Hi HSE,
First of all, thanks for your question about partial derivatives.
Now, you need to correct your example because you made an error
in the third solution.
In your example, it is given a function of 3 variables a, b and c (x is a constant)
f(a,b,c)=[a+b*x^c]. And we want the partial derivative of f(a,b,c)
1. with respect to the variable a ( which means that b*x^c is a constant );
2. with respect to the variable b ( which means that a and x^c are constants );
3. with respect to the variable c ( which means that a, b and x are constants ).
This means that your two first solutions
solution box1=> der.a =1
solution box2=> der.b =x^c
are correct. But the third - solution box3=> der.c =b*c*x^(c-1) -
is not correct because x^c is not a power function
but an exponential function g(c)=x^c (c is a variable and x is a constant).
In this way, g'(c)=[e^(c*ln(x))]'= ln(x) * e^(c*ln(x)) = ln(x) * x^c
Particular cases:
1. If x= e then g'(c)= e^c ;
2. If x=10 then g'(c)=ln(10) * 10^c
So, the third solution is, in general:
solution box3=> der.c = b * ln(x) * x^c
EDIT:
or solution box3=> der.c = ln(x) * x^c * b etc
I will post the new version calcula68 to solve functions like f'(x)=[C1+...+C2*K^x]'
as soon as possible.
Good luck :t
Regards,
Rui Loureiro
EDIT: you say that «...this, at least partially, explain Rui smile».
No, it has nothing to do with it but with the question itself.
Thanks HSE :t