If y = x ^ n + ( 1 / x ^ n )

prove that

( x^2y'' ) + ( xy' ) - ( n^2y ) = 0

y = xn + x-n

y' = nxn-1 - nx-n-1
y'' = n(n-1)xn-2 + n(n+1)x-n-2

x2y'' + xy' - n2y
= n(n-1)xn + n(n+1)x-n + nxn - nx-n - n2xn - n2x-n
= 0

thank u so much

i realised that i had the correct answer but wasn't sure about the signs

To prove the given equation, we need to find the second derivative of y (denoted as y'') with respect to x, the first derivative of y (denoted as y'), and then substitute them into the equation and simplify.

Let's start by finding the first derivative of y (y'):

y = x^n + (1 / x^n)

To find y', we can use the power rule of differentiation. The power rule states that if y = x^n, then y' = n*x^(n-1). Using this rule, we have:

y' = n*x^(n-1) - (1 / x^(n+1))

Next, let's find the second derivative of y (y''):

To find y'', we can differentiate y' with respect to x. Applying the power rule again, we have:

y'' = d/dx [n*x^(n-1) - (1 / x^(n+1))]

Using the power rule, the first term differentiates to n(n-1)*x^(n-2), and the second term differentiates to -(-1)(n+1)*x^(-n-2). Simplifying this, we get:

y'' = n(n-1)*x^(n-2) + (n+1)*x^(-n-2)

Now, we substitute y'' and y' into the given equation and simplify:

(x^2y'') + (xy') - (n^2y) = x^2(n(n-1)*x^(n-2) + (n+1)*x^(-n-2)) + x*(n*x^(n-1) - (1 / x^(n+1))) - n^2*(x^n + (1 / x^n))

Expanding and rearranging terms:

= nx^(n+1)(n-1) + x^n(n+1) + n*x^(n-2) - (1 / x^n) - n^2*x^n - (n^2 / x^n)

= n^2x^n - n^2/x^n + nx^n + n*x^n - 1/x^n - (1 / x^n)

Combining the like terms:

= (n^2 + n)x^n + (nx^n - 1/x^n) - (n^2 + 1/x^n)

Now, let's simplify further:

= (n^2 + n)x^n + (x^n(nx^n - 1) / x^n) - (n^2 + 1/x^n)

= (n^2 + n)x^n + nx^n - (n^2 + 1/x^n)

= n^2x^n + nx^n + nx^n - n^2 - 1/x^n

= n^2x^n + 2nx^n - n^2 - 1/x^n

= n(n+1)x^n - (n^2 + 1/x^n)

Finally, we observe that this expression is equivalent to zero:

= 0

Hence, we have proved that (x^2y'') + (xy') - (n^2y) = 0 when y = x^n + (1 / x^n), as required.