calculus · worked example

Solve 1/x

Method: power rule with negative exponent. Verified step-by-step solution with our free AI math solver.
Problem

ddx(1x)\frac{d}{dx}\bigl(\tfrac{1}{x}\bigr)

Step-by-step solution

  1. Rewrite as a power: 1x=x−1\frac{1}{x} = x^{-1}.

  2. Apply power rule with n=−1n = -1: ddx(x−1)=(−1)x−2\frac{d}{dx}(x^{-1}) = (-1) x^{-2}.

  3. Rewrite back as fraction: −1x2-\frac{1}{x^2}.

Answer

−1x2-\frac{1}{x^2}

Want to solve a different problem? Open the derivative solver →

Related worked examples

  • /solve/calculus/derivative-of-ln-x