MTH154S Tutorial 7 Differentiation

Logarithmic Differentiation (Log differentiation)

1. The Natural/Naperian logarithm, lnx is a log with base e, so ln x  log e x .

Since ln x is a logarithm it must obey the following rules for logarithms:

ln(ab)  ln a  ln b R1
a
ln  ln a  ln b R2
b
ln a n  n ln a R3

The property, P1 : ln e A  A is useful to remember.

2.1 Log differentiation is preferred if more than two factors (multiplication or division) are
involved. Here the "ln" is used to simplify the expression in order to make
differentiation easier.

Example

e 3 x . sin 4 ( x 2  1)
y
( 2 x 2  1) x 5

Find the log (base e) on both sides:

ln y  ln e 3 x  ln sin 4 ( x 2  1)  ln 2 x 2  1  ln x 5 [Rules R1 & R2]

ln y  3x  4 ln sin( x 2  1)  12 ln( 2 x 2  1)  5 ln x [R3 & P1]

Now differentiate both sides w.r.t. x.

1 dy 1 1 1
 3 4  cos( x 2  1)  2 x  12  2  4x  5 
y dx sin( x  1)
2
2x 1 x
dy 1 1 1
  y[3  4   cos( x 2  1)  2 x  12  2  4x  5  ]
dx sin( x  1)
2
2x 1 x

dy e 3 x . sin 4 ( x 2  1)  2x 5
   3  8 x cot(x 2  1)  2  
dx 2 x  1. x
2 5  2x 1 x 
2.2 Log differentiation must be performed in the cases where the index in the power is a
function of x (Not constant): y  [ f ( x )] g ( x )

Example

1
 y  x sin x

Finding logs (base e ) on both sides:


ln y  ln x sin x 
ln y  sin x. ln x [R3]

Now differentiate both sides w.r.t. x.

1 dy 1
 sin x   ln x  cos x [Product Rule]
y dx x
dy  sin x 
  x sin x   (ln x ) cos x 
dx  x 

Exercise 2

Differentiate with respect to the appropriate variable.

1  x 2   3
4
x x2 
1 y  ln  2 
2 y  ln e   
1  x    x  2  
x 3 . tan 2 (2 x 2   4 ) e 2 x ln x
3 z 4 y
e 3 x . ln x ( x  1) 3
x 4 3x 2  1
5. y 4x
6 y  xx
e cos x
7 yx cos x
8 y  x ln x
2
9 y  (tan x ) ln x 10 z  e 3 x (sin 2 x 2 ) x
x x
11 z  xx 12 y  x x . sin 2 x 2
13 y  sin 2 x x 14 y  5 x 3 (sin 3x ) x

2
ANSWERS

Note: If your answers look different you should simplify either your answer or these
answers or both to check whether your answers are correct.

 2x 2x 3 1 1
1  2 1 (  )
1 x 2
1 x 2
4 x2 x2
x tan (2 x 2  4 )  3 8 x sec 2 (2 x 2  4 )
3 2
1 
3    3  
e 3 x ln x  x tan(2 x 2  4 ) x ln x 

e 2 x ln x  1 3  x 4 3x 2  1  4 3x 
4 3 
2  5    4  tan x 
( x  1)  x ln x x  1 e 4 x cos x  x 3x 2  1) 
cos x
6 x x (1  ln x ) 7 x cos x (  sin x ln x )
x
ln x  ln x. sec x ln tan x 
2
2
8. x ln x ( ln x ) 9 (tan x )   
x  tan x x 
10
2

e 3 x (sin 2 x 2 ) x 3  4 x 3 cot 2 x 2  2 x ln sin 2 x 2 
x  1 
11 x x . x x ln x 1  ln x 
 x ln x 
  1  2
x x .sin 2 x 2  x x ln x1  ln x    4 x cot x 
x
12
  x ln x  
3 
13 2 x x sin x x cos x x (1  ln x ) 14 5 x 3 (sin 3x ) x   3x cot 3x  ln sin 3x 
x 