Scribd
Upload
28 views5 pages

Implicit Differentia-Tion: Readings and Exercises

This document discusses implicit differentiation. It provides two examples: 1) Finding the derivative of the implicitly defined function sin(x) + sin(y) = 1 at the point (π/2, 0). Through implicit differentiation, it is found that the tangent line at this point is the horizontal line y = 0. 2) Finding the equation of the tangent line to the ellipse (x + y)2/2 + (x - y)2/3 = 1 at the point (1,1). Through implicit differentiation, the slope is found to be y' = -1. Therefore, the equation of the tangent line is y = 2 - x.

Uploaded by

Qasim Farooq
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
28 views5 pages

Implicit Differentia-Tion: Readings and Exercises

This document discusses implicit differentiation. It provides two examples: 1) Finding the derivative of the implicitly defined function sin(x) + sin(y) = 1 at the point (π/2, 0). Through implicit differentiation, it is found that the tangent line at this point is the horizontal line y = 0. 2) Finding the equation of the tangent line to the ellipse (x + y)2/2 + (x - y)2/3 = 1 at the point (1,1). Through implicit differentiation, the slope is found to be y' = -1. Therefore, the equation of the tangent line is y = 2 - x.

Uploaded by

Qasim Farooq
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
You are on page 1/ 5

Implicit Differentia-

tion

by Sultan Sial

July 16, 2010

Readings and exercises

Strang 4.2

1
Implicit functions
A function of the form y = f (x) is called an
explicit function of y. Other forms are
called implicit.

Example
y = sin(x2 + x + 1) is an explicit function of
x.

sin(x) + sin(y) = 1 defines y implicitly as a


function of x.

Exercise
In Wolfram Alpha try:
plot sin(x)+sin(y)=1

Implicit differentiation
Implicit differentiation follows from the chain
rule. If we differentiate f (y(x)) then
d
dx
f ( y) = f (y) y (x)

2
by the chain rule.

Example
Consider an implicitly defined function

sin(x) + sin(y) = 1

We want the tangent line at (/2, 0).

Differentiate both sides of the equation,


d
dx
sin(x) = cos(x)
d
dx
sin(y) = cos(y) y (x)

and the derivative of a constant is 0. So,


impicit differentiation gives us

cos(x) + cos(y) y (x) = 0

At (/2, 0) this is

cos(/2) + cos(0) y = 0  y = 0

3
So, the tangent line is the horizontal line y =
0 which is the x-axis.

Example
Consider the ellipse
(x + y)2 (x y)2
22
+ 32
=1

We want the equation of the tangent line at


the point (1,1).

Implicit differentiation gives


(x + y) (x y)
2 22
(1 + y ) + 2 32
( 1 y ) = 0

At (1,1) we have
(1 + 1) (1 1)
2 (1 + y ) + 2 ( 1 y ) = 0


22 32

(1 + y ) = 0 y = 1

The line with slope -1 that goes through


(1,1) is

y=2x
4
5

You might also like