Chapter 10
SUCCESSIVE DIFFERENTIATION
OBJECTIVES
After going through this chapter you will be able to:
nd the higher order derivatives of a given function.
know about Lebnitz theorem.
know how to use Lebnitz theorem to nd n
th
derivatives of a given function.
10.1 Introduction
We know that the derivative of a function y = f(x) with respect to (w.r.t.) is denoted
by either
dy
dx
or y
1
or f
(x). We shall be using the second notation i.e. y
1
often in this
unit. We also know that the rst order derivative comes from the physical concept like
velocity of a moving particle and also by geometrical notion of tangent to a curve at a point.
Similarly, the second and higher order derivatives also come from the physical concepts of
acceleration and the curvatire of a curve etc. Let us now learn how to nd the higher order
derivatives of a given function.
1
2
10.2 Higher Order Derivatives
The meaning of n
th
order derivative of a function is that we dierentiate the given
function n successive times. Let us see some standard examples now:
Example 1. y = e
ax+b
Solution: Dierentiating w.r.t. x successively we have,
y
1
= a.e
ax+b
y
2
= a.a.e
ax+b
= a
2
e
ax+b
y
3
= a
3
.e
ax+b
and hence on repeating this step n times we get,
y
n
= a
n
.e
ax+b
(10.1)
Example 2. y = a
mx
Solution: Dierentiating w.r.t. x successively we have,
y
1
= a
mx
log a m = m.a
mx
log a,
y
2
= m.a
mx
(log a)
2
m = m
2
.a
mx
(log a)
2
.
Thus, the n
th
derivative is:
y
n
= m
n
a
mx
(log a)
n
(10.2)
Example 3. y = (ax + b)
m
Solution: Dierentiating w.r.t. x successively we have,
y
1
= m.(ax + b)
m1
.a
y
2
= m.(m1).(ax + b)
m11
.a.a = m(m1)(ax + b)
m2
.a
2
y
3
= m(m1)(m2)(ax + b)
m3
.a
3
Thus, on successive dierentiation, the n
th
derivative is:
y
n
= m(m1)(m2) . . . (mn + 1)(ax + b)
mn
.a
n
(10.3)
3
Remark 1. Note that in the above formula m n or else the n
th
derivative y
n
would
become zero. For example, if y = (ax + b)
2
then using the above calculations we get:
y
3
= 2.1.0.(ax + b)
1
.a
3
= 0.
Example 4. y =
1
ax + b
Solution: Given y =
1
ax + b
= (ax + b)
1
Replacing m with 1 in the equation 10.3 we get
y
n
= (1).(2).(3) . . . .(1 n + 1)).(ax + b)
1n
.a
n
i.e. (1).(2).(3) . . . .(n).a
n
.
1
(ax + b)
n+1
Thus, the n
th
derivative of y =
1
ax + b
is:
y
n
=
(1)
n
.a
n
.n!
(ax + b)
n+1
(10.4)
Example 5. y =
1
(ax + b)
m
= (ax + b)
m
Solution: Again using the equation 10.3 and substituting m with m, we get
y
n
= (m)(m1)(m2) . . . (mn + 1)(ax + b)
mn
.a
n
y
n
= (1)
n
.(m)(m + 1)(m + 2) . . . (m + n 1)
a
n
(ax + b)
m+n
(10.5)
Example 6. y = log(ax + b)
Solution: Dierentiating w.r.t. x successively we have,
y
1
=
1
ax + b
a =
a
ax + b
y
2
=
a
2
.(1)
(ax + b)
2
y
2
=
a
2
.(1)(2)
(ax + b)
3
Thus, on successive dierentiation, the n
th
derivative is:
y
n
=
a
n
(1)(2) . . . ((n 1))
(ax + b)
n
y
n
=
a
n
(1)
n1
(ax + b)
n
(n 1)! (10.6)
4
Example 7. y = sin(ax + b)
Solution: Dierentiating w.r.t. x successively we have,
y
1
= a. cos(ax + b) = a. sin
_
(ax + b) +
2
_
y
2
= a
2
sin(ax + b) = a
2
sin
_
(ax + b) + 2
2
_
Thus, on successive dierentiation, the n
th
derivative is:
y
n
= a
n
sin
_
(ax + b) +
n
2
_
y
n
= a
n
sin
_
(ax + b) +
n
2
_
(10.7)
Similarly, for y = cos(ax + b) we have
y
n
= a
n
cos
_
(ax + b) +
n
2
_
(10.8)
Example 8. y = e
ax
sin(bx + c)
Solution: Dierentiating w.r.t. x successively we have,
y
1
= e
ax
[a sin(bx + c) + b cos(bx + c)]
Let a = r cos , b = r sin r =
a
2
+ b
2
, = tan
1
_
b
a
_
y
1
= e
ax
[r cos sin(bx + c) + r sin cos(bx + c)] = re
ax
sin(bx + c + ).
