Ironworks Gaming Forum - Maths Revision

Quote:

Originally posted by Azred:
<font color = lightgreen>Seraph, your girlfriend got the right answer and differentiated the function correctly.

Then function is question is an exponential function; in its generic form looks like this: f(x) = k ^ x, with k being a non-negative numbers (usually). The first derivative takes the form f'(x) = (ln k) * (k ^ x). Multiple derivatives have this form: (f(n))(x) = ((ln k)^n) * (k ^ x).

If it helps, you could always think of letting k = e, because finding derivatvies for e^x is really easy. [img]graemlins/beigesmilewinkgrin.gif[/img]

Interestingly, if you let k = sqrt(2), begin with an x-value of 1, and iterate the function (the x-value of the next step is the f(x)-value from the last step) then the iterated function values converge to sqrt(2). [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img] </font>

I hate you all now [img]tongue.gif[/img] :D