Can You Differentiate x^x^x^x^x^x...?

In summary, the conversation discusses differentiating a function involving an infinite exponent tower, with one example being x^x^x^x... and another being x^(x^2)^(x^3)^(x^4)... The experts in the conversation suggest using logarithmic differentiation and an iterative definition to solve the problem, but there is some ambiguity in the notation and direction of evaluation of the second function.
  • #1
abia ubong
70
0
how can this be differentiated,i need to know how.x^x^x^x^x^x...
also ,my teacher posed this question to the whole class x^(x^2)^(x^3)^(x^4)...
 
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  • #2
The greatest mathematician of all time would be able to solve this easily.
 
  • #3
The first is really easy,if u consider logarithmic differentiation...

Daniel.
 
  • #4
Try to write : h(x)=x^x^x^x...

Then clearly h(x)=x^h(x)...just differentiate and isolate h'(x)...

Also x^(x^2)=x^(x.x)=(x^x)^x=x^x^x...or if you want : log(x^(x^2))=x^2*log(x)=x*log(x^x)=log((x^x)^x)=log(x^x^x)
 
  • #5
you are really funny juvenal.
but then how about the other function, how can i get that differentiated?
 
  • #6
Kleinwolf,i'm sure you're not familiar to the notation [tex] x^{x^{x^{...}}} [/tex]

So basically i could write

[tex] x^{x^{2}}=x^{x\cdot x}=\left(x^{x}\right)^{x}\neq x^{x^{x}}} [/tex]

Daniel.
 
  • #7
hey if its x^x^x^...infinity
then
y = x^x^x^x^...can be written as

y = x^y ,
then take log of both sides and then diffrentiate .
 
  • #8
dextercioby said:
Kleinwolf,i'm sure you're not familiar to the notation [tex] x^{x^{x^{...}}} [/tex]

So basically i could write

[tex] x^{x^{2}}=x^{x\cdot x}=\left(x^{x}\right)^{x}\neq x^{x^{x}}} [/tex]

Daniel.

Right Daniel, I messed up...

I got disturbed by having no parenthesis, because [tex] x^{(x^2)}\neq (x^x)^2=x^{(2x)} [/tex]...

Then I think u could use an iterative definition : [tex] f(x,y)=x^y [/tex]

[tex] h_1(x)=x, h_2(x)=x^{(x^2)}, h_3(x)=x^{((x^2)^{(x^3)})}...[/tex]

So that in fact : [tex] h_1(x)=f(x,1), h_2(x)=f(x,x^2), h_3(x)=f(x,f(x^2,x^3))...aso... [/tex]

Now you "just" have to differentiate the imbrication of f(...f(...(x^{n-1},x^n)...)...this should be quite complicated.
 
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  • #9
how about the other question ,no one is talking about that ,just the easy one.
the most important is x^(x^2)^(x^3)...
 
  • #10
For the first one I got the following answer, which I'm pretty sure is correct.
y' = y^2 / ( x ( 1 - ln(x) y ) )


I set it up as an implicit function, y(x) : (x^y - y)=0, and used
y' = -(dQ/dx) / (dQ/dy), where Q(x,y) = x^y - y.
 
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  • #11
abia ubong said:
how about the other question ,no one is talking about that ,just the easy one.
the most important is x^(x^2)^(x^3)...

Recalling the ambiguity (that was clarified by Daniel) in the first expression is that second one meant to be evaluated from left to right or from right to left ?

If it's evaluated left to right then it diverges for all x>1 and is one for 0<x<=1, so the derivative is not really very interesting as it's just zero in the region for which the function is meaningfully defined. If however it's evaluated right to left then hmmm, I'm not sure.
 
  • #12
That is the solution for the first function ,how about the other x^(x^2)^(x^3)^(x^4).....
 

FAQ: Can You Differentiate x^x^x^x^x^x...?

What is differentiation?

Differentiation is a mathematical process of finding the rate at which one variable changes with respect to another variable. It is often used to find the slope of a curve at a specific point, and is an important concept in calculus.

Why is differentiation important?

Differentiation is important because it allows us to analyze and understand the behavior of changing quantities. It is used in many fields such as physics, economics, and engineering to solve problems and make predictions.

What is the difference between differentiation and integration?

Differentiation and integration are two opposite processes in calculus. Differentiation is used to find the rate of change of a function, while integration is used to find the accumulation of a function over a given interval.

What are the different methods of differentiation?

There are several methods of differentiation, including the power rule, product rule, quotient rule, and chain rule. These methods are used to find the derivative of different types of functions.

How can differentiation be applied in real life?

Differentiation has many real-life applications, such as finding the maximum or minimum value of a function, determining the velocity and acceleration of moving objects, and analyzing the behavior of complex systems. It is also used in business and finance to optimize production and profit.

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