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Module 5 - Logarithmic Differentiation

Introduction A. Differentiation of logarithmic functions

With certain functions containing more complicated The differential coefficient of the logarithmic func-
products and quotients, differentiation is often made tion ln x is given by:
easier if the logarithm of the function is taken before
differentiating. This technique, called ‘logarithmic d 1
differentiation’ is achieved with a knowledge of (ln x) =
dx x
(i) the laws of logarithms, (ii) the differential coef-
ficients of logarithmic functions, and (iii) the differ- More generally, it may be shown that:
entiation of implicit functions.
d f  (x)
[ln f (x)] = (1)
Laws of Logarithms dx f (x)

Three laws of logarithms may be expressed as: For example, if y = ln(3x 2 + 2x − 1) then,

(i) log(A × B) = log A + log B dy 6x + 2


  =
A dx 3x 2 + 2x − 1
(ii) log = log A − log B
B
Similarly, if y = ln(sin 3x) then
(iii) log An = n log A dy 3 cos 3x
= = 3 cot 3x.
In calculus, Napierian logarithms (i.e. logarithms to dx sin 3x
a base of ‘e’) are invariably used. Thus for two func- By using the function of a function rule:
tions f (x) and g(x) the laws of logarithms may be
expressed as:  
d 1 dy
(i) ln[ f (x) · g(x)] = ln f (x) + ln g(x) (ln y) = (2)
  dx y dx
f (x)
(ii) ln = ln f (x) − ln g(x)
g(x) Differentiation
√ of an expression such as
(iii) ln[ f (x)]n = n ln f (x) (1 + x)2 (x − 1)
y= √ may be achieved by using the
Taking Napierian logarithms of both sides of the x (x + 2)
f (x) · g(x) product and quotient rules of differentiation; how-
equation y = gives: ever the working would be rather complicated. With
h(x)
  logarithmic differentiation the following procedure
f (x) · g(x) is adopted:
ln y = ln
h(x) (i) Take Napierian logarithms of both sides of the
which may be simplified using the above laws of equation.
 √ 
logarithms, giving: (1 + x)2 (x − 1)
Thus ln y = ln √
ln y = ln f (x) + ln g(x) − ln h(x) x (x + 2)
3 1
4
This latter form of the equation is often easier to (1 + x)2 (x − 1) 2
differentiate. = ln 1
x(x + 2) 2
(ii) Apply the laws of logarithms. (iii) Differentiating with respect to x gives:
1
Thus ln y = ln(1 + x)2 + ln(x − 1) 1 dy 1 3 1
2
= + − ,
1 y dx (x + 1) (x − 2) (x − 3)
− ln x − ln(x + 2) 2 , by laws (i)
by using equations (1) and (2)
and (ii)
(iv) Rearranging gives:
i.e. ln y = 2 ln(1 + x) + 1
2 ln(x − 1)  
dy 1 3 1
− ln x − 1
ln(x + 2), by law (iii) =y + −
2 dx (x + 1) (x − 2) (x − 3)
(v) Substituting for y gives:
(iii) Differentiate each term in turn with respect to x 
using equations (1) and (2). dy (x + 1)(x − 2)3 1
=
dx (x − 3) (x + 1)
1 1
1 dy 2 1 
Thus = + 2 − − 2 3 1
y dx (1 + x) (x − 1) x (x + 2) + −
(x − 2) (x − 3)
dy
(iv) Rearrange the equation to make the subject.
dx
Problem2. Differentiate

dy 2 1 1 (x − 2)3
Thus =y + − y= with respect to x and eval-
dx (1 + x) 2(x − 1) x (x + 1)2 (2x − 1)
 dy
1 uate when x = 3.
− dx
2(x + 2)

(v) Substitute for y in terms of x. Using logarithmic differentiation and following the
above procedure:
√  
dy (1 + x)2 (x − 1) 2 (x − 2)3
Thus = √ (i) Since y =
dx x (x + 2) (1 + x) (x + 1)2 (2x − 1)
 3  4
1 1 1 (x − 2)3
+ − − then ln y = ln
2(x − 1) x 2(x + 2) (x + 1)2 (2x − 1)
3 3
4
(x − 2) 2
Problem 1. Use logarithmic differentiation to = ln
(x + 1)2 (2x − 1)
(x + 1)(x − 2)3
differentiate y = 3
(x − 3) (ii) ln y = ln(x − 2) 2 − ln(x + 1)2 − ln(2x − 1)
i.e. ln y = 3
2 ln(x − 2) − 2 ln(x + 1)
Following the above procedure: − ln(2x − 1)
3
(x + 1)(x − 2)3 1 dy 2 2
(i) Since y = (iii) = 2
− −
(x − 3) y dx (x − 2) (x + 1) (2x − 1)
   
(x + 1)(x − 2)3 dy
=y
3

2

2
then ln y = ln (iv)
2(x − 2) (x + 1) (2x − 1)
(x − 3) dx
 
(ii) ln y = ln(x + 1) + ln(x − 2)3 − ln(x − 3), dy (x − 2)3 3
(v) =
dx (x + 1) (2x − 1) 2(x − 2)
2

