Q.If y=sin−1x, show that (1−x2)dx2d2y−xdxdy=0.
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Successive Differentiation
Successive Differentiation — Repeated Slopes
Differentiate a function, then differentiate the result, then differentiate that, and so on. Each pass produces a new function describing a deeper layer of change. The physics picture makes it concrete: position → velocity (1st derivative) → acceleration (2nd) → jerk (3rd). Every step asks the same question: "how does the previous rate of change itself change?"
The definition and notation
If y=f(x), its successive derivatives are written y1,y2,…,yn, equivalently f′(x),f′′(x),…,f(n)(x) or dxdy,dx2d2y,…,dxndny. Each one is the derivative of the previous:
dxndny=dxd(dxn−1dn−1y).
| Order | Leibniz | Lagrange | Newton |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | dxdy | f′(x) | y˙ |
| 2nd | dx2d2y | f′′(x) | y¨ |
| nth | dxndny | f(n)(x) | — |
Seeing the pattern
Take y=x4: y1=4x3,y2=12x2,y3=24x,y4=24,y5=0. Each differentiation drops the degree by one, so a degree-n polynomial has a constant nth derivative and vanishing higher ones. Other families behave differently: eax never dies out (dxndneax=aneax), and sinx cycles every four steps (sin→cos→−sin→−cos).
Power rule applied n times: dxndn(xm)=m(m−1)⋯(m−n+1)xm−n for n≤m.
dx2d2y is not (dxdy)2 — a second derivative is not the square of the first derivative. …
Concept: Leibniz Notation Derivatives — we differentiate sin−1x twice and substitute into the given expression.
Step 1: First derivative.
If y=sin−1x, then
dxdy=1−x21.
Step 2: Second derivative.
Differentiate again using the chain rule:
dx2d2y=−21(1−x2)−3/2⋅(−2x)=(1−x2)3/2x.
Step 3: Substitute into the left-hand side. …
Using Leibniz notation, we differentiate y=sin−1x twice, then substitute into the given expression. The result simplifies to zero, confirming the identity.
The key insight here is that when you have an inverse trigonometric function, its derivative is a rational expression involving a square root. Differentiating that derivative gives a second derivative that, when combined with the first derivative, cancels out neatly. This is a classic verification problem — it tests your comfort with chain rule and algebraic manipulation in Leibniz notation.
Let’s work through it step by step.
- First derivative Given y=sin−1x, we know
dxdy=1−x21
This is valid for ∣x∣<1. The domain matters because the square root must be real.
- Second derivative Differentiate dxdy with respect to x. Write it as (1−x2)−1/2 for easier differentiation:
dx2d2y=−21(1−x2)−3/2⋅(−2x)
The −2x comes from the derivative of (1−x2) by the chain rule. Simplify:
dx2d2y=(1−x2)3/2x
- Form the expression We need to compute (1−x2)dx2d2y−xdxdy. Substitute the derivatives:
(1−x2)⋅(1−x2)3/2x−x⋅1−x21
-
Simplify term by term
First term: (1−x2)⋅(1−x2)3/2x=(1−x2)1/2x=1−x2x
Second term: x⋅1−x21=1−x2x
-
Subtract
1−x2x−1−x2x=0 …
Method: Differentiating an Inverse Trig Function Twice and Verifying a Relation
This method applies whenever y is an inverse trigonometric function (like sin−1x) and you must show a given combination of y, dxdy, and dx2d2y equals a specific value (often 0).
Steps
Step 1: Write down the known first-derivative formula
For y=sin−1x:
dxdy=1−x21=(1−x2)−1/2.
Recasting the square root as a negative fractional power makes the next differentiation cleaner.
Step 2: Differentiate again using the chain rule
Differentiate (1−x2)−1/2 by bringing down the power, reducing the exponent by 1, and multiplying by the derivative of the inner function (1−x2), which is −2x: …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Losing track of the sign when differentiating (1−x2)−1/2
Why it's wrong: the power rule contributes a negative sign (from the −1/2 exponent) and the chain rule contributes another negative sign (from the derivative of 1−x2 being −2x) — the two negatives multiply to a positive, but it is common to keep only one of them and end up with the wrong overall sign on dx2d2y. Correct approach: write both negative signs out explicitly, side by side, before multiplying them.
Mistake 2: Exponent arithmetic error going from −21−1 to −23 …
- COMEDK 2026Set 2026-A1 markMCQQ.
[!FORMULA] The second derivative of sin3xcos5x is:
(A) 2sin2x+32sin8x (B) 2sin2x+16sin8x (C) 2sin2x−16sin8x (D) 2sin2x−32sin8x›Reveal solutionSolution
The key idea is to rewrite the product sin3xcos5x as a sum using a product-to-sum identity, then differentiate twice. The second derivative simplifies to 2sin2x−32sin8x, which matches option (D).
