Calculating Second Order Derivative of w at t=1

In summary, the conversation discusses finding the second order derivative of w by t and calculating its value at t=1. The answer in the book is 4/(e^t+e^-t)^2, with an explanation of using the chain rule and quotient rule. The conversation also includes a calculation mistake and a discussion on the correct formula for the derivative of tanh(t).
  • #1
Yankel
395
0
Hello all,

I need to find the second order derivative of w by t, and to calculate it's value at t=1.

This is what I know about w, x and y.

\[w=ln(x+y)\]

\[x=e^{t}\]

\[y=e^{-t}\]The answer in the book is:

\[\frac{4}{(e^{t}+e^{-t})^{2}}\]

I got another answer and I don't know what I did wrong, my solution is attached as an image.

View attachment 1997

Would appreciate your help with it. Thank you.

P.S According to Maple I am correct
 

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  • #2
Your calculations are all the way through OK. It is just the very end of your equations, that needs a lift:

Try to calculate the difference:

\[(e^t+e^{-t})^2-(e^t-e^{-t})^2\]

what do you get?
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Start with a function $f(x,y)$. Substitute two functions $x=g(t)$ and $y=h(t)$ to get the composite function $F(t) = f(g(t),h(t))$. The chain rule says that,
$$ \frac{dF}{dt} = \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}\frac{dx}{dt} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}\frac{dy}{dt} $$
Now when you compute the second derivative you use the product rule, so,
$$ \frac{d^2 F}{dt^2} = \frac{d}{dt} \left( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \right) \frac{dx}{dt} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}\frac{d^2 x}{dt^2} + \frac{d}{dt} \left( \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \right) \frac{dy}{dt} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}\frac{d^2y}{dt^2} $$
To make things easier to follow let $A = \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}$, so,
$$ \frac{d}{dt}\left( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}\right) = \frac{dA}{dt} = \frac{\partial A}{\partial x} \frac{dx}{dt} + \frac{\partial A}{\partial y} \frac{dy}{dt} = f_{xx} \frac{dx}{dt} + f_{xy}\frac{dy}{dt} $$
In a similar way if we have,
$$ \frac{d}{dt}\left( \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \right) = f_{yx}\frac{dx}{dt} + f_{yy} \frac{dy}{dt} $$
Therefore our 2nd derivative formula is,
$$ \frac{d^2F}{dt} = (f_{xx} x' + f_{xy}y')x' + f_x \cdot x'' + (f_{yx}x' + f_{yy}y')y' + f_y \cdot y'' $$
This simplifies to, (recall that $f_{xy} = f_{yx}$),
$$ \frac{d^2 F}{dt} = f_{xx} (x')^2 + 2f_{xy}x'y' + f_{yy}(y')^2 + f_x\cdot x'' + f_y\cdot y'' $$
Now if you substitute your functions you will get your answer.
 
  • #4
Yankel said:
Hello all,

I need to find the second order derivative of w by t, and to calculate it's value at t=1.

This is what I know about w, x and y.

\[w=ln(x+y)\]

\[x=e^{t}\]

\[y=e^{-t}\]The answer in the book is:

\[\frac{4}{(e^{t}+e^{-t})^{2}}\]

I got another answer and I don't know what I did wrong, my solution is attached as an image.

View attachment 1997

Would appreciate your help with it. Thank you.

P.S According to Maple I am correct

The derivative of $x+y$ is $e^t-e^{-t}$. Using the chain rule therefore, the derivative of w is $e^t-e^{-t}$ multiplied by $\frac{1}{x+y}$ which is equal to $\frac{e^t-e^{-t}}{e^t+e^{-t}}$ Then use quotient rule. x and y are just labels- easier to bypass them
 
  • #5
lfdahl,

what I get is: 2e^(-2t) where does it lead me ?

ThePerfectHacker, honestly, you lost me :confused:

and Boromir, isn't what I did identical to what you suggest ?

guys, I am quite confused, did I get it wrong or right ? I can't see what I did wrong here.
 
  • #6
Yankel said:
lfdahl,

what I get is: 2e^(-2t) where does it lead me ?

ThePerfectHacker, honestly, you lost me :confused:

and Boromir, isn't what I did identical to what you suggest ?

guys, I am quite confused, did I get it wrong or right ? I can't see what I did wrong here.

\[(e^t+e^{-t})^2-(e^t-e^{-t})^2 = (x+y)^2-(x-y)^2 = x^2+y^2+2xy-(x^2+y^2-2xy)\]

Can you continue?
 
  • #7
Right, I get 4, I see what you mean. But I can't see where my last move was incorrect. Can it be that both expressions are equal ?

Look at it more simply, if my first derivative is tanh(t), doesn't it mean that it's derivative should be 1-tanh(t) ? Even without calculating all the way ?
 
  • #8
I would expect:

tanh'(t) = 1 - tanh2(t)

- and this is also the result you get.
 
  • #9
Thanks, you were very helpful, and I found my mistake thanks to you.

It is 1-tanh(t)^2 and I wrote 1-tanh(t) without the power, that's why Maple told me the expressions are not identical...
 

FAQ: Calculating Second Order Derivative of w at t=1

What is a second order derivative?

A second order derivative is a mathematical concept used in calculus to describe the rate of change of a rate of change. It is the derivative of a derivative, and represents the acceleration or curvature of a function.

How do you calculate the second order derivative of w at t=1?

To calculate the second order derivative of w at t=1, you would need to take the derivative of the derivative of w at t=1. This can be done using the chain rule, which states that the derivative of a composite function is equal to the derivative of the outer function multiplied by the derivative of the inner function.

Why is the second order derivative important?

The second order derivative is important because it helps us understand the behavior of a function. It can tell us if a function is increasing or decreasing, and if it is concave up or concave down. It is also used in optimization problems, where we want to find the minimum or maximum value of a function.

What is the difference between first and second order derivatives?

The first order derivative represents the rate of change of a function, while the second order derivative represents the rate of change of the rate of change. In other words, the first order derivative tells us how fast a function is changing, while the second order derivative tells us how fast the rate of change is changing.

Can the second order derivative be negative?

Yes, the second order derivative can be negative. This means that the rate of change of the rate of change is decreasing. It can also be positive, which means that the rate of change of the rate of change is increasing. A second order derivative of zero indicates that the rate of change of the rate of change is constant.

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