Questions: Use the differentiation rules developed in this section to find the derivatives of the functions in Exercises 35-64. Note that it may be necessary to do some preliminary algebra before differentiating.
35. f(x)=4-3x^7
Transcript text: Use the differentiation rules developed in this section to find the derivatives of the functions in Exercises 35-64. Note that it may be necessary to do some preliminary algebra before differentiating.
35. $f(x)=4-3 x^{7}$
Solution
Solution Steps
To find the derivative of the function \( f(x) = 4 - 3x^7 \), we will apply the power rule of differentiation. The power rule states that the derivative of \( x^n \) is \( nx^{n-1} \). We will differentiate each term separately and then combine the results.
Step 1: Identify the Function
The function given is \( f(x) = 4 - 3x^7 \).
Step 2: Apply the Power Rule
To find the derivative, apply the power rule: if \( f(x) = ax^n \), then \( f'(x) = anx^{n-1} \).
The derivative of \( 4 \) is \( 0 \) since it is a constant.
The derivative of \( -3x^7 \) is \( -21x^6 \) because \( -3 \times 7 = -21 \) and \( x^{7-1} = x^6 \).