-----maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu wrote: -----
>Can you show me how to start with
>
>(2*atan(sqrt(x^n-a^n)/a^(n/2)))/(a^(n/2)*n)
>
>and differentiate it to get
>
>1/(x*sqrt(x^n-a^n)
>
>using Maxima.
(%i4) (2*atan(sqrt(x^n-a^n)/a^(n/2)))/(a^(n/2)*n)$
(%i5) ratsimp(diff(%,x));
(%o5) 1/(x*sqrt(x^n-a^n))
Barton