September 4, 2009
No CommentsHow to Solve Derivatives Using the Power Rule
Description
This video explains both the Power Rule and the Constant Rule in-depth, and illustrates the difference between different functions with power rules on a graph. It provides several example problems that could be solved using the power rule.
Overview
The Power Rule is a rule in calculus that allows you to solve derivatives. The Power Rule deals with exponents, or powers. The simple power rule states that:
d/dx (x^n) = nx^(n – 1)
In other words, the number of the exponent gets placed in front of x, and then the exponent gets subtracted by 1. An interesting thing about the Power Rule is the \”chain of command\”. The power rule will be easier to use if you memorize this:
d/dx (x^0) = 0
d/dx (x^1) = 1
d/dx (x^2) = 2x
d/dx (x^3) = 3x^2
