Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Chapter 4

Chain Rule &

Implicit
Differentiation
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

Define the chain rule

Perform chain rule

Define implicit differentiation

Perform and compute the implicit differentiation

4.1 Introduction
In the previous chapter, the procedure to determine the second order and
higher order partial derivatives was discussed. In Chapter 4, the chain rule
and implicit differentiation will be extended to function of more than one
variable. These will allow the generation of useful relationships among the
derivatives and partial derivatives of various functions.

4.2 Chain Rule

The standard chain rule for functions of one variable has been used
throughout in the earlier calculus courses. Its now time to extend the chain
rule out to more complicated situations. Lets review the notation for the

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

chain rule for functions of one variable before we move further into functions
of several variables.
If z is a differentiable function of x and x is a differentiable function of t, then
the chain rule for functions of one variable states that, under assumption, z
becomes a differentiable function of t with
dz dz dx

dt dx dt

z f(x)
t

x
g

g(t)

z
f

x g(t)

f(x)

g
z = f(g(t))

(a)

(b)
Figure 4.1

Figure 4.1 illustrates the tree diagram for the chain rule for functions of one
variable. Figure 4.1(a) is a tree diagram in horizontal form where as Figure
4.1(b) is in vertical form.

Theorem
Chain Rule: One Independent Variable
Let z f ( x, y ), where f is a differentiable function of x and y. If x g(t ) ,
y h(t ) , where g and h are differentiable functions of t, then z is a

differentiable function of t,
dz z dx z dy

dt x dt y dt

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

x=g(t)
g
g

x
x

z
x

z=f(x, y)
z

z
y

MAT 295

f
h
h
g
g

x
t

z = f(g(t), h(t))

y=h(t)
y(a)

dy
dt

t
(b)

Figure 4.2

Theorem
Chain Rule: Two Independent Variables
Let z f ( x, y ), where f is a differentiable function of x and y. If x g(s, t ) ,
y h(s, t ) , such that the first partials

and

x x y
y
z
,
,
, and
all exist, then
s t s
t
s

z
exist and are given by
t
z z x z y
z z x z y

and
s x s y s
t x t y t

z
x

z
z
y

x
t

x
s

y
t

z
z
x

x
x
t

y
y
s

(a)

x
s

s
(b)

Figure 4.3

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z
y

y
y
t

y
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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Proposition
Let w f ( x, y, z) be a function defined in region R in space. Suppose that is
a curve in R given parametrically by x x(t ) , y y (t ) , z z(t ) , with t = 0
corresponding to ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) . Then, considering w f ( x(t ), y (t ), z(t )) as a
function of t along , we have
dw w dx w dy w dz

dt
x dt y dt
z dt

(1)

That is, the rate of change of w with respect to t along is given by (1) .

Steps : Using chain rule

Identify the variable

Find the derivatives
Apply chain rule
Substitute in for x and y variables (or other
variable depending on the problem

Example 1
Find

dz
, z ln( x 2 y 2 ) , x e t , y e t
dt

Solution

State chain rule

dz z dx z dy

dt x dt y dt
z
x

z
y

dx
dt

dy
dt

Figure 4.4

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Differentiate x and y w.r.t t (function of single variable)

dx
e t
dt

dy
et
dt

Determine partial derivatives z w.r.t x and y

z
2x

2
x ( x y 2 )

z
2y

2
y ( x y 2 )

Applying chain rule

dz
2xet
2ye t

dt ( x 2 y 2 ) ( x 2 y 2 )

2
2

(x y

ye
)

(e

2t

(e

2t

e e

t t

e 2t )
2

xe t

2t

e
)

2t

e t e t

e 2t

; substitute x e t and y e t

Example 2
Let w f ( x, y, z) xy y 2z . Consider the curve given parametrically by
x t , y t 2 , z ln t . Find

dw
at t = 2.
dt

Solution

w
x

w
y

x
dx
dt

dz
dt

dy
dt

Figure 4.5

Since

w
z

dw w dx w dy w dz

dt
x dt y dt
z dt
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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

then

w
y
x

w
x 2yz
y

w
y2;
z

dx
1
dt

dy
2t
dt

dz 1
.
dt t

and

Hence,
dw w dx w dy w dz

dt
x dt y dt
z dt
1
y (1) ( x 2yz )(2t ) y 2
t

At t = 2,
x t 2

y t 2 22 4

z ln t ln 2

giving
dw
1
4(1) (2 2( 4) ln 2)(4) 16
dt
2
20 32 ln 2

Example 3
If v f ( p 2 q 2 ) , show that p

v
v
q
0.
q
p

Solution

Note that v is a function of single variable. Letting w p 2 q 2 then

v f (w ) . Figure 4.6 illustrates the vertical tree diagram for v f (w )

v
dv
dw
w
p

w
q

Figure 4.6
v dv w

.
q dw q

v dv w

.
p dw p

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MAT 295

Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

v dv

.2p
p dw

v dv

.2q
q dw

2q
p

MAT 295

dv
dw

2p

dv
dw

v
v
dv
dv
q
2 pq
2pq
q
p
dw
dw
0

Example 4
The radius of a cylinder increases at the rate of 0.2cm/s while the height
decreases at the rate of 0.5cm/s. Find the rate at which the volume is
changing at the instant when r = 8cm and h = 12cm.

