AQA Core 3 Differentiation

Section 2: The product and quotient rules

Solutions to Exercise
1. (i)

y x(2 x 1)2
Let u x

Use the chain

rule here

du
1
dx

dv
2(2 x 1) 2 4(2 x 1)
dx
dy
dv
du
Using the product rule:
u
v
dx
dx
dx
x 4(2 x 1) 1 (2 x 1)2
Let v (2 x 1)2

4 x(2 x 1) (2 x 1)2

(2x 1) is a
common factor

(2 x 1)(4 x (2 x 1))
(2 x 1)(6 x 1)
(ii) y x(2 x 1)2 x(4 x 2 4 x 1) 4 x 3 4 x 2 x

dy
dx

12 x 2 8 x 1

(iii) (2 x 1)(6 x 1) 12 x 2 8 x 1
so the two answers are algebraically equivalent.

2. y x(2 x 1)4
du
Let u x
1
dx

Use the chain

rule here

dv
4(2 x 1)3 2 8(2 x 1)3
dx
dy
dv
du
u
v
Using the product rule:
dx
dx
dx
x 8(2 x 1)3 1 (2 x 1)4
Let v (2 x 1)4

8 x(2 x 1)3 (2 x 1)4

(2 x 1) (8 x (2 x 1))
3

(2x + 1) is a
common factor

(2 x 1)3(10 x 1)

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AQA C3 Differentiation 2 Exercise solutions

1

3. y x 1 2 x x(1 2 x )2
Use the chain
rule here
du
Let u x
1
dx
1
1
dv 1
1
Let v (1 2 x )2
2 (1 2 x ) 2 2
dx
1 2x
dy
dv
du
Using the product rule:
u
v
dx
dx
dx
1
x
1 1 2x
1 2x

1 2x
1 2x
x (1 2 x )

1 2x
1 3x

1 2x

4.

Use a common
denominator to write this
as a single fraction

1
3

y x 3(1 x )

du
Let u x 3
3x 2
dx
2
2
1
dv 1
Let v (1 x )3
3 (1 x ) 3 1 31 (1 x ) 3
dx
dy
dv
du
u
v
Using the product rule:
dx
dx
dx

Use the chain

rule here

x 3 31 (1 x ) 3 3 x 2 (1 x )3
2

31 x 2(1 x ) 3 ( x 9(1 x ))
2

1
3

x 2 (1 x) 3 is a

common factor

31 x 2(1 x ) 3 (10 x 9)
2

5.

1
2

y x 1 x x(1 x )
du
1
Let u x
dx
dv 1
1
2 (1 x ) 1
Let v (1 x )
dx
2 1x
dy
dv
du
u
v
Using the product rule:
dx
dx
dx
1
2

Use the chain

rule here

1
2

1
1 x 1
2 1x

x
2 1x

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AQA C3 Differentiation 2 Exercise solutions

At turning point,

1x
2 1x
x 2(1 x )
x 2 2x
3x 2

2
3

When x 23 , y 23 (1 23 )2

3 3

2 2
Turning point is ,
.
3 3 3

6. y

x
2x 1

du
1
dx
dv
Let v 2 x 1
2
dx
Let u x

Using the quotient rule,

dy
dx

du
dv
u
dx
dx

v2
1(2 x 1) 2 x

(2 x 1)2

1
(2 x 1)2

1
is always negative for x 21 ,
2
(2 x 1)
and so the gradient of the curve is always negative for x 21 .
Since (2 x 1)2 is always positive,

7. y

x2
1 x

du

2x
Let u x
dx
1
1
1
dv 1
2 (1 x ) 2 1 21 (1 x ) 2
Let v (1 x )2
dx
2

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Use the chain

rule here

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AQA C3 Differentiation 2 Exercise solutions

Using the quotient rule,

dy
dx

du
dv
u
dx
dx

v2

2 x(1 x )2 x 2 21 (1 x ) 2

1x
4 x(1 x ) x 2

3
2(1 x )2
4 x 3 x 2 x(4 3 x )

3
3
2(1 x )2
2(1 x )2
1

8. y

Multiply top and

1

bottom by 2(1 x) 2

x2
x 1

du
2x
dx
dv
Let v x 1
1
dx
Let u x 2

Using the quotient rule,

At turning points,

dy
dx

du
dv
u
dx
dx

v2
2 x( x 1) x 2

( x 1)2
x( x 2)

( x 1)2

x( x 2)
0
( x 1)2
x 0 or x 2

When x = 0, y = 0

22
4
21
The turning points are (0, 0) and (2, 4).
When x = 2, y

9. y

1 x
1 x
1

Let u 1 x 2
1

Let v 1 x 2

du 1 21
2x
dx
1
dv

21 x 2
dx

Using the quotient rule,

dy
dx

du
dv
u
dx
dx

v2

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AQA C3 Differentiation 2 Exercise solutions

x (1 x ) ( 21 x )(1 x )

(1 x )2

1
2 x (1 x 1 x )

(1 x )2
x

(1 x )2
1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
x (1 x )2

10. (i)

1 x
1x

Let u 1 x
Let v 1 x

du
1
dx
dv

1
dx

Using the quotient rule:

dw

dx

du
dv
u
dx
dx

v2
(1 x ) (1 x )( 1)

(1 x )2

2
(1 x )2

1 x
3
(ii) y
w
1

dy
3w 3
dw
Using the chain rule:

dy
dx

dy
dw

dw
dx

3w 2

2
(1 x )2
2

2
1 x
3

2
1 x (1 x )
6(1 x )2

(1 x )4

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