# Unsure how to treat y in this derivative/log problem Need to find the derivative of h(y)= ln(y^2 cos y) Treating it like a normal variable like an x isn't working for me, the way we used y's in earlier problems where you get a y' in there doesn't seem right, so I'm not quite sure here.

Unsure how to treat y in this derivative/log problem
Need to find the derivative of $h\left(y\right)=\mathrm{ln}\left({y}^{2}\mathrm{cos}y\right)$
Treating it like a normal variable like an x isn't working for me, the way we used y's in earlier problems where you get a y' in there doesn't seem right, so I'm not quite sure here.
You can still ask an expert for help

• Questions are typically answered in as fast as 30 minutes

Solve your problem for the price of one coffee

• Math expert for every subject
• Pay only if we can solve it

Cagliusov8
If $h\left(y\right)=\mathrm{ln}\left({y}^{2}\mathrm{cos}y\right)=2\mathrm{ln}y+\mathrm{ln}\left(\mathrm{cos}y\right)$, then
${h}^{\prime }\left(y\right)=\frac{2}{y}+\frac{-\mathrm{sin}y}{\mathrm{cos}y}=\frac{2}{y}-\mathrm{tan}y$
Stella is right. In this problem, $y$ is an independent variable. You may have worked other problems where $y$ was dependent on $x$, but this is not the case here.