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This document discusses parametric differentiation, which is the process of finding derivatives of curves defined parametrically rather than by an explicit function. It introduces the key result that if a curve is defined parametrically as x=h(t) and y=g(t), then the derivative dy/dx is equal to dy/dt divided by dx/dt. This allows calculating derivatives without explicitly expressing y as a function of x. The document also shows how to find second derivatives parametrically by taking the derivative of dy/dx with respect to t. Examples are provided to demonstrate finding first and second derivatives of parametrically defined curves.

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95 views7 pages

11 6 PDF

This document discusses parametric differentiation, which is the process of finding derivatives of curves defined parametrically rather than by an explicit function. It introduces the key result that if a curve is defined parametrically as x=h(t) and y=g(t), then the derivative dy/dx is equal to dy/dt divided by dx/dt. This allows calculating derivatives without explicitly expressing y as a function of x. The document also shows how to find second derivatives parametrically by taking the derivative of dy/dx with respect to t. Examples are provided to demonstrate finding first and second derivatives of parametrically defined curves.

Uploaded by

Mayar Zo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Parametric

Differentiation

11.6

Introduction
Sometimes the equation of a curve is not be given in Cartesian form y = f (x) but in parametric form:
dy
from a knowledge of
x = h(t), y = g(t). In this Section we see how to calculate the derivative
dx
dy
dx
and
. We then extend this to the determination of the
the so-called parametric derivatives
dt
dt
d2 y
second derivative 2 .
dx
Parametric functions arise often in particle dynamics in which the parameter t represents the time
and (x(t), y(t)) then represents the position of a particle as it varies with time.

Prerequisites
Before starting this Section you should . . .




Learning Outcomes
On completion you should be able to . . .

be able to dierentiate standard functions


be able to plot a curve given in parametric
form




nd rst and second derivatives when the


equation of a curve is given in parametric
form.

44


HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation

1. Parametric differentiation
In this subsection we consider the parametric approach to describing a curve:
t tt
0  1

x = h(t)
y = g(t)




/
parametric equations

parametric range

As various values of t are chosen within the parameter range the corresponding values of x, y are
calculated from the parametric equations. When these points are plotted on an xy plane they trace
out a curve. The Cartesian equation of this curve is obtained by eliminating the parameter t from
the parametric equations. For example, consider the curve:
x = 2 cos t

y = 2 sin t

0 t 2.

We can eliminate the t variable in an obvious way - square each parametric equation and then add:
x2 + y 2 = 4 cos2 t + 4 sin2 t = 4

x2 + y 2 = 4

which we recognise as the standard equation of a circle with centre at (0, 0) with radius 2.
In a similar fashion the parametric equations
x = 2t

y = 4t2

<t<

describes a parabola. This follows since, eliminating the parameter t:


 2
x
x
t=

y=4
so y = x2
2
4
which we recognise as the standard equation of a parabola.
dy
if a curve is
The question we wish to address in this Section is how do we obtain the derivative
dx
given in parametric form? To answer this we note the key result in this area:

Key Point 12
Parametric Dierentiation
If x = h(t) and y = g(t) then
dy dx
dy
=

dx
dt
dt

dy
without the need to nd y as an explicit
We note that this result allows the determination of
dx
function of x.
HELM (2005):
Section 11.6: Parametric Dierentiation

45

Example 13
Determine the equation of the tangent line to the semicircle with parametric equations
x = cos t

y = sin t

0t

at t = /4.

Solution
The semicircle is drawn in Figure 9. We have also drawn the tangent line at t = /4 (or, equivalently,

1
1
at x = cos = , y = sin = .)
4
4
2
2
y

1/ 2

/4

1/ 2

Figure 9
Now
dy
dy dx
cos t
=

=
= cot t.
dx
dt
dt
sin t
 

dy
Thus at t = we have
= cot
= 1.
4
dx
4
The equation of the tangent line is
y = mx + c
where m is the gradient of the line and c is a constant.
Clearly m = 1 (since, at the point P the line and the circle have the same gradient).


1
1
To nd c we note that the line passes through the point P with coordinates , . Hence
2
2
1
2
1
= (1) + c

c=
2
2
2
Finally,
2
y = x +
2
is the equation of the tangent line at the point in question.

