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| | <math> f'(x) = \frac{d}{dx} (\sin(x))^n = n(\sin(x))^{n-1}\cos(x) </math> | | <math> f'(x) = \frac{d}{dx} (\sin(x))^n = n(\sin(x))^{n-1}\cos(x) </math> |
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| | + | ===Proof=== |
| | + | |
| | + | The power rule is simple and elegant to prove with the definition of a derivative: |
| | + | |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = \lim_{h\rarr0} \frac{f(x+h)-f(x)}{h}. </math> |
| | + | Substituting <math> f(x) = x^n </math> gives |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = \lim_{h\rarr0} \frac{(x+h)^n-x^n}{h}.</math> |
| | + | The two polynomials in the numerator can be factored out. It is left as a series, since n can be any integer. |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = \lim_{h\rarr0} \frac{((x+h) - x)( (x+h)^{n-1} + (x+h)^{n-2}x + (x+h)^{n-3}x^2 + \dots + (x+h)x^{n-2} + x^{n-1})}{h}. </math> |
| | + | Then if the first factor is eliminated: |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = \lim_{h\rarr0} \frac{(h)( (x+h)^{n-1} + (x+h)^{n-2}x + (x+h)^{n-3}x^2\dots + (x+h)x^{n-2} + x^{n-1})}{h}. </math> |
| | + | Now, the "h" can be eliminated. This is important, since the denominator cannot go to zero': |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = \lim_{h\rarr0} (x+h)^{n-1} + (x+h)^{n-2}x + (x+h)^{n-3}x^2\dots + (x+h)x^{n-2} + x^{n-1}. </math> |
| | + | With no "h" in the denominator, the limit can be evaluated by letting h=0. |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = (x+0)^{n-1} + (x+0)^{n-2}x + (x+0)^{n-3}x^2\dots + (x+0)x^{n-2} + x^{n-1}. </math>: |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = x^{n-1} + x^{n-1} + x^{n-1}\dots + x^{n-1} + x^{n-1}. </math> |
| | + | We see that there are ''n'' terms, so: |
| | + | :<math>f'(x) = nx^{n-1}. </math> |
| | + | QED |
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| | [[Category:Mathematics]] | | [[Category:Mathematics]] |