Solution

Given that
dr
0 .2
dt

dh
0.5
dt

while
V r 2h V (r , h)

where the radius (r) and height (h) depend on time (t). Hence, the tree
diagram to illustrates the given information is represented by Figure 4.7.

V
r

V
h
h

dr
dt

dh
dt

Figure 4.7
dV
dr
dh
Vr
Vh
dt
dt
dt
2rh

dr
dh
r 2
dt
dt

2(8)(12)(0.2) (8)2 (0.5) ; substitute the value

20.1 cm3 / s

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

Example 5
Suppose that w cos(xy ) y 2 , x e3t and y sin 3t , find

Solution

w
x

w
y

y
dx
dt

dy
dt

t
Figure 4.8

dw w dx w dy

dt
x dt y dt

w
sin( xy ).(y )
x

w
sin( xy ).( x ) 2y
y

dx
3e 3t
dt

dy
3 cos 3t
dt

dw w dx w dy

dt
x dt y dt
3e 3t y sin xy 3 cos 3t 2y x sin xy

Warm up exercise
Given that z ln( 2x 2 y ) ; x t 4 , y t 2
z z dx
dy
, ,
and
.
x y dt
dt
dz
(ii) Then apply chain rule to find
.
dt
(iii) Substitute x t 4 and y t 2 in your answer at (ii).

(i) Find the partial derivatives for

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dw
dt

MAT 295

Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

4.3 Implicit differentiation

A method called implicit differentiation makes use of the chain rule to
differentiate implicitly defined functions.

Theorem
The Implicit Function Theorem states that if F is defined on an open disk
containing (a,b), where F (a, b) 0 , Fy (a, b) 0 , and Fx and Fy are
continuous on the disk, then the equation F ( x, y ) 0 defines y as a function
of x near the point (a,b) and the derivative of this function is given by:
f
F
dy
x x
f
dx
Fy
y

Steps : Using implicit differentiation

Get a zero on one side of the equal sign and

identify F(x,y)
Find the partial derivatives
Apply the implicit functions theorem

Proposition
Suppose that f is a differentiable function of ( x, y , z ) near the point
( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) and fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) 0. Then the equation f ( x, y, z) 0 defines z

implicitly as function of x, y and

f
z
x
x
fz

and

fy
z

y
fz

Example 6
dy
Find
by using implicit differentiation.
dx
a) x 3 y 3 2x 2 y 100
b) x tan y y sin x

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Solution

a) x 3 y 3 2x 2 y 100

Rewrite
F ( x, y ) x 3 y 3 2x 2 y 100 0

Differentiate with respect to x

Fx 3 x 2 4 xy

Differentiate with respect to y

Fy 3y 2 2x 2

Apply theorem
F
dy
x
dx
Fy

4 xy 3 x 2
3y 2 2x 2

b) x tan y y sin x ,
f ( x, y ) x tan y y sin x 0
Fx tan y y cos x

Fy x sec 2 y sin x
F
dy
x
dx
Fy

y cos x tan y
x sec 2 y sin x

Example 7
Obtain the equation of the tangent line to the graph y 3 6 xy x 3 1 at
a point (1, 2).

Solution

In general the equation of a tangent line is given by

y mx c

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

where m is the slope and it can be obtained by determining m

MAT 295

dy
dx

where
dy Fx

dx
Fy

Since,
F ( x, y ) y 3 6xy x 3 1
Fx 6y 3 x 2

Fy 3y 2 6 x
F
dy
x
dx
Fy

6y 3 x 2
3y 2 6 x

At (1,2)
dy 6(2) 3(1)2

dx 3(2)2 6(1)

3
2

This is the slope of the tangent line.

Hence, the line is

y 2 3

x 1 2
y 2
y

3
( x 1)
2
3
( x 1) 2
2

1
(3 x 1)
2

Example 8
If 4x 2 8xy 9y 2 8x 24y 4 0 and

Solution

F ( x, y ) 4x 2 8xy 9y 2 8x 24y 4
Fx 8x 8y 8
61

dy
0 , show that x y 1 .
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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Fy 8x 18 y 24

F
dy
x
dx
Fy

8 8 x 8y
0
8 x 18 y 24

8 8 x 8y 0
x y 1

Example 9
Given f ( x, y, z) z 3 3xz2 y 2z , find expression for

z
z
and
where
y
x

z is defined implicitly as a function of ( x, y ) by the equation f ( x, y, z) 5 .

Evaluate these at the point (1, 1, 1).