46

HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation

We should note, before proceeding, that a derivative with respect to the parameter t is often denoted
by a dot. Thus
dx
= x,

dt

Task

dy
= y,

dt

d2 x
= x etc.
dt2

dy
if x = 3t, y = t2 4t + 1.
dx
dy
in the normal way.
Check your result by nding
dx
Find the value of

First nd

dx dy
,
:
dt dt

Your solution

Answer
dy
dx
= 3,
= 2t 4
dt
dt
Now obtain

dy
:
dx

Your solution

Answer
dy dx
2t 4
2
dy
=

=
= t
dx
dt
dt
3
3
dy
=
or, using the dot notation
dx

4
,
3
y
2t 4
2
4
=
= t
x
3
3
3

Now nd y explicitly as a function of x by eliminating t, and so nd

dy
directly:
dx

Your solution

Answer
x
t=
3

y=

x2 4x

+ 1.
9
3

HELM (2005):
Section 11.6: Parametric Dierentiation

Finally:

dy
2x 4
2t 4
=
=
.
dx
9
3
3
3

47

Task

Find the value of

First nd

dy
at t = 2 if x = 3t 4 sin t,
dx

y = t2 + t cos t,

0t4

dx dy
,
:
dt dt

Your solution

Answer
dx
= 3 4 cos t
dt
Now obtain

dy
= 2t + cos t t sin t
dt

dy
:
dx

Your solution

Answer
dy
dy dx
2t + cos t t sin t
=

=
dx
dt
dt
3 4 cos t
y
2t + cos t t sin t
dy
= =
or, using the dot notation,
dx
x
3 4 cos t
Finally, substitute t = 2 to nd

dy
at this value of t.
dx

Your solution

Answer

dy
4+1
5
=
=
= 0.523

dx t=2 3 4
3 4

48

HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation

2. Higher derivatives
dy
using parametric dierentiation we now ask how we might
dx
d2 y
determine the second derivative 2 .
dx
By denition:
 
d dy
d2 y
=
dx2
dx dx
Having found the rst derivative

But
y
dy
=
dx
x

and so

d
d2 y
=
dx2
dx

 
y
x

y
Now
is a function of t so we can change the derivative with respect to x into a derivative with
x
respect to t since
 
 
d dy
dt
d dy
=
dx dx
dt dx
dx
from the function of a function rule (Key Point 11 in Section 11.5).
But, dierentiating the quotient y/
x,
we have
 
1
dt
x
y y
x
1
d y


=
and
=
=
dx
dt x
x 2
dx
x
dt
so nally:
x
y y
x
d2 y
=
dx2
x 3

Key Point 13
If x = h(t), y = g(t) then the rst and second derivatives of y with respect to x are:
dy
y
=
dx
x

HELM (2005):
Section 11.6: Parametric Dierentiation

and

d2 y
x
y y
x
=
dx2
x 3

49

Example 14
If the equations of a curve are x = 2t, y = t2 3, determine

dy
d2 y
and 2 .
dx
dx

Solution
Here x = 2, y = 2t

Also x = 0, y = 2

y
2t
dy
= =
= t.
dx
x
2
2(2) 2t(0)
1
d2 y
=
= .
2
3
dx
(2)
2
x2
x
and y = t2 3 which imply y =
3. Therefore
2
4
dy
1
2x
x
d2 y
= .
=
=
and
2
dx
4
2
dx
2

These results can easily be checked since t =


the derivatives can be obtained directly:

Exercises
1. For the following sets of parametric equations nd
(a) x = 3t2

(b) x = 4 t2

y = 4t3

dy
d2 y
and 2
dx
dx

y = t2 + 4t

(c) x = t2 et

y=t

2. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve


x = 1 + 3 sin t

y = 2 5 cos t

at t =

Answers
1. (a)
(c)

1
d2 y
dy
= .
= 2t,
2
dx
dx
3t

(b)

1
dy
2 d2 y
= 3
= 1 ,
2
dx
t dx
t

dy
d2 y
e2t (t2 + 4t + 2)
et
,
=

=
dx
2t + t2 dx2
(t + 2)3 t3

2. x = 3 cos t

y = +5 sin t


5
dy

5 1
5 3
= tan = =

dx t=/6 3
6
3 3
9

5 3
.
The equation of the tangent line is y = mx + c where m =
9

3
3

and so
The line passes through the point x = 1 + 3 sin = 1 + , y = 2 5
6
2
2

3
5 3
3
35 3
25
=
(1 + ) + c
c=2
2
9
2
9
5
dy
= tan t
dx
3

50

HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation

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