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Product rule with arcsine

Let h(x)=x⋅arcsin⁡(x)h(x) = x \cdot \arcsin(x). Find h′(12)h'\left(\frac{1}{2}\right).

Hint

Apply the product rule with f(x)=xf(x) = x and g(x)=arcsin⁡(x)g(x) = \arcsin(x), recalling that ddx[arcsin⁡x]=11−x2\dfrac{d}{dx}[\arcsin x] = \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}. Then substitute x=12x = \frac{1}{2}.

Step-by-step solution

Using the product rule, h′(x)=ddx[x]⋅arcsin⁡(x)+x⋅ddx[arcsin⁡(x)]=arcsin⁡(x)+x1−x2h'(x) = \dfrac{d}{dx}[x] \cdot \arcsin(x) + x \cdot \dfrac{d}{dx}[\arcsin(x)] = \arcsin(x) + \dfrac{x}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}.

Now substitute x=12x = \frac{1}{2}: arcsin⁡(12)=π6\arcsin\left(\frac{1}{2}\right) = \frac{\pi}{6}, and 1−14=32\sqrt{1 - \frac{1}{4}} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}, so the second term is 1/23/2=13\dfrac{1/2}{\sqrt{3}/2} = \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}. Thus h′(12)=π6+13h'\left(\frac{1}{2}\right) = \dfrac{\pi}{6} + \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}.

Identifying the rule used

Hint
Step-by-step solution

The answer is product rule. Since h of x was defined as x times arcsine of x, a product of two functions, the derivative required applying the product rule, not the quotient rule. The quotient rule only applies when one function is divided by another.

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