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Derivative of \( \displaystyle \frac{5 \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}}{4} \)

Problem 2.180 · medium

Differentiate \( \displaystyle f(x) = \frac{5 \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}}{4} \).
  1. \[ \frac{d}{d x} \frac{5 \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}}{4} \]
    derivativeStart with the derivative of the function.✓ Proved
  2. \[ = \frac{5 \frac{d}{d x} \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}}{4} \]
    constant-multiple rewritePull out the constant factor. Rewrite the square root as a power.✓ Proved
  3. \[ = \frac{5 \frac{d}{d x} \left(\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1\right)}{8 \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}} \]
    chain algebraApply the chain rule. Simplify the constant multiplication.✓ Proved
  4. \[ = \frac{5 \frac{d}{d x} \left(4 x - 1\right)^{2}}{8 \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}} \]
    sumApply the sum rule to the derivative.✓ Proved
  5. \[ = \frac{5 \left(8 x - 2\right) \frac{d}{d x} \left(4 x - 1\right)}{8 \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}} \]
    chainApply the chain rule to the squared term.✓ Proved
  6. \[ = \frac{5 \left(32 x - 8\right)}{8 \sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}} \]
    derivative algebraDifferentiate the inner linear function. Multiply the constants in the derivative term.✓ Proved
  7. \[ = \frac{20 x - 5}{\sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}} \]
    algebra simplifySimplify the final expression by canceling 8/8. Rewrite with a positive exponent in the denominator.✓ Proved
Answer \( \frac{5 \left(4 x - 1\right)}{\sqrt{\left(4 x - 1\right)^{2} + 1}} \)

Every line of this solution was proved by the computer algebra system SymPy. The answer was also checked a second way, without looking at the solution. The reviewers disagree about how one step is explained; every verdict is in the receipt.

The full receipt
LineStatusChecked byDetail
1✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0line 1 is the problem as stated
2✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
3✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
4✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
5✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
6✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
7✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
8✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
9✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
10✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
11✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
answer✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0final line against the stated answer: simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where (4*x - 1)**2 + 1 = 0
answer, a second way✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0SymPy differentiated f directly and got the stated answer

Reviewers

  • gpt-oss:20b: pass
  • deepseek-r1:70b: pass
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) — Step 6 is labeled 'sum' but effectively applies the rule that the derivative of a constant is zero (a 'derivative' or 'constant' step), not the sum rule for splitting derivatives. The sum rule would split d/dx(u + v) into d/dx(u) + d/dx(v); this step just drops the constant term.
Every verdict on record (15)
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) 2026-09-20 — Step 6 is labeled 'sum' but effectively applies the rule that the derivative of a constant is zero (a 'derivative' or 'constant' step), not the sum rule for splitting derivatives. The sum rule would split d/dx(u + v) into d/dx(u) + d/dx(v); this step just drops the constant term.
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-20
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-20
  • gpt-oss:20b: fail (error) 2026-09-20 — Step 6 applies the sum rule but omits the derivative of the constant term 1, resulting in an incomplete derivative. The correct derivative of (4*x-1)**2 + 1 should include 0 for the constant, but it is missing, making the step mathematically incorrect.
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-19
  • deepseek-r1:70b: pass 2026-09-19
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-19
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-19 — The solution correctly applies the rules in the specified vocabulary. Each step changes only one aspect of the expression, and the labels accurately reflect the operations performed.
  • deepseek-r1:70b: pass 2026-09-19
  • gpt-oss:20b: fail (error) 2026-09-19 — Step 6 applies the sum rule but then ignores the derivative of the constant term +1, effectively dropping a zero. The derivative of (4*x-1)**2 + 1 should include 0, but the subsequent steps omit it, leading to a correct result by accident but a logically incorrect step.
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) 2026-09-18 — Step 6 is labeled 'sum' but effectively applies the constant rule (derivative of 1 is 0) to remove a term; 'sum' is not the primary rule applied here, and the step skips the explicit differentiation of the constant term, making the label inaccurate for the transformation shown.
  • deepseek-r1:70b: pass 2026-09-18
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-18
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-17
  • deepseek-r1:70b: pass 2026-09-17

Proved: SymPy reduced the difference between the two sides to zero. Checked independently: a separate method, named above, confirmed it. Checked numerically: the two sides agree at every sampled point, which is evidence, not proof. Reviewed: a model or a person read it; that is all a sentence can have. Solution by gemma4:26b, checked 2026-09-26 with SymPy 1.14.0.