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Exercise 5.4 · Q5

Q.Find dydx\frac{dy}{dx} in the following: log⁡(cos⁡ex)\log (\cos e^x)

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This problem asks for the derivative of a nested function: log⁡(cos⁡(ex))\log(\cos(e^x)). Using the chain rule repeatedly, we differentiate from the outermost layer inward. The final derivative is dydx=−extan⁡(ex)\frac{dy}{dx} = -e^x \tan(e^x).

We start with y=log⁡(cos⁡(ex))y = \log(\cos(e^x)). The key here is the chain rule: when a function is composed of several layers, you differentiate each layer in order, multiplying the results. Think of it like peeling an onion — start with the outermost function and work your way in.

The outermost function is log⁡(⋅)\log(\cdot) (natural logarithm). Its derivative is 1inside\frac{1}{\text{inside}}. Then we multiply by the derivative of the inside, which itself is a composition: cos⁡(⋅)\cos(\cdot) followed by exe^x. So we need two more chain rule applications.

Let’s go step by step.

  1. Identify the layers.

    We have:

    • Outer: log⁡(u)\log(u), where u=cos⁡(ex)u = \cos(e^x)
    • Middle: cos⁡(v)\cos(v), where v=exv = e^x
    • Inner: exe^x
  2. Differentiate the outermost layer.

    The derivative of log⁡(u)\log(u) with respect to uu is 1u\frac{1}{u}. So:

dydu=1cos⁡(ex)\frac{dy}{du} = \frac{1}{\cos(e^x)}

  1. Now differentiate the middle layer. u=cos⁡(v)u = \cos(v), where v=exv = e^x. The derivative of cos⁡(v)\cos(v) with respect to vv is −sin⁡(v)-\sin(v). So:

dudv=−sin⁡(ex)\frac{du}{dv} = -\sin(e^x)

  1. Differentiate the innermost layer. v=exv = e^x, and its derivative with respect to xx is simply exe^x:

dvdx=ex\frac{dv}{dx} = e^x

  1. Apply the chain rule by multiplying all these derivatives. The chain rule says:

dydx=dydu⋅dudv⋅dvdx\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{dy}{du} \cdot \frac{du}{dv} \cdot \frac{dv}{dx}

Substituting: …

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