2 2
− −
(x + 1) (2x − 1)
  
dy (1)3 3 2 2 Using logarithmic differentiation and following the
When x = 3, = − − procedure gives:
dx (4)2 (5) 2 4 5  3 
  x ln 2x
1 3 3 (i) ln y = ln x
=± =± or ±0.0075 e sin x
80 5 400
(ii) ln y = ln x 3 + ln(ln 2x) − ln(ex ) − ln(sin x)

3e2θ sec 2θ i.e. ln y = 3 ln x + ln(ln 2x) − x − ln(sin x)


Problem 3. Given y = √ 1
(θ − 2) 1 dy 3 cos x
dy (iii) = + x −1−
determine y dx x ln 2x sin x
dθ  
dy 3 1
(iv) =y + − 1 − cot x
dx x x ln 2x
Using logarithmic differentiation and following the  
procedure gives: dy x3 ln 2x 3 1
(v) = x + − 1 − cot x
dx e sin x x x ln 2x
3e2θ sec 2θ
(i) Since y= √
(θ − 2)
 2θ 
3e sec 2θ
then ln y = ln √ Exercise 17. Differentiation of logarithmic
(θ − 2)
3 4 functions
3e2θ sec 2θ
= ln 1
(θ − 2) 2
1
(ii) ln y = ln 3e2θ + ln sec 2θ − ln(θ − 2) 2

i.e. ln y = ln 3 + ln e2θ + ln sec 2θ


− 21 ln(θ − 2)
i.e. ln y = ln 3 + 2θ + ln sec 2θ − 1
2 ln(θ − 2)

(iii) Differentiating with respect to θ gives:


1
1 dy 2 sec 2θ tan 2θ
=0+2+ − 2
y dθ sec 2θ (θ − 2)
from equations (1) and (2)
(iv) Rearranging gives:
 
dy 1
= y 2 + 2 tan 2θ −
dθ 2(θ − 2)
(v) Substituting for y gives:
 
dy 3e2θ sec 2θ 1
= √ 2 + 2 tan 2θ −
dθ (θ − 2) 2(θ − 2)

x 3 ln 2x
Problem 4. Differentiate y = x with
e sin x
respect to x.
 
B. Differentiation of [ f (x)]x Hence
dy
=y
x
+ ln(x + 2)
dx x+2
Whenever an expression to be differentiated con-  
tains a term raised to a power which is itself a x
= (x + 2) x + ln(x + 2)
function of the variable, then logarithmic differen- x+2
tiation must be used. For example, the differentia-
√  
tion of expressions such as x x , (x + 2)x , x (x − 1) dy −1 −1
When x = −1, = (1) + ln 1
and x 3x+2 can only be achieved using logarithmic dx 1
differentiation. = (+1)(−1) = −1

dy
Problem 5. Determine given y = x x . Problem 7. Determine (a) the differential coef-
dx
√ dy
ficient of y = x (x − 1) and (b) evaluate
dx
Taking Napierian logarithms of both sides of when x = 2.
y = xx gives:
ln y = ln xx = x ln x √ 1
(a) y = x (x√− 1) = (x − 1) x , since by the laws of
m
Differentiating both sides with respect to x gives: indices n am = a n
 
1 dy 1 Taking Napierian logarithms of both sides gives:
= (x) + (lnx)(1), using the product rule
y dx x 1 1
ln y = ln(x − 1) x = ln(x − 1),
1 dy x
i.e. = 1 + ln x, Differentiating each side with respect to x gives:
y dx

dy     
from which, = y(1 + ln x) 1 dy 1 1 −1
dx = + [ ln(x − 1)] ,
y dx x x−1 x2
dy
i.e. = xx (1 + ln x) by the product rule.
dx  
dy 1 ln(x − 1)
Hence =y −
dy dx x(x − 1) x2
Problem 6. Evaluate when x = −1 given
dx
y = (x + 2)x .

Taking Napierian logarithms of both sides of


y = (x + 2)x gives:
ln y = ln(x + 2)x = x ln (x + 2), by law (iii)

Differentiating both sides with respect to x gives:


 
1 dy 1
= (x) + [ln(x + 2)](1),
y dx x+2
by the product rule.
 
dy √ 1 ln(x − 1) Exercise 18. Differentiating [ f (x)]x type
i.e. = x (x − 1) −
dx x(x − 1) x2 functions
 
dy √ 1 ln (1)
(b) When x = 2, = 2 (1) −
dx 2(1) 4
 
1 1
= ±1 −0 =±
2 2

Problem 8. Differentiate x 3x+2 with respect


to x.

Let y = x 3x+2
Taking Napierian logarithms of both sides gives:

ln y = ln x 3x+2
i.e. ln y = (3x + 2) ln x.
Differentiating each term with respect to x gives:
 
1 dy 1
= (3x + 2) + (ln x)(3),
y dx x
by the product rule.
 
dy 3x + 2
Hence =y + 3 ln x
dx x
 
3x + 2
=x 3x+2 + 3 ln x
x
 
2
= x3x+2 3 + + 3 ln x
x

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