```markdown If
(x2+1)ex(x+1)2dx=f(x)ex+c\int \frac{(x^2 + 1) e^x}{(x+1)^2} \, dx = f(x) e^x + c
then find
d3tdx3\frac{d^3 t}{d x^3}
at x=1x = 1. ```

3 min read
46 views
Published July 14, 2025
Mathematics
Calculus
Integration
Differential Equations
Higher-order Derivatives

💡 Want to ask your own questions?

Get instant explanations with AI • Free trial

Detailed Explanation

1. Turning the integral into a differential equation

Because the result of the integral is given as f(x)ex+c,f(x)e^x + c, differentiating both sides immediately gets us back to the integrand:

ddx(f(x)ex)  =  (f(x)+f(x))ex  =  (x2+1)ex(x+1)2.\frac{d}{dx}\bigl(f(x)e^x\bigr)\;=\;(f'(x)+f(x))e^x\;=\;\frac{(x^2+1)e^x}{(x+1)^2}.

Cancelling the common exe^x factor, we arrive at a first-order linear ODE:

f(x)+f(x)=x2+1(x+1)2.f'(x)+f(x)=\frac{x^2+1}{(x+1)^2}.

2. Simplifying the right-hand side

Long division (or a quick algebra trick) shows

x2+1(x+1)2=12x(x+1)2=12x+1+2(x+1)2.\frac{x^2+1}{(x+1)^2}=1-\frac{2x}{(x+1)^2}=1-\frac{2}{x+1}+\frac{2}{(x+1)^2}.

We name this compact form

g(x)=12x+1+2(x+1)2.g(x)=1-\frac{2}{x+1}+\frac{2}{(x+1)^2}.

The differential equation is now

f(x)+f(x)=g(x).f'(x)+f(x)=g(x).

3. Finding f(x)f(x) quickly

For such a constant-coefficient, first-order linear ODE the integrating-factor method (factor exe^x) or a clever guess works very fast:

Guess: take f(x)=A+Bx+1+C(x+1)2.f(x)=A+\frac{B}{x+1}+\frac{C}{(x+1)^2}.
Differentiate, add to itself, and equate coefficients to g(x)g(x). One finds

A=1,  B=2,  C=0    f(x)=12x+1.A=1,\;B=-2,\;C=0 \;\Longrightarrow\; f(x)=1-\frac{2}{x+1}.

Note that any extra constant inside ff would merely shift the overall “+c+c” of the original integral, so this form is unique for our purpose.

4. Higher-order derivatives

Since t(x)t(x) in the problem statement plays the same role as f(x)f(x), we set t(x)=f(x)t(x)=f(x):

t(x)=12x+1.t(x)=1-\frac{2}{x+1}.

Now work out derivatives systematically:

  1. First derivative
    t(x)=2(x+1)2.t'(x)=\frac{2}{(x+1)^2}.
  2. Second derivative
    t(x)=4(x+1)3.t''(x)=-\frac{4}{(x+1)^3}.
  3. Third derivative
    t(x)=12(x+1)4.t'''(x)=\frac{12}{(x+1)^4}.

5. Evaluate at x=1x = 1

A direct substitution gives

t(1)=12(1+1)4=1216=34=0.75.t'''(1)=\frac{12}{(1+1)^4}=\frac{12}{16}=\frac{3}{4}=0.75.

That is all the theory and logical chain of steps a student needs to reach the requested third derivative at x=1x=1.

Simple Explanation (ELI5)

What is the question asking?

We first have an integral that has already been written in a neat form:

“If $$\int \frac{(x^2+1)e^x}{(x+1)^2},dx = f(x),e^x + c*,”*

The question then asks for the third derivative of a certain function tt at x=1x = 1.

To keep it simple, think of f(x)f(x) like a recipe hidden inside that integral. Once we know f(x)f(x), we can call it t(x)t(x) and then perform the usual differentiate-thrice job to find d3tdx3\frac{d^3t}{dx^3} at the point x=1x = 1.

How would you do it?

  1. Peel off the exe^x by remembering the product rule:
    If F(x)=f(x)exF(x) = f(x)e^x, then ddx(f(x)ex)=(f(x)+f(x))ex.\frac{d}{dx}\bigl( f(x)e^x \bigr) = (f'(x)+f(x))e^x.
  2. Match the peeled-off result with the integrand (x2+1)ex(x+1)2\frac{(x^2+1)e^x}{(x+1)^2}. Cancelling exe^x gives a tidy differential equation for ff.
  3. Solve the quick, linear differential equation to get a nice algebraic form of f(x)f(x).
  4. Differentiate f(x)f(x) three times (yes, that sounds scary, but if ff is a small rational expression, each step is just a power-rule plus chain-rule).
  5. Finally, plug in x=1x = 1 to see what the third derivative becomes.

That’s exactly what we’ll guide you through in the detailed explanation!

👆 Found this helpful? Get personalized explanations for YOUR questions!

Step-by-Step Solution

Step-by-step calculation

  1. Convert integral into ODE
(f'(x)+f(x))e^x &= \frac{(x^2+1)e^x}{(x+1)^2} \\[6pt] \Longrightarrow\; f'(x)+f(x) &= \frac{x^2+1}{(x+1)^2}\tag{1} \end{aligned}$$ 2. **Simplify right-hand side** $$\frac{x^2+1}{(x+1)^2}=1-\frac{2x}{(x+1)^2}=1-\frac{2}{x+1}+\frac{2}{(x+1)^2}=g(x).$$ Equation (1) is now $$f'(x)+f(x)=g(x).$$ 3. **Guess/solve for $f(x)$** Take $$f(x)=A+\frac{B}{x+1}+\frac{C}{(x+1)^2}.$$ Compute $$f'(x)=-\frac{B}{(x+1)^2}-\frac{2C}{(x+1)^3}.$$ Add to $f$: $$f'+f=A+\frac{B}{x+1}+\frac{C-B}{(x+1)^2}-\frac{2C}{(x+1)^3}.$$ Match with $g(x)$ and equate coefficients: $$\begin{cases} A=1\\ B=-2\\ -2C=0\;\Rightarrow\;C=0 \end{cases}$$ Hence $$f(x)=1-\frac{2}{x+1}.$$ No extra constant is needed because it would merge into the “$+c$” outside. 4. **Rename $t(x)$** Let $$t(x)=f(x)=1-\frac{2}{x+1}.$$ 5. **Differentiate thrice** $$\begin{aligned} t'(x) &= \frac{2}{(x+1)^2},\\[4pt] t''(x) &= -\frac{4}{(x+1)^3},\\[4pt] t'''(x) &= \frac{12}{(x+1)^4}. \end{aligned}$$ 6. **Evaluate at $x = 1$** $$t'''(1)=\frac{12}{(1+1)^4}=\frac{12}{16}=\frac{3}{4}.$$ \[ \boxed{\displaystyle t'''(1)=\frac{3}{4}} \]

Examples

Example 1

Electrical RC circuits: solving V'(t) + (1/RC)V = (1/RC)E(t) mirrors the same linear ODE style.

Example 2

Radioactive decay with a driving source term gives N'(t)+\lambda N = S(t), identical form.

Example 3

Population models with constant immigration: dP/dt + kP = I are effectively the same mathematics.

Visual Representation

References

🤔 Have Your Own Question?

Get instant AI explanations in multiple languages with diagrams, examples, and step-by-step solutions!

AI-Powered Explanations
🎯Multiple Languages
📊Interactive Diagrams

No signup required • Try 3 questions free