How to check if a student really can perform the Chain Rule

Calculus 1 Minute

In my experience, a problem like the following is the acid test for determining if a student really understands the Chain Rule:

Find f'(x) if f(x) = \left[6x^2 + \sin 5x \right]^3

The correct answer (unsimplified):

f'(x) = 3 \left[6x^2 + \sin 5x \right]^2 \left(12x + [\cos 5x] \cdot 5 \right)

However, even students that are quite proficient with the Chain Rule can often provide the following incorrect answer:

f'(x) = 3 \left[6x^2 + \sin 5x \right]^2 \left(12x + \cos 5x \right) \cdot 5

Notice the slightly incorrect placement of the 5 at the end of the derivative. Students can so easily get into the rhythm of just multiplying by the derivative of the inside that they can forget where the derivative of the inside should be placed.

Needless to say, a problem like this often appears on my exams as a way of separating the A students from the B students.

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Published by John Quintanilla

I'm a Professor of Mathematics and a University Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of North Texas. For eight years, I was co-director of Teach North Texas, UNT's program for preparing secondary teachers of mathematics and science.

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