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Implicit Differentiation
Introduction

11.7
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This Section introduces implicit dierentiation which is used to dierentiate functions expressed in implicit form (where the variables are found together). Examples are x3 + xy + y 2 = 1, and x2 y 2 + 2 = 1 which represents an ellipse. a2 b

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Prerequisites
Before starting this Section you should . . .

be able to dierentiate standard functions be competent in using the chain rule

 

Learning Outcomes


dierentiate functions expressed implicitly



On completion you should be able to . . .

HELM (2005): Section 11.7: Implicit Dierentiation

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1. Implicit and explicit functions
1 Equations such as y = x2 , y = , y = sin x are said to dene y explicitly as a function of x because x the variable y appears alone on one side of the equation. The equation yx + y + 1 = x is not of the form y = f (x) but can be put into this form by simple algebra.

Task

Write y as the subject of yx + y + 1 = x Your solution

Answer We have y (x + 1) = x 1 so y= x1 x+1

We say that y is dened implicitly as a function of x by means of yx + y + 1 = x, the actual function being given explicitly as x1 x+1 We note than an equation relating x and y can implicitly dene more than one function of x. y= For example, if we solve we obtain y = 1 x2 so x2 + y 2 = 1 denes implicitly two functions f2 (x) = 1 x2 f1 (x) = 1 x2 x2 + y 2 = 1

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HELM (2005): Workbook 11: Dierentiation

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Task

Sketch the graphs of f1 (x) =

1 x2

f2 (x) = 1 x2

(The equation x2 + y 2 = 1 should give you the clue.) Your solution

Answer Since x2 + y 2 = 1 is the well-known equation of the circle with centre at the origin and radius 1, it follows that the graphs of f1 (x) and f2 (x) are the upper and lower halves of this circle.
y f1 (x) = + 1 x2

Sometimes it is dicult or even impossible to solve an equation in x and y to obtain y explicitly in terms of x. Examples where explicit expressions for y cannot be obtained are sin(xy ) = y x2 + sin y = 2y

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f2 (x) = 1 x2

2. Differentiation of implicit functions

Fortunately it is not necessary to obtain y in terms of x in order to dierentiate a function dened implicitly. Consider the simple equation xy = 1 Here it is clearly possible to obtain y as the subject of this equation and hence obtain dy . dx

HELM (2005): Section 11.7: Implicit Dierentiation

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Task

Express y explicitly in terms of x and nd

dy for the case xy = 1. dx

Your solution

Answer We have immediately y= 1 x so dy 1 = 2 dx x

dy which does not involve writing y explicitly in terms dx of x at the outset. We simply treat y as an (unspecied) function of x. We now show an alternative way of obtaining xy = 1 we obtain Hence if d d (xy ) = (1). dx dx The right-hand side dierentiates to zero as 1 is a constant. On the left-hand side we must use the product rule of dierentiation: d dy dx dy (xy ) = x + y =x +y dx dx dx dx Hence xy = 1 becomes, after dierentiation, dy x + y = 0 or dx

In this case we can of course substitute y = y= as before.

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dy y = dx x

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1 to obtain x

The method used here is called implicit dierentiation and, apart from the nal step, it can be applied even if y cannot be expressed explicitly in terms of x. Indeed, on occasions, it is easier to dierentiate implicitly even if an explicit expression is possible.

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Example 15
Obtain the derivative x2 + y = 1 + y 3

dy where dx

Solution We begin by dierentiating the left-hand side of the equation with respect to x to get: dy d 2 (x + y ) = 2x + . dx dx We now dierentiate the right-hand side of with respect to x. Using the chain (or function of a function) rule to deal with the y 3 term: dy d d d (1 + y 3 ) = (1) + (y 3 ) = 0 + 3y 2 dx dx dx dx Now by equating the left-hand side and right-hand side derivatives, we have: dy dy = 3y 2 dx dx dy the subject of this equation: We can make dx dy 2x dy dy 3y 2 = 2x which gives = 2 dx dx dx 3y 1 2x +

dy has to be expressed in terms of both x and y . This is quite usual if y cannot be We note that dx obtained explicitly in terms of x. Now try this Task requiring implicit dierentiation.
Task

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dy if 2y = x2 + sin y dx Note that your answer will be in terms of both y and x.

