Edexcel Further Mathematics [A Level]

Further Pure Mathematics 1

[Further Calculus]: [Topic 2.3]

[Leibnitz’s Theorem]
2.3 Leibnitz’s Theorem

Leibnitz’s Theorem is a generalized version of the product rule for higher order derivatives. It states
that for any positive integer 𝑛:
𝑛
𝑑𝑛 𝑛 𝑛−𝑘 𝑘
(𝑓𝑔) = ∑ ( )𝑓 𝑔
𝑑𝑥 𝑛 𝑘
𝑘=0
where 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions of 𝑥, and 𝑓 𝑖 denotes the 𝑖 𝑡ℎ derivative of 𝑓. (Take note that this
equation is very similar to the binomial theorem)

Proof
We will use mathematical induction, a method learnt in Pure Core. When 𝑛 = 1, the formula gives:
1
𝑑 1 1 1
(𝑓𝑔) = ∑ ( ) 𝑓 1−𝑘 𝑔𝑘 = ( ) 𝑓 1 𝑔0 + ( ) 𝑓 0 𝑔1 = 𝑓 ′ 𝑔 + 𝑓𝑔′ ,
𝑑𝑥 𝑘 0 1
𝑘=0
which is the product rule. Hence, the statement holds for 𝑛 = 1.
Assume that the statement holds for some positive integer 𝑟, where 𝑟 ≥ 1. Then when 𝑛 = 𝑟 + 1:
𝑟
𝑑𝑟+1 𝑑 𝑟
𝑟+1
(𝑓𝑔) = [∑ ( ) 𝑓 𝑟−𝑘 𝑔𝑘 ] (Induction
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑘 hypothesis)
𝑘=0
𝑟 𝑟
𝑟 𝑟
= ∑ ( ) 𝑓 𝑟−𝑘+1 𝑔𝑘 + ∑ ( ) 𝑓 𝑟−𝑘 𝑔𝑘+1
𝑘 𝑘
𝑘=0 𝑘=0
𝑟 𝑟−1
𝑟 𝑟
= 𝑓 𝑟+1 𝑔0 + ∑ ( ) 𝑓 𝑟−𝑘+1 𝑔𝑘 + ∑ ( ) 𝑓 𝑟−𝑘 𝑔𝑘+1 + 𝑓 0 𝑔𝑟+1 (Writing out two
𝑘 𝑘 terms)
𝑘=1 𝑘=0
𝑟 𝑟
𝑟 𝑟
= 𝑓 𝑟+1 𝑔0 + ∑ ( ) 𝑓 𝑟−𝑘+1 𝑔𝑘 + ∑ ( ) 𝑓 𝑟+1−𝑘 𝑔𝑘 + 𝑓 0 𝑔𝑟+1 (Re-indexing)
𝑘 𝑘−1
𝑘=1 𝑘=1
𝑟
𝑟 𝑟
= 𝑓 𝑟+1 𝑔0 + ∑ [( ) + ( )] 𝑓 𝑟−𝑘+1 𝑔𝑘 + 𝑓 0 𝑔𝑟+1
𝑘 𝑘−1
𝑘=1 (Use the identity)
𝑟
𝑟 + 1 𝑟+1 0 𝑟 + 1 𝑟−𝑘+1 𝑘 𝑟 + 1 0 𝑟+1 𝑟 𝑟
=( )𝑓 𝑔 + ∑ ( )𝑓 𝑔 +( )𝑓 𝑔 ( )+( )
𝑘 𝑘−1
0 𝑘 𝑟+1 𝑟+1
𝑘=1 =( )
𝑟+1 𝑘
𝑟 + 1 𝑟−𝑘+1 𝑘
= ∑( )𝑓 𝑔
𝑘
𝑘=0

Thus, the statement also holds for 𝑛 = 𝑟 + 1. By the principle of mathematical induction, the result is
true for all positive integers 𝑛.

Example
𝑑2 𝑦 𝑑3 𝑦
Given that 𝑦 = sin 𝑥 cosh 𝑥, find 𝑑𝑥 2 and 𝑑𝑥 3 .

Solution
Take 𝑓(𝑥) = sin 𝑥 and 𝑔(𝑥) = cosh 𝑥. Then 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥), and:
𝑓(𝑥) = sin 𝑥 → 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = cos 𝑥 → 𝑓 ′′ (𝑥) = − sin 𝑥 → 𝑓 ′′′ (𝑥) = − cos 𝑥
𝑔(𝑥) = cosh 𝑥 → 𝑔′ (𝑥) = sinh 𝑥 → 𝑔′′ (𝑥) = cosh 𝑥 → 𝑔′′′′ (𝑥) = sinh 𝑥
By Leibnitz’s theorem:
𝑑2 𝑦 2 2 2
2
= ( ) 𝑓 ′′ 𝑔 + ( ) 𝑓 ′ 𝑔′ + ( ) 𝑓𝑔′′
𝑑𝑥 0 1 2
= − sin 𝑥 cosh 𝑥 + 2 cos 𝑥 sinh 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 cosh 𝑥
= 2 cos 𝑥 sinh 𝑥
𝑑3 𝑦 3 3 3 3
3
= ( ) 𝑓 ′′′ 𝑔 + ( ) 𝑓 ′′ 𝑔′ + ( ) 𝑓 ′ 𝑔′′ + ( ) 𝑓𝑔′′′
𝑑𝑥 0 1 2 3
= − cos 𝑥 cosh 𝑥 − 3 sin 𝑥 sinh 𝑥 + 3 cos 𝑥 cosh 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 sinh 𝑥
= 2 cos 𝑥 cosh 𝑥 − 2 sin 𝑥 sinh 𝑥