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Use the chain rule to find dw/dt. Given w = xey/z, x = t³, y = 8 - t, z = 5⁷t?

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Final answer:

To compute dw/dt for w = xey/z with x = t³, y = 8-t, and z = 5t, we use the chain rule to differentiate w with respect to x, y, and z, then multiply these by the derivatives of x, y, and z with respect to t, and substitute the functions back.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find dw/dt using the chain rule, we need to differentiate w with respect to t while considering that w is a function of x, y, and z, which in turn are each functions of t. Since w = xey/z, we can express the total derivative dw/dt as:

dw/dt = (∂w/∂x)(dx/dt) + (∂w/∂y)(dy/dt) + (∂w/∂z)(dz/dt)

Substituting the given functions:


  • x(t) = t³

  • y(t) = 8 - t

  • z(t) = 5·t

we first find the partial derivatives of w:


  • ∂w/∂x = ey/z

  • ∂w/∂y = xe/z

  • ∂w/∂z = -xey/z²

and the derivatives of x, y, and z with respect to t:


  • dx/dt = 3t²

  • dy/dt = -1

  • dz/dt = 5

Now we multiply each partial derivative of w by the corresponding derivative of x, y, and z with respect to t:

dw/dt = (ey/z)(3t²) + (xe/z)(-1) + (-xey/z²)(5)

Finally, we substitute x, y, and z back into the partial derivatives:

dw/dt = ((8 - t)e^(t³)/5t)(3t²) + (t³e^(t³)/(5·t))(-1) + (-(t³)(8 - t)e^(t³)/(5·t)²)(5)

This represents the rate of change of w with respect to t.

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