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15 votes
15 votes
[LOOK AT THE PICTURE]

I can't understand why it can be written as

(1)/(2) {x}^{ (1)/(2) - 1}
PLS ANS CLEARLY​

[LOOK AT THE PICTURE] I can't understand why it can be written as (1)/(2) {x}^{ (1)/(2) - 1} PLS-example-1
User LeffelMania
by
3.3k points

1 Answer

20 votes
20 votes

The rule is


(d)/(dx)x^n = nx^(n-1)

which is the power rule. You pull down the exponent to place it as the coefficient. So that explains the 1/2 pull out front. Then we subtract 1 from the exponent.

The expression you wrote can be simplified or rewritten like this


(d)/(dx)x^n = nx^(n-1)\\\\(d)/(dx)\left[x^(1/2)\right] = (1)/(2)x^{(1)/(2)-1}\\\\(d)/(dx)\left[x^(1/2)\right] = (1)/(2)x^{-(1)/(2)}\\\\(d)/(dx)\left[x^(1/2)\right] = (1)/(2)\frac{1}{x^{(1)/(2)}}\\\\(d)/(dx)\left[x^(1/2)\right] = \frac{1}{2x^{(1)/(2)}}\\\\(d)/(dx)\left[x^(1/2)\right] = (1)/(2√(x))}\\\\

Optionally, we can multiply top and bottom by
√(x) to rationalize the denominator.

[LOOK AT THE PICTURE] I can't understand why it can be written as (1)/(2) {x}^{ (1)/(2) - 1} PLS-example-1
User Gpoo
by
3.0k points