Calculating Derivative – Computing nth derivative – Exercise 1084

Exercise

Given the following function:

$f(x)=\ln x$

Compute its nth derivative.

Final Answer

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Solution

We compute the first derivatives and try to find a pattern for the nth derivative.

Using Derivative formulas, we get the first derivative:

$f'(x)=\frac{1}{x}$

We want to compute the second derivative. To do this, we derive the first derivative and get:

$f''(x)=-\frac{1}{x^2}=-x^{-2}$

Now, we want to compute the third derivative. To do this, again, we derive the second derivative and get:

$f'''(x)=2x^{-3}$

Next, we want to compute the forth derivative. To do this, again, we derive the third derivative and get:

$f^{(4)}(x)=-6x^{-4}$

Now we look at the derivatives of the function:

$f'(x)=\frac{1}{x}=x^{-1}$

$f''(x)=-\frac{1}{x^2}=(-1)\cdot x^{-2}$

$f'''(x)=2x^{-3}=1\cdot 2 x^{-3}$

$f^{(4)}(x)=(-1)\cdot 1\cdot 2\cdot 3 x^{-4}$

One can see the pattern of the derivatives of the function, so the n-derivative is

$f^{(n)}(x)={(-1)}^{n-1}(n-1)! x^{-n}$

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