We start with the function f(x)=sin3xcos5x. Differentiating a product of trig functions directly would involve the product rule twice, which is messy. Instead, we use a trigonometric identity to turn the product into a sum — this makes differentiation straightforward.
Concept & Intuition:
The product-to-sum identity for sine and cosine is:
sinAcosB=21[sin(A+B)+sin(A−B)].
This converts a product into a sum of two sine functions, each of which is easy to differentiate. After that, we just take the second derivative term by term.
Step-by-step solution:
- Rewrite the product as a sum. Let A=3x and B=5x. Then:
sin3xcos5x=21[sin(3x+5x)+sin(3x−5x)]=21[sin8x+sin(−2x)].
Since sin(−θ)=−sinθ, we have:
sin3xcos5x=21(sin8x−sin2x).
- Find the first derivative. Differentiate term by term:
f′(x)=21(8cos8x−2cos2x)=4cos8x−cos2x.
- Find the second derivative. Differentiate f′(x):
f′′(x)=4⋅(−8sin8x)−(−2sin2x)=−32sin8x+2sin2x.
Rearranging:
- COMEDK 2026Set 2026-A1 markMCQQ.If logy=log(sinx)−x2, then dx2d2y+4xdxdy+4x2y= (A) −2y (B) −3y (C) 3y (D) 0
›Reveal solutionSolution
The key is to first solve for y explicitly, then compute its first and second derivatives, and substitute into the given expression. The result simplifies to −3y, so the correct option is (B).
We start with
logy=log(sinx)−x2.
Exponentiating both sides (using base e) gives
y=elog(sinx)−x2=elog(sinx)⋅e−x2=sinx⋅e−x2.
So y=e−x2sinx. This is a product of an exponential decay and a sine wave — a classic damped oscillation.
Now we need dx2d2y+4xdxdy+4x2y.
- First derivative Using the product rule:
dxdy=e−x2cosx+sinx⋅(−2xe−x2)=e−x2(cosx−2xsinx).
- Second derivative Differentiate dxdy again, again using product rule on e−x2 times (cosx−2xsinx):
dx2d2y=e−x2⋅dxd(cosx−2xsinx)+(cosx−2xsinx)⋅(−2xe−x2).
Compute the derivative inside:
dxd(cosx)=−sinx,
dxd(−2xsinx)=−2sinx−2xcosx.
So together:
dxd(cosx−2xsinx)=−sinx−2sinx−2xcosx=−3sinx−2xcosx.
Thus
dx2d2y=e−x2(−3sinx−2xcosx)−2xe−x2(cosx−2xsinx).
Factor e−x2:
dx2d2y=e−x2[−3sinx−2xcosx−2xcosx+4x2sinx].
Simplify:
dx2d2y=e−x2(−3sinx−4xcosx+4x2sinx).
- Now form the expression We have:
dx2d2y+4xdxdy+4x2y.
Substitute each term:
- dx2d2y=e−x2(−3sinx−4xcosx+4x2sinx)
- 4xdxdy=4x⋅e−x2(cosx−2xsinx)=e−x2(4xcosx−8x2sinx)
- 4x2y=4x2⋅e−x2sinx=e−x2(4x2sinx)
Add them:
- COMEDK 2025Set 2025-A1 markMCQQ.If y=(sin−1x)2+(cos−1x)2, then (1−x2)dx2d2y−xdxdy= (A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 0 (D) 4
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiating twice gives the identity (1−x2)y′′−xy′=4.
Let y=(sin−1x)2+(cos−1x)2. Then
y′=1−x22sin−1x−1−x22cos−1x=1−x22(sin−1x−cos−1x).
Multiply through by 1−x2:
1−x2y′=2(sin−1x−cos−1x). …
- COMEDK 2025Set 2025-E1 markMCQQ.If y=x+ex then dy2d2x= (A) ex (B) (1+ex)2−ex (C) (1+ex)3−ex (D) (1+ex)3−1
›Reveal solutionSolution
We need the second derivative of x with respect to y, given y=x+ex. The key is to invert the relationship using implicit differentiation: dydx=dy/dx1, then differentiate again with respect to y. The final result is (1+ex)3−ex, which corresponds to option (C).
Concept & Intuition
When a function is given as y in terms of x, but we need derivatives of x with respect to y, we can’t just “flip” the derivative naively. Instead, we use the fact that
dydx=dxdy1
provided dxdy=0. For the second derivative, we differentiate dydx with respect to y, which requires the chain rule because dydx is expressed in terms of x, and x itself depends on y. This avoids solving for x explicitly (which is impossible here anyway).
