∫Calc Practice
Home›Calculus 1›Chain rule›Problem 2.541

Derivative of \( \displaystyle \frac{\operatorname{asin}{\left(4 x \right)}}{2} \)

Problem 2.541 · medium

Differentiate \( \displaystyle f(x) = \frac{\operatorname{asin}{\left(4 x \right)}}{2} \).
  1. \[ \frac{d}{d x} \frac{\operatorname{asin}{\left(4 x \right)}}{2} \]
    constant-multipleStart with the derivative of the function.✓ Proved
  2. \[ = \frac{\frac{d}{d x} \operatorname{asin}{\left(4 x \right)}}{2} \]
    chainApply the chain rule to the inner function 4*x.✓ Proved
  3. \[ = \frac{\frac{d}{d x} 4 x}{2 \sqrt{1 - 16 x^{2}}} \]
    derivativeDifferentiate the outer function asin(u).✓ Proved
  4. \[ = \frac{2}{\sqrt{1 - 16 x^{2}}} \]
    derivative simplifyDifferentiate the inner function 4*x. Simplify the resulting expression.✓ Proved
Answer \( \frac{2}{\sqrt{1 - 16 x^{2}}} \)

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
asin is real only on [-1, 1]
3✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
asin is real only on [-1, 1]
undefined where 1 - 16*x**2 = 0
4✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where 1 - 16*x**2 = 0
5✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where 1 - 16*x**2 = 0
answer✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0final line against the stated answer: simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where 1 - 16*x**2 = 0
answer, a second way✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0SymPy differentiated f directly and got the stated answer

Reviewers

  • gpt-oss:20b: pass
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) — Step 1 is labeled 'constant-multiple' but performs no transformation; it merely restates the problem, violating the rule that each step must change one thing. Step 2 is labeled 'chain' but only factors out the constant 1/2, which is a 'constant-multiple' step, not a chain rule application.
Every verdict on record (4)
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: fail (style) 2026-09-21 — Step 1 is labeled 'constant-multiple' but performs no transformation; it merely restates the problem, violating the rule that each step must change one thing. Step 2 is labeled 'chain' but only factors out the constant 1/2, which is a 'constant-multiple' step, not a chain rule application.
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-21
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-21
  • gpt-oss:20b: fail (error) 2026-09-21 — Step 2 incorrectly labels a constant‑multiple application as a chain rule. Step 3 applies two rules at once (derivative of asin and the chain rule), violating the one‑rule‑per‑step rule.

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.