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Derivative of \( \displaystyle x \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - x - \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} \)

Problem 2.255 · hard Beautiful

Differentiate \( \displaystyle f(x) = x \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - x - \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} \).
  1. \[ \frac{d}{d x} \left(x \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - x - \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)}\right) \]
    Start with the derivative of the function.✓ Proved
  2. \[ = - \frac{d}{d x} x + \frac{d}{d x} x \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} \]
    sumApply the sum rule for differentiation.✓ Proved
  3. \[ = \frac{d}{d x} x \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} - 1 \]
    constantThe derivative of x is 1.✓ Proved
  4. \[ = x \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} + \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} \frac{d}{d x} x - \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} - 1 \]
    productApply the product rule to the first term.✓ Proved
  5. \[ = x \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} + \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} - 1 \]
    constantThe derivative of x is 1.✓ Proved
  6. \[ = \frac{x \frac{d}{d x} \left(3 x - 3\right)}{3 x - 3} + \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} - 1 \]
    chainApply the chain rule to the logarithm.✓ Proved
  7. \[ = \frac{3 x}{3 x - 3} + \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} - 1 \]
    derivative algebraThe derivative of 3x - 3 is 3. Factor out 3 from the denominator.✓ Proved
  8. \[ = \frac{x}{x - 1} + \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} - 1 \]
    simplifySimplify the fraction.✓ Proved
  9. \[ = \frac{x}{x - 1} + \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} - 1 - \frac{1}{x - 1} \]
    chainApply the chain rule to the last term.✓ Proved
  10. \[ = \ln{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} \]
    algebra simplify simplify algebraCombine the fractions with the constant -1. Simplify the fraction (x-1)/(x-1). The 1 and -1 cancel out. Distribute the 3 inside the logarithm.✓ Proved
Answer \( \log{\left(3 x - 3 \right)} \)

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
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
3✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
4✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
5✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
6✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
undefined where 3*x - 3 = 0
7✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
undefined where 3*x - 3 = 0
8✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
undefined where 3*x - 3 = 0
9✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
undefined where 3*x - 3 = 0
undefined where x - 1 = 0
10✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
undefined where x - 1 = 0
11✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
undefined where x - 1 = 0
12✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
13✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
14✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
answer✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0final line against the stated answer: simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
log is undefined for non-positive arguments
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: pass
Every verdict on record (12)
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-20
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-20
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-20 — The solution correctly applies differentiation rules and algebraic simplifications in single-step increments. All labels are appropriate for the operations performed.
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-20
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) 2026-09-19 — Step 3 is labeled 'constant' but computes the derivative of x (which is a power rule application), and Step 5 is labeled 'constant' but computes the derivative of x again. The label 'constant' is reserved for the derivative of a constant value, not for differentiating the variable x.
  • deepseek-r1:70b: pass 2026-09-19
  • gpt-oss:20b: fail (error) 2026-09-19 — Steps 3 and 5 incorrectly label the derivative of x as a constant rule; the correct label is "derivative". No other steps violate the contract.
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-19 — The solution correctly applies differentiation rules and algebraic simplifications. 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: pass 2026-09-19
  • gpt-oss:20b: fail 2026-09-17 — The solution mislabels the rule in steps 3 and 5 as 'constant' when it is actually the derivative of x (an identity rule).
  • deepseek-r1:70b: fail 2026-09-17 — Step 14 incorrectly factors out 3 inside the logarithm, altering the answer unnecessarily.

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.