need help with Find the equation of the tangent line

warsatan

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Sep 12, 2005
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I have this problem, trying to work it out, can someone point out what i do wrong? thanks

Find the equation of the tangent line, in slope-intercept form, to the graph of
f(x) = (1/3)x squareroot of x<sup>2</sup>+5 at the point (2,2).

I rewrite f(x) = (1/3)x (x<sup>2</sup> + 5)<sup>1/2</sup>

this is what i got so far,

f'(x)= (1/3)x [(x<sup>2</sup>+5)<sup>1/2</sup> ] + (x<sup>2</sup>+5)<sup>1/2</sup> (1/3)

= (1/3)x [(1/2)(x<sup>2</sup> +5)<sup>(-1/2)</sup>(2x)] +(1/3)(x<sup>2</sup>+5)<sup>1/2</sup>

= (1/6)2x<sup>2</sup>(x<sup>2</sup>+5)<sup>-1/2</sup> + (1/3) (x<sup>2</sup>+5)<sup>1/2</sup>

= x<sup>2</sup>(x<sup>2</sup>+5)<sup>(-1/2)</sup> + (x<sup>2</sup>+5)<sup>1/2</sup>
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What mistake did i make? can some one help me point it out? thanks alot.
 
How does "(1/3) x (x<sup>2</sup> + 5)<sup>1/2</sup>" equal "(1/3) x (x<sup>2</sup> + 5)<sup>1/2</sup> + (1/3) (x<sup>2</sup> + 5)<sup>1/2</sup>"? This would require that (1/3) (x<sup>2</sup> + 5)<sup>1/2</sup> equal zero, and I see nothing in the exercise that justifies this assumption...?

Eliz.
 
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