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Maths help: Second derivative differentiation

The question I am stuck on is "The equation of a curve has the form of y=e^x^2(ax^2+b) where a and b are non-zero constants. It is given that d2y/dx2 can be expressed in the form of e^x^2(cx^4+d) where c and d are non-zero constants. Prove that 5a+2b=0"
So far I have managed to differentiate the first expression twice to get , d2y/dx2=e^x^2(4ax^4+4bx^2+10ax^2+2b+2a), however I have no clue where I am meant to go to from here. I have looked at the mark scheme, and it just jumps straight to the conclusion that 5a+2b=0 so I am not sure if it just something really obvious that I am missing? (It says "equate x^2 e^x^2 = 0" also in the mark scheme before it reaches the end if that helps although I have no idea what this means.)
Reply 1
Original post by ahow39409234-095
The question I am stuck on is "The equation of a curve has the form of y=e^x^2(ax^2+b) where a and b are non-zero constants. It is given that d2y/dx2 can be expressed in the form of e^x^2(cx^4+d) where c and d are non-zero constants. Prove that 5a+2b=0"
So far I have managed to differentiate the first expression twice to get , d2y/dx2=e^x^2(4ax^4+4bx^2+10ax^2+2b+2a), however I have no clue where I am meant to go to from here. I have looked at the mark scheme, and it just jumps straight to the conclusion that 5a+2b=0 so I am not sure if it just something really obvious that I am missing? (It says "equate x^2 e^x^2 = 0" also in the mark scheme before it reaches the end if that helps although I have no idea what this means.)


The x^2 terms in
(4ax^4+4bx^2+10ax^2+2b+2a)
Must be zero for it to have that form, so the coeffs must satisfy ...
Original post by mqb2766
The x^2 terms in
(4ax^4+4bx^2+10ax^2+2b+2a)
Must be zero for it to have that form, so the coeffs must satisfy ...

Uh I am not sure what you mean. If x^2 terms are zero then we just get 2b+2a? Also why must it be 0?
Reply 3
Original post by ahow39409234-095
Uh I am not sure what you mean. If x^2 terms are zero then we just get 2b+2a? Also why must it be 0?

What are the quadratic tetms? There are 2 in your answer, but none in the desired form, so they must disappear.
The coefficients must satisfy what for them to be identically zero?
Original post by mqb2766
What are the quadratic tetms? There are 2 in your answer, but none in the desired form, so they must disappear.
The coefficients must satisfy what for them to be identically zero?

Sorry but I am still really confused, this sounds really cryptic to me lol. So we get rid of all the x^2 terms so that we are left with just a's and b's, is that what you mean?
Reply 5
Original post by ahow39409234-095
Sorry but I am still really confused, this sounds really cryptic to me lol. So we get rid of all the x^2 terms so that we are left with just a's and b's, is that what you mean?

You have a quartic expression.
You know/want the quadratic terms in it to be zero so
4bx^2+10ax^2 = 0
What a and b relationship ensures this constraint is satisfied?
Original post by mqb2766
You have a quartic expression.
You know/want the quadratic terms in it to be zero so
4bx^2+10ax^2 = 0
What a and b relationship ensures this constraint is satisfied?

So you would want 4b+10a to equal 0 so that you can cancel out the x^2 terms. But I still don't understand why just the quadratic part needs to equal 0, why not the whole expression?
Reply 7
Original post by ahow39409234-095
So you would want 4b+10a to equal 0 so that you can cancel out the x^2 terms. But I still don't understand why just the quadratic part needs to equal 0, why not the whole expression?

It's given that you want the expression to be a quartic with no quadratic term (quadratic coefficient is zero)
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by mqb2766
It's given that you want the expression to be a quartic with no quadratic term.

Oh yeah I didn't notice that. Thank you :smile:
Original post by ahow39409234-095
Oh yeah I didn't notice that. Thank you :smile:

I’m still confused for how to find the second derivative. I can’t get the answer in the form it’s looking for. I checked the mark scheme and can’t make sense of it
Reply 10
Original post by sundayperson
I’m still confused for how to find the second derivative. I can’t get the answer in the form it’s looking for. I checked the mark scheme and can’t make sense of it

It's probably best to start a new thread rather than resurrect a thread from 2 years ago, but can you get the form given by the OP when they originally tried the question? Post your working if still stuck.

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