Step-by-step solution
- Find dxdy Given y=x+ex, differentiate with respect to x:
dxdy=1+ex
- Find dydx Using the reciprocal relation:
dydx=dxdy1=1+ex1
- Set up for dy2d2x The second derivative is the derivative of dydx with respect to y:
dy2d2x=dyd(1+ex1)
Since the expression is in terms of x, we use the chain rule:
dyd=dxd⋅dydx
- Differentiate with respect to x Let u=1+ex. Then u1 differentiates to −u21⋅dxdu: dxd(1+ex1)=−(1+ex)2ex …
- COMEDK 2024Set 2024-M1 markMCQQ.
[!FORMULA] If y=loge(e2x2), then dx2d2y is equal to
(A) −x22 (B) −x1 (C) −x21 (D) x22›Reveal solutionSolution
Simplify the logarithmic expression using logarithm rules before differentiating; the second derivative is −x22, so the correct option is (A).
Concept & Intuition
When a function involves a logarithm of a quotient or power, it’s almost always easier to expand it using properties of logs before differentiating. Here, y=log(e2x2) can be rewritten as log(x2)−log(e2)=2logx−2. That turns a messy quotient into a simple difference, making differentiation straightforward. The first derivative will be a simple rational function, and the second derivative follows directly.
Step-by-step solution
- Simplify the expression Use the logarithm rules:
y=log(e2x2)=log(x2)−log(e2)=2logx−2.
(Recall log(e2)=2.) This is much cleaner.
- First derivative Differentiate term by term:
dxdy=2⋅x1−0=x2.
- Second derivative Differentiate x2 (which is 2x−1): dx2d2y=2⋅(−1)x−2=−x22.…
- KCET 2022Set C-41 markMCQQ.If θ+xy=e the ordered pair (dxdy,dx2d2y) at x=0 is equal to (A) (e−1,e2−1) (B) (e1,e2−1) (C) (e−1,e21) (D) (e1,e21)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate the implicit relation ey+xy=e twice, then substitute the point x=0,y=1 found from the curve itself.
(Note: the first term of the printed stem is a corrupted glyph; the relation is the standard implicit curve ey+xy=e, which is the only reading consistent with the four printed options.)
Step 1 — Find y at x=0.
Put x=0 in ey+xy=e:
ey=e⟹y=1.
So the point of interest is (0,1).
Step 2 — First derivative (implicit differentiation).
Differentiate both sides w.r.t. x, using the chain rule on ey and the product rule on xy:
eydxdy+(y+xdxdy)=0.
At (0,1): e1y′+1+0=0, so
y′(0)=−e1
Step 3 — Second derivative.
Differentiate the equation of Step 2 again w.r.t. x:
ey(dxdy)2+eydx2d2y+dxdy+dxdy+xdx2d2y=0.
(The first two terms come from differentiating eyy′ as a product; the last two from differentiating y+xy′.) …
- KCET 2021Set A-11 markMCQQ.If y=(x−1)2(x−2)3(x−3)5 then dxdy at x=4 is equal to (A) 108 (B) 54 (C) 36 (D) 516
›Reveal solutionSolution
Take logs to turn the triple product into a sum, differentiate term by term, then evaluate at x=4.
Step 1 — Why logarithmic differentiation.
y is a product of three powers. Using the product rule directly on three factors is messy and error-prone. Taking log converts products into sums and powers into multipliers, which is far cleaner:
logy=2log(x−1)+3log(x−2)+5log(x−3).
Step 2 — Differentiate implicitly.
Using dxdlog(u)=uu′ on both sides:
y1⋅dxdy=x−12+x−23+x−35
⟹dxdy=y[x−12+x−23+x−35].
Step 3 — Evaluate y at x=4.
y(4)=(4−1)2(4−2)3(4−3)5=32⋅23⋅15=9⋅8⋅1=72.
Step 4 — Evaluate the bracket at x=4. …
- COMEDK 2021Set 2021-B1 markMCQQ.If y=e2x, then dx2d2ydy2d2x= (A) e2x2 (B) 1 (C) −2e−2x (D) −2/y
›Reveal solutionSolution
[!TLDR]
Computing both second derivatives and multiplying gives −2/y=−2e−2x, i.e. option (C).
Concept
For a function and its inverse you differentiate each in its own variable; a second derivative with respect to the other variable is found from x=x(y) (CBSE/NCERT Class 12 Continuity and Differentiability).
Solution
With y=e2x:
dxdy=2e2x,dx2d2y=4e2x=4y.
Inverting, x=21lny, so
dydx=2y1,dy2d2x=−2y21.
Multiplying the two second derivatives:
dx2d2y⋅dy2d2x=4y⋅(−2y21)=−y2=−2e−2x. …
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