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Your solution

Answer We have, on dierentiating both sides of the equation with respect to x and using the chain rule on the sin y term: d 2 dy dy d d (2y ) = (x ) + (sin y ) i.e. 2 = 2x + cos y dx dx dx dx dx
HELM (2005): Section 11.7: Implicit Dierentiation

leading to

dy 2x = . dx 2 cos y 55

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We sometimes need to obtain the second derivative d2 y for a function dened implicitly. dx2

Example 16
Obtain

dy d2 y and 2 at the point (4, 2) on the curve dened by the equation dx dx 2 x xy y 2 2y = 0

Solution Firstly we obtain We have from which so at (4, 2)

dy by dierentiating the equation implicitly and then evaluate it at (4, 2). dx dy dy dy 2 =0 2x x y 2y dx dx dx 2x y dy = dx x + 2y + 2

dy 6 3 = = . dx 10 5

To obtain the second derivative We simplify (1) rst:

dy =0 dx We will have to use the product rule to dierentiate the third term here. 2x y (x + 2y + 2) Hence dierentiating (3) with respect to x:

or

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dy dy d2 y dy (x + 2y + 2) 2 (1 + 2 ) =0 dx dx dx dx dy dx
2

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d2 y it is easier to use (1) than (2) because the latter is a quotient. dx2 (3)

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(1) (2)

dy 22 2 dx

d2 y (x + 2y + 2) 2 = 0 dx dy dx
2

(4)

Note carefully that the third term here,

, is the square of the rst derivative. It should not d2 y . dx2 3 9 d2 y 2 2( ) 2( ) (4 + 4 + 2) 2 = 0 5 25 dx

be confused with the second derivative denoted by Finally, at (4, 2) where from which

3 dy = we obtain from (4): dx 5 1 d2 y at (4, 2). = 2 dx 125

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Task

This Task involves nding a formula for the curvature of a bent beam. When a horizontal beam is acted on by forces which bend it, then each small segment of the beam will be slightly curved and can be regarded as an arc of a circle. The radius R of that circle is called the radius of curvature of the beam at the point concerned. If the shape of the beam is described by an equation of the form y = f (x) then there is a formula for the radius of curvature R which involves only dy d2 y the rst and second derivatives and 2 . dx dx Find that equation as follows. Start with the equation of a circle in the simple implicit form x2 + y 2 = R 2

and perform implicit dierentiation twice. Now use the result of the rst implicit dierentiation to nd a simple expression for the quantity 1 + (dy/dx)2 in terms of R and y ; this can then be used to simplify the result of the second dierentiation, 1 dy d2 y and will lead to a formula for (called the curvature) in terms of and 2 . R dx dx Your solution

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Answer Dierentiating: x2 + y 2 = R2 gives: 2x + 2y dy =0 dx 2+2 dy dx
2 2

(1) + 2y d2 y =0 dx2
2

Dierentiating again: From (1) dy x = dx y So 1+ dy dx

2

(2)

= R y 2 R y

1+
2

dy dx

=1+

x2 y 2 + x2 = = y2 y2

R y

. R y
2

Thus (2) becomes so d2 y 1 = dx2 R

+ 2y

d2 y dx2

=0

Rearranging (4) to make d2 y dx2 1+ dy dx

1 the subject and substituting for R

1 = R

2 3/2

The equation usually found in textbooks omits the minus sign but the sign indicates whether the circle is above or below the curve, as you will see by sketching a few examples. When the gradient is dy small (as for a slightly deected horizontal beam), i.e. is small, the denominator in the equation dx for (1/R) is close to 1, and so the second derivative alone is often used to estimate the radius of curvature in the theory of bending beams.

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R2 d2 y = 3 = dx2 y R y

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1 R R y
3

(3)

(4)

from (3) gives the result:

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HELM (2005): Workbook 11: Dierentiation