Similarly, we can show that y
2
= r
2
e
ax
sin(bx + c + 2)
Thus, on successive dierentiation, the n
th
derivative is:
y
n
= r
n
e
ax
sin(bx + c + n)
y
n
= (a
2
+ b
2
)
n/2
e
ax
sin
_
bx + c + ntan
1
_
b
a
__
(10.9)
Similarly for y = e
ax
cos(bx + c) we have
y
n
= (a
2
+ b
2
)
n/2
e
ax
cos
_
bx + c + ntan
1
_
b
a
__
(10.10)
10.3 Leibnitz Theorem and its applications
5
We state now the Leibnitz theorem (without proof) for n
th
order derivative of product
of two n times dierentiable fuctions. Let u, v be n times dierentiable functions of x and
y = u.v then the n
th
derivative of y is given by :
y
n
= u
n
.v + n.u
n1
v
1
+
n(n 1)
2
u
n2
v
2
+ . . . + u.v
n
(10.11)
Note:
To solve problems using Leibnitz theorem, we should take u as that function whose
n
th
derivative is known to us directly and v as that function whose higher order
derivatives are zero, for e.g. functions like x
3
, x
2
, have higher order derivatives zero.
In some problems we need to use the rst order derivative along with the function
recursively and then apply Leibnitz theorem to solve the problem.
Now let us solve some problems based on the formulae we have seen in Section 10.2 and
10.3.
Example 9. Find the n
th
derivative of sin
3
x.
Solution: Let y = sin
3
x
sin 3x = 3 sin x 4 sin
3
x sin
3
x = (3 sin x sin 3x)/4
y =
1
4
[3 sin x sin 3x]
Using eq (10.7) we have:
y
n
=
1
4
_
3 sin
_
x +
n
2
_
3
n
sin
_
3x +
n
2
__
Example 10. Find the n
th
derivative of cos 2x cos 3x.
Solution: Let y = cos 2x cos 3x
cos a cos b =
1
2
(cos(a + b) + cos(a b)), we have y =
1
2
[cos 5x + cos x]
using eq. (10.8), we get
y
n
=
1
2
_
5
n
cos
_
5x +
n
2
_
+ cos
_
x +
n
2
__
Example 11. Find the n
th
derivative of e
2x
cos 2x cos 3x.
6
Solution: Let y = e
2x
cos 2x cos 3x
Using the formula cos a cos b =
1
2
(cos(a + b) + cos(a b)) and the eq. (10.10) we have;
y =
1
2
e
2x
(cos 5x + cos x)
y =
1
2
_
e
2x
cos 5x + e
2x
cos x
_
y
n
=
1
2
e
2x
_
(29)
n/2
cos
_
5x + ntan
1
_
5
2
__
+ (5)
n/2
cos
_
x + ntan
1
_
1
2
___
.
Example 12. If y = sin px + cos px then show that y
n
= p
n
[1 + (1)
n
sin 2px]
1/2
Solution: Let y = sin px + cos px
using eq. (10.7) and (10.8) we have,
y
n
= p
n
_
sin
_
px +
n
2
_
) + cos
_
px +
n
2
__
y
n
= p
n
_
_
sin
_
px +
n
2
_
+ cos
_
px +
n
2
__
2
_
1/2
= p
n
_
1 + 2 sin
_
px +
n
2
_
cos
_
px +
n
2
__
1/2
= p
n
[1 + sin(2px + n)]
1/2
y
n
= p
n
[1 + (1)
n
sin 2px]
1/2
.
Hence proved.
Example 13. Find the n
th
derivative of y =
1
x
2
+ a
2
Solution: We have y =
1
(x ia)(x + ia)
By using partial fractions, we get, y =
1
2ai(x ia)
1
2ai(x + ia)
Using eq. (10.4) we get,
y
n
=
(1)
n
n!
2ai
_
1
(x ia)
n+1
1
(x + ia)
n+1
_
Example 14. Find the n
th
derivative of tan
1
x.
Solution: Let y = tan
1
x
y
1
=
1
x
2
+ 1
=
1
(x i)(x + i)
=
1
2i
_
1
x i
1
x + i
_
y
n
=
1
2i
_
(1)
n1
(n 1)!
(x i)
n
(1)
n1
(n 1)!
(x + i)
n
_
. . . using eq. (10.4)
y
n
=
(1)
n1
(n 1)!
2i
_
1
(x i)
n
1
(x + i)
n
_
7
Example 15. Find the n
th
derivative of cos
1
_
x x
1
x + x
1
_
.
Solution: Let y = cos
1
_
x x
1
x + x
1
_
= cos
1
_
x
2
1
x
2
+ 1
_
Let x = tan , then y = cos
1
(cos 2) = cos
1
cos( + 2)
y = + 2 = + 2 tan
1
x
Using Example 14 we have,
y
n
=
1
i
_
(1)
n1
(n 1)!
