How do you differentiate #f(x)=e^(csc(2/x)# using the chain rule.?

1 Answer
Jul 13, 2016

This will require multiple applications of the chain rule.

Let's start with #csc(2/x)#. Let #y = cscu# and #u = 2/x#.

Let's differentiate:

#y = 1/sinu#

#y' = ((0 xx sinu) - (1 xx cosu))/(sinu)^2#

#y' = -cosu/sin^2u#

#y' = -cotucscu#

#u' = ((0 xx x) - (2 xx 1))/(x)^2#

#u' = -2/x^2#

#dy/dx = dy/(du) xx (du)/dx#

#dy/dx = -2/x^2 xx -cotucscu#

#dy/dx = -(-2cotucscu)/x^2#

#dy/dx = (2cot(2/x)csc(2/x))/x^2#

Now that we know this derivative we can say:

let #y = e^u# and #u = (2cot(2/x)csc(2/x))/x^2#

We already know the derivative of #u# and the derivative of #y# is #e^u#.

Hence:

#f'(x) = e^u xx (2cot(2/x)csc(2/x))/x^2#

#f'(x) = (e^u(2cot(2/x)csc(2/x)))/x^2#

#f'(x) = (e^(csc(2/x))((2cot(2/x)csc(2/x))))/x^2#

Hopefully this helps!