Solution

Compute partial derivatives

f
3z 2
x
f
2yz
y

f
3z 2 6 xz y 2
z

Hence,
z
3z 2

x
3z 2 6 xz y 2

and

z
2yz

2
y
3z 6 xz y 2

The values at (1, 1, 1) are

z 3

x 10

and

z 1

y
5

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Warm up exercise
Let y 2 6 xy x 2 1.
(i) Rewrite the function as F ( x, y ) 0 .
(ii) Find the partial derivatives Fx and Fy .
(iii) Then,

obtain the equation of

the tangent

line to the graph

y 2 6 xy x 2 1 at a point (2,4) by using implicit functions theorem.

Exercise 4
Chain Rule
1.

Use the chain rule to find the rate of change of z with respect to t.
a)

z 3x 2 y 3 ; x t 4 , y t 2

b)

1
z 3 cos x sin xy ; x , y 3t
t

c) z ln 2x 2 y ; x t 4 , y t 2 1
d)

2.

z 1 x 2xy 4 ; x ln t , y t

Apply the chain rule to find

u
v

a) z e 2 xy ,

x 2u v ,

b) z sin tan ,

3u v, u v

x
,
y

x v cos u, y u sin v

c) z

d) z x 2 y tan x ,

3.

z
z
.
and
u
v

u
,
v

y u 2v 2

Find zu if
a) z

rs
2

r s2

b) z ln( x 2 y 2 2w ) ,

r uv and

s u 2v

x u v, y u v, w 2 sin uv

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

dw
when t 1.
dt

4.

If w x 3 y 4 and x t 2 2 , y 5t 3 , evaluate

5.

Let Z ln( x 2 2y ) where x 2t 3 r and y t 2r . Find

Z
when
t

t 1, r 2 .

6.

If z f ( x, y ) , where f is differentiable, x g(t ),

y h(t ) , g(3) = 2, g(3) = 5,

h(3) = 7, h(3) = - 4, f x (2,7) 6 , and fy (2,7) 8 , find

dz
when t = 3.
dt

Implicit Function
1. Find

dy
by using implicit partial differentiation:
dx

a) x 3 3xy 2 y 3 5 x 2 y 3 cos y 0
b) sin x cos y sin x cos y
c) e xy 1 ye y
d) x xy 4 3y

4y 2x
dy

300 .
given that
x
y
dx

2.

Find

3.

Given that z x 3 y 3 and x 2 y 2 1 . Determine an expression for

dz
in
dx

term of x and y.

4.

Obtain the equation of the tangent line to the graph y 2 6 xy x 2 1 at a point

(2, 4).
dy
at (0,0).
dx

5.

If e xy x y 1, evaluate

6.

Find an expression for

7.

Let x 2 z 2 y 3 10 , find

8.

Given 2z 8 7 x ye x , find the rate of change of z with respect to y.

dy
when x tan y y sin x .
dx

z
z
and
.
y
x

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Miscellaneous Exercises

1.

The radius r and height h of a right circular cylinder are increasing at rates of
0.02 cm/min and 0.01 cm/min respectively. Using partial differentiation, find the
rate at which the volume is increasing when r = 4 cm and h = 7 cm.

2.

Two straight roads intersect at right angles. Car A, moving on one of the roads,
approaches the intersection at 25km/h and car B, moving on the other road,
approaches the intersection at 30km/h. At what rate is the distance between
the cars changing when A is 0.3 km from the intersection and B is 0.4 km from
the intersection?

3.

Suppose that the portion of a tree that is usable for lumber is a right circular
cylinder.

If the usable height of a tree increases 2m/year and the usable

diameter increases 3cm/year, how fast is the volume of usable lumber

increasing when the usable height of the tree is 20m and the usable diameter is
30cm?
4.

The radius of a right circular cone is increasing at a rate of 1.5 cm/s while the
height is decreasing at a rate of 2 cm/s. If the surface area of the cone is
S r 2 r r 2 h2 , find the rate of change of S when the radius is 4 cm and

the height is 6 cm.

5.

As a solid right circular cylinder is heated, its radius r and height h increase;
hence, so does its surface area S. Suppose that at the instant when r = 10 cm
and h = 100 cm, r is increasing at 0.2 cm/min and h is increasing at 0.5 cm/min.
How fast is S increasing at this instant?

6. Use partial differentiation to find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of
x 3 y 3 3xy 0 at the point (1, 4).

7.

Find the slope of a tangent line to the curve 10 x2 y2 3 at the point (2, 1).

8.

Use formula from partial differentiation to find the slope of the tangent line to the
curve x 3 y 2 5 x 2 y x 1 at any point (x,y).

9.

Find

the

equation

of

the

tangent

to

the

graph

of

the

equation

xy ln( x y ) 2 0 at the point (2, -1) using partial differentiation.

10. For an implicit function e xy sin xy xy 2 x y , compute the slope of the

tangent line at point (, 1) by using partial differentiation.

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