If P(x) = g^2(x), then P'(3) = ?

  • Thread starter Knight226
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In summary, the conversation discusses how to find the derivative of P(x) = g^2(x) and applies the chain rule and product rule to find the correct answer of P'(3) = 2g(3)g'(3). The conversation also clarifies the meaning of g^2(x) and confirms that the final answer is the same using either method.
  • #1
Knight226
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Homework Statement


If P(x) = g^2(x), then P'(3) =


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I am not quite sure what g^2(x) means...
But my assumption is do the derivative of g^2(x), so it becomes 2g(x), then put the 3 in for x?
so the final answer will be 2g(3) ?
It looks weird to me, so I am not sure if I am doing it correctly or not.

Please advise, thank you.
 
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  • #2
Almost! you need to apply chain rule!
 
  • #3
Also, your inclination that g2(x) = g(x)*g(x) is correct.
 
  • #4
To sutupidmath,
Thank you!
So it should be 2g(x)g'(x), thus the final answer for that question would be P'(3) = 2g(3)g'(3).

To Mark44
I got confused a little there because I thought the final answer was different from 2g(x) (which was the wrong answer anyways). Now I redid the problem using product rule instead for g(x)g(x), and my derivative turned out to be g'(x)g(x) + g(x)g'(x), which is the same as 2g(x)g'(x) anyways :D

Thank you so much to both of you.
 

FAQ: If P(x) = g^2(x), then P'(3) = ?

What is the derivative of P(x) at x = 3?

The derivative of P(x) at x = 3 is equal to 2g(3)g'(3), where g'(3) represents the derivative of g(x) at x = 3.

How do you find the derivative of P(x) at x = 3?

To find the derivative of P(x) at x = 3, you first need to find the derivative of g(x) at x = 3. Then, you can use the power rule to multiply the derivative of g(x) by 2g(3).

Can you find the derivative of P(x) at any other value of x?

Yes, the derivative of P(x) can be found at any value of x as long as the derivative of g(x) is known at that value. The derivative of P(x) at x = a is equal to 2g(a)g'(a).

What is the significance of P'(3) in this equation?

P'(3) represents the instantaneous rate of change of P(x) at x = 3. It gives us information about the slope of the tangent line to the graph of P(x) at that point.

How does this equation relate to the chain rule?

This equation is an application of the chain rule, which states that the derivative of a composite function (such as P(x) = g^2(x)) is equal to the derivative of the outer function (g^2(x)) times the derivative of the inner function (g(x)). In this case, the inner function is g(x) and the outer function is g^2(x), giving us the derivative of P(x) as 2g(x)g'(x).

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