(x i)
n
(1)
n1
(n 1)!
(x + i)
n
_
Now we shall see some problems based on Leibnitzs theorem:
Example 16. Find the n
th
derivative of x
2
e
x
Solution: Given y = x
2
e
x
, let u = e
x
, v = x
2
..
Using the formula in (10.11) and also from (10.1) we have,
y
n
= e
x
x
2
+ ne
x
(2x) +
n(n 1)
2
e
x
(2)
y
n
= e
x
.x
2
+ 2nx.e
x
+ n(n 1)e
x
= e
x
(x
2
+ 2nx + n(n 1)).
Example 17. Find the n
th
derivative of x
2
e
x
cos x.
Solution: Given y = x
2
e
x
cos x, let u = e
x
cos x, v = x
2
.
Using the formula in (10.11) and also from (10.10) we have,
y
n
= x
2
_
2
n
2
e
x
cos
_
x +
n
4
__
+ n(2x)
_
2
n1
2
e
x
cos
_
x +
(n 1)
4
__
+
n(n 1)
2
.2.
_
2
n2
2
e
x
cos
_
x +
(n 2)
4
__
Example 18. If y = tan x then show that y
n
(0)
n
C
2
y
n2
(0)+
n
C
4
y
n4
(0)+. . . = sin
_
n
2
_
.
Solution: Given y = tan x =
sin x
cos x
(cos x)y = sin x.
Now using the formula in (10.11) and also from (10.7), (10.8), we have
cos x.y
n
(x) +
n
C
1
(sin x)y
n1
(x) +
n
C
2
(cos x)y
n2
(x) + . . . = sin
_
x +
n
2
_
By substituting x = 0 on both the sides, we get
y
n
(0)
n
C
2
y
n2
(0) +
n
C
4
y
n4
(0) + . . . = sin
_
n
2
_
.
8
Example 19. If y =
log x
x
then show that y
n
=
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
_
log x
_
1 +
1
2
+
1
3
+ . . . +
1
n
__
Solution: Let u = log x, v =
1
x
.
From (10.6) and from (10.4), we have, u
n
=
(1)
n1
.(n 1)!
x
n
, v
n
=
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
Now y = uv, using (10.11), we get,
y
n
= u.v
n
+ n.u
1
.v
n1
+
n(n 1)
2
u
2
.v
n2
+ . . . + u
n
.v
y
n
= log x.
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
+ n.
1
x
(1)
n1
.(n 1)!
x
n
+
n(n 1)
2
_
1
x
2
_
(1)
n2
.(n 2)!
x
n1
+
n(n 1)(n 2)
6
_
2
x
3
_
(1)
n3
.(n 3)!
x
n2
+ . . . +
(1)
n1
.(n 1)!
x
n
1
x
= log x.
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
1
2
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
1
3
. . .
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
1
n
y
n
=
(1)
n
.n!
x
n+1
_
log x
_
1 +
1
2
+
1
3
+ . . . +
1
n
__
Example 20. If y =
sin
1
x
1 x
2
then show that (1x
2
)y
n+2
(2n+3)x.y
n+1
(n+1)
2
y
n
= 0
Solution: We have y =
sin
1
x
1 x
2
1 x
2
.y = sin
1
x
Dierentiating w.r.t.
x
we have,
1 x
2
.y
1
+
2x
2
1 x
2
.y =
1
1 x
2
(1 x
2
).y
1
x.y = 1
Dierentiating again w.r.t.
x
, we get,
(1 x
2
)y
2
2.x.y
1
x.y
1
y = 0
(1 x
2
)y
2
3.x.y
1
y = 0.
Now we apply Leibnits formula (10.11) to each term above, to get,
_
(1 x
2
)y
n+2
+ n.(2x)y
n+1
+
n(n + 1)
2
.(2).y
n
_
3[x.y
n+1
+ n.1.y
n
] y
n
= 0
(1 x
2
)y
n+2
(2n + 3)x.y
n+1
(n + 1)
2
y
n
= 0
10.4 Let Us Sum Up
9
In this chapter we have seen how to do successive dierentiation of functions like
e
mx
, a
mx
, sin(ax + b), cos(ax + b), log(ax + b), e
ax
sin(bx + c) . . . etc. Also we have seen
how Leibnitz theorem is used to nd the n
th
derivative of product of two functions.
10.5 Unit End Exercise
1. Find the n
th
derivative of the following:
(a)
x
(x 1)(x 3)
(b)
x
(x 1)(x 2)(x 3)
(c) x
2
.e
2x
(d) x
3
.e
2x
(e) tan
1
x
(f) sin(3x + 2)
(g) e
2x
sin(3x + 4)
(h) e
2x
sin x cos
2
x
2. If x = e
y
then show that (1 y).y
2
= (2 y).(y
1
)
2