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The formula for the derivative of an inverse

(finv)' = 1/(f' o (finv))

allows you get a formula for the derivative of the inverse of any function that you already know the derivative of.

For example: What is the derivative of sqrt(x)? You could figure this out using the definition of the derivative, but it is complicated. You already know that the derivative of x2 is 2x. So let f = x2; finv = sqrt(x), f' = 2x. This gives:

(sqrt(x))' = 1/(2 sqrt(x)).

Now you have derived a "square root rule" with almost no work.

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