6.6 Complicated Differential Laws

We're now ready to see the differential law for powers in full, glorious detail.
Law.
The differential law for powers states
\[ \begin{align} \diff \bigl(v^u\bigr) &= v^u \mult \log v \mult \diff u + u \mult v^{u - 1} \mult \diff v \end{align} \]
where \( u : \Number \) and \( v : \Number \) are numbers, and the base is positive, \( v \gt 0 \).
Why?
Our differential law relies on the change-of-base formula.
\[ \begin{align} v^u &= \exp (u \mult \log v) \end{align} \]
Let's check that this formula holds.
\[ \begin{align} \exp (u \mult \log v) &= \naturalbase^{u \cdot \log v} = \bigl(\naturalbase^{\log v}\bigr)^u = \bigl(\exp \log v\bigr)^u = v^u \end{align} \]
We'll use the change-of-base formula to rewrite the power \( v^u \) and thereby calculate its differential law!
\[ \begin{align} \diff \bigl(v^u\bigr) &= \diff \bigl(\exp (u \mult \log v)\bigr) \\ &= \exp (u \mult \log v) \mult \diff (u \mult \log v) \\ &= v^u \mult \diff (u \mult \log v) \\ &= v^u \mult \bigl(\log v \mult \diff u + u \mult \diff (\log v)\bigr) \\ &= v^u \mult \biggl(\log v \mult \diff u + u \mult \frac{1}{v} \mult \diff v\biggr) \\ &= v^u \mult \log v \mult \diff u + u \mult v^{u - 1} \mult \diff v \end{align} \]
All that remains is to discuss the differential law for exponential functions.
Law.
The differential law for exponential functions states
\[ \begin{align} \diff \bigl(c^u\bigr) &= c^u \mult \log c \mult \diff u \end{align} \]
where \( u : \Number \) is a number and the base, \( c : \Number \), is a positive constant, \( c \gt 0 \).
Why?
This follows directly from the differential law for powers.
\[ \begin{align} \diff \bigl(c^u\bigr) &= c^u \mult \log c \mult \diff u + u \mult c^{u - 1} \mult \diff c = c^u \mult \log c \mult \diff u \end{align} \]
Let's take the derivative of an exponential function with a non-natural base.
Example.
The exponential function with base two
\[ \begin{align} p &\depends e \\ p &= 2^e \end{align} \]
has \( e \)-derivative
\[ \begin{align} \overset{e}{\diff} p &= \overset{e}{\diff} \bigl(2^e\bigr) \\ &= 2^e \mult \log 2 \mult \overset{e}{\diff} e \\ &= 2^e \mult \log 2. \end{align} \]
Even when we work with a non-natural base, the natural logarithm has a way of getting involved!