∫Calc Practice

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

Problem 2.701 · hard Beautiful

Differentiate \( \displaystyle f(x) = \frac{\ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{3} - \frac{\ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{3} \).
  1. \[ \frac{d}{d x} \left(\frac{\ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{3} - \frac{\ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{3}\right) \]
    derivativeStart with the derivative of the function.✓ Proved
  2. \[ = \frac{d}{d x} \frac{\ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{3} - \frac{d}{d x} \frac{\ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{3} \]
    sumApply the difference rule.✓ Proved
  3. \[ = \frac{\frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1 \right)}}{3} - \frac{\frac{d}{d x} \ln{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1 \right)}}{3} \]
    constant-multipleFactor out the constant 1/3.✓ Proved
  4. \[ = - \frac{\frac{d}{d x} \left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1\right)}{3 \left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1\right)} + \frac{\frac{d}{d x} \left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1\right)}{3 \left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1\right)} \]
    chainApply the chain rule to the logarithmic terms.✓ Proved
  5. \[ = - \frac{\frac{d}{d x} \cos{\left(3 x \right)}}{3 \left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1\right)} + \frac{\frac{d}{d x} \cos{\left(3 x \right)}}{3 \left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1\right)} \]
    derivativeDifferentiate the inner terms.✓ Proved
  6. \[ = \frac{\sin{\left(3 x \right)}}{\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1} - \frac{\sin{\left(3 x \right)}}{\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1} \]
    trig algebraDifferentiate the cosine function. Simplify the coefficients.✓ Proved
  7. \[ = \left(\frac{1}{\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1} - \frac{1}{\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1}\right) \sin{\left(3 x \right)} \]
    algebraFactor out sin(3*x).✓ Proved
  8. \[ = - \frac{2 \sin{\left(3 x \right)}}{\left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} - 1\right) \left(\cos{\left(3 x \right)} + 1\right)} \]
    algebraFind a common denominator.✓ Proved
  9. \[ = - \frac{2 \sin{\left(3 x \right)}}{\cos^{2}{\left(3 x \right)} - 1} \]
    algebra algebraSimplify the numerator and denominator. Distribute sin(3*x).✓ Proved
  10. \[ = \frac{2}{\sin{\left(3 x \right)}} \]
    algebra simplifyUse the identity sin(x)**2 = 1 - cos(x)**2. Cancel sin(3*x) and simplify the sign.✓ Proved
  11. \[ = 2 \csc{\left(3 x \right)} \]
    rewriteRewrite using the cosecant function.✓ Proved
Answer \( \frac{2}{\sin{\left(3 x \right)}} \)
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.

✓ Nihil obstat 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. Reviewers found nothing wrong with the explanation.

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(3*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x) - 1 = 0
5✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x) - 1 = 0
6✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x) - 1 = 0
7✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x) - 1 = 0
8✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x) - 1 = 0
9✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x) - 1 = 0
10✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x) + 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x) - 1 = 0
undefined where cos(3*x)**2 - 1 = 0
11✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x)**2 - 1 = 0
12✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where cos(3*x)**2 - 1 = 0
undefined where sin(3*x) = 0
13✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where sin(3*x) = 0
14✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where sin(3*x) = 0
csc has poles at multiples of pi
answer✓ Provedsympy 1.14.0final line against the stated answer: simplify(a - b) reduced to 0
undefined where sin(3*x) = 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: pass — The solution correctly applies differentiation rules and algebraic simplifications in single-step increments. The labels accurately reflect the operations performed, and the final result matches the stated answer.
Every verdict on record (4)
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-21 — The solution correctly applies differentiation rules and algebraic simplifications in single-step increments. The labels accurately reflect the operations performed, and the final result matches the stated answer.
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-21
  • qwen3.6:27b-mlx: pass 2026-09-21 — 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.
  • gpt-oss:20b: pass 2026-09-21

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.