3.

6 Implicit Differentiation
And Rational Exponents
 Rational Exponents are easy!
These problems will have exponents that aren’t
integers; they will most likely be fractions.

Hmmm… how could an exponent be a fraction??

That’s right! A radical!!

It doesn’t matter. You will still use the generalized

power rule:
 Examples
dy 3
1. Find if y  12x  6
2

dx
Functions do NOT need to be rationalized;
only numbers need to be rationalized.

dy (x 2
3
1)2

2. Find if y 
dx x
 Implicit Differentiation
This process is used when y cannot be
isolated. We will look at a problem where
y CAN be isolated to understand the idea,
but in many problems y will be mixed in as
a product or a quotient.

We will be treating y as a differentiable

functions.
 Let’s try this one
The derivative of y in
terms of x has to have
y x y x
2
that extra symbol because
“y” is not “x”
1
dy
yx 2 2y 1
dx
1
dy 1 
dy 1
 x 2

dx 2 dx 2y
dy 1
 Same thing
dx 2 x right?
 What does this mean?
WHENEVER you have to take a derivative of
dy
y, tack on . No kidding. 
dx
dy
Then, isolate . There might be y in your
dx
answer; it also might be easy to sub back in
y.
Lets see an example… or two….
 Examples
dy
if xy  x y  4
2 2
3. Find
dx
Leave y in the answer.

dy x  y 5
4. Find if
dx

2
5. Find d y if x  y 5 (hint: continue #4)
dx 2
 Examples
6. Find the slope at (-1, 1) for x 2
 y 2
2