 𝑥 2 ) 𝑦𝑛+2 + (2𝑛𝑥+2𝑥 − 1)𝑦𝑛+1 + (𝑛2 + 𝑛)𝑦𝑛 = 0

(1 + 𝑥 2 )𝑦𝑛+2 + (2𝑛𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 1)𝑦𝑛+1 + 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)𝑦𝑛 = 0