∫Calc Practice

Derivative of \( \displaystyle \frac{5 \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{8} - \frac{5 \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{8} \)

Problem 2.431 · hard Beautiful

Differentiate \( \displaystyle f(x) = \frac{5 \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{8} - \frac{5 \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{8} \).
  1. \[ \frac{d}{d x} \left(\frac{5 \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{8} - \frac{5 \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{8}\right) \]
    constant-multipleStart with the derivative of the function.✓ Proved
  2. \[ = \frac{5 \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{8} - \frac{5 \frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{8} \]
    algebra logarithmicDistribute the constant factor. Apply the chain rule for the logarithm.✓ Proved
  3. \[ = - \frac{5 \frac{d}{d x} \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1\right)}{8 \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1\right)} + \frac{5 \frac{d}{d x} \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1\right)}{8 \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1\right)} \]
    trigDifferentiate the inner cosine functions.✓ Proved
  4. \[ = \frac{5 \sin{\left(4 x \right)} \frac{d}{d x} 4 x}{8 \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1\right)} - \frac{5 \sin{\left(4 x \right)} \frac{d}{d x} 4 x}{8 \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1\right)} \]
    chainApply the chain rule to the argument 4*x.✓ Proved
  5. \[ = \frac{5 \sin{\left(4 x \right)}}{2 \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1\right)} - \frac{5 \sin{\left(4 x \right)}}{2 \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1\right)} \]
    algebra constant-multipleEvaluate the derivative of 4*x. Simplify the coefficients.✓ Proved
  6. \[ = \frac{5 \left(\frac{1}{\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1} - \frac{1}{\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1}\right) \sin{\left(4 x \right)}}{2} \]
    algebraFactor out 4*sin(4*x) and simplify 4 * 5/8.✓ Proved
  7. \[ = - \frac{5 \sin{\left(4 x \right)}}{\left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} - 1\right) \left(\cos{\left(4 x \right)} + 1\right)} \]
    algebra algebraFind a common denominator for the terms inside the parentheses. Simplify the numerator in the parentheses.✓ Proved
  8. \[ = - \frac{5 \sin{\left(4 x \right)}}{\cos^{2}{\left(4 x \right)} - 1} \]
    algebraExpand the denominator using the difference of squares.✓ Proved
  9. \[ = \frac{5}{\sin{\left(4 x \right)}} \]
    trig algebra simplifyUse the identity cos(u)**2 - 1 = -sin(u)**2. Simplify the signs and the fraction. Final simplification.✓ Proved
Answer \( \frac{5}{\sin{\left(4 x \right)}} \)
Mind the domain. The answer is also defined at points where f(x) is not. Substituting there gives a number that is not a slope of f.

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
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
5✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
6✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
7✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
8✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
9✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
10✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
11✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x) - 1 = 0
undefined where cos(4*x)**2 - 1 = 0
12✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(4*x)**2 - 1 = 0
undefined where sin(4*x) = 0
13✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where sin(4*x) = 0
14✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where sin(4*x) = 0
answer✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0final line against the stated answer: simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where sin(4*x) = 0
answer, a second way✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0SymPy differentiated f directly and got the stated answer

Reviewers

  • gpt-oss:20b: fail (style) — Step 3 incorrectly labels an algebraic regrouping as "logarithmic", and step 4 incorrectly labels the application of the logarithm derivative rule as "trig". These mislabelings violate the rule‑granularity requirement.
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (error) — Step 3 is labeled 'logarithmic' but performs no differentiation; it merely factors out a constant, which should be labeled 'algebra'. Step 4 is labeled 'trig' but applies the chain rule for the logarithm (derivative of log(u) is u'/u), which should be labeled 'chain' or 'derivative'. The labels do not match the operations performed.
Every verdict on record (6)
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (error) 2026-09-21 — Step 3 is labeled 'logarithmic' but performs no differentiation; it merely factors out a constant, which should be labeled 'algebra'. Step 4 is labeled 'trig' but applies the chain rule for the logarithm (derivative of log(u) is u'/u), which should be labeled 'chain' or 'derivative'. The labels do not match the operations performed.
  • gpt-oss:20b: fail (style) 2026-09-21 — Step 3 incorrectly labels an algebraic regrouping as "logarithmic", and step 4 incorrectly labels the application of the logarithm derivative rule as "trig". These mislabelings violate the rule‑granularity requirement.
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) 2026-09-20 — Step 3 is labeled 'logarithmic' but the step merely factors out a constant (algebraic manipulation); the actual differentiation of the logarithm occurs in Step 4. Step 4 is labeled 'trig' but performs the differentiation of the log and the inner function, which should be labeled 'chain' or 'derivative'.
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-20
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) 2026-09-20 — Step 3 is labeled 'logarithmic' but performs no differentiation; it merely factors out the constant 5/8, which should be labeled 'algebra' or 'constant-multiple'. Step 4 is labeled 'trig' but applies the derivative of the logarithm (chain rule), so it should be labeled 'logarithmic' or 'chain'. The labels are swapped and incorrect for the operations performed.
  • gpt-oss:20b: fail (style) 2026-09-20 — Step 3 incorrectly labels the algebraic combination of two derivative terms as "logarithmic"; it should be "algebra". Step 4 applies the logarithmic derivative rule but labels the step as "trig"; it should be "logarithmic". These mislabelings violate the rule‑granularity requirement.

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.