Math1325 Implicit Derivatives
Math1325 Implicit Derivatives
Up until now you have been finding the derivatives of functions that have already been solved
for their dependent variable. However, there are some functions that cannot be easily solved for
the dependent variable so we need to have a way of still finding the derivative. This process is
called implicit differentiation.
Finding the derivative of a function by implicit differentiation uses the same derivative formulas
that were covered earlier. The important part to remember is that when you take the derivative
of the dependent variable you must include the derivative notation dy/dx or y’ in the derivative.
The notation that is used depends on which is easier for you.
Let’s take the function 2xy + 3x = 11 as an example. This function can easily be solved for the
dependent variable y, but lets look at how implicit differentiation works.
The first term 2xy is the product of 2x and y so we would apply the product rule.
First we would take the derivative of each term and then substitute into the
product rule.
d d dy dy
(2 x) = 2 ( y) = 1⋅ = or y′
dx dx dx dx
d
(2 xy ) = (2 x)( y′) + ( y )(2)
dx
= 2 xy′ + 2 y
Taking the derivatives of “3x” and “11” would be done in the same manner as
before. So the implicit derivative would be:
2 xy + 3x = 11
d d d
(2 xy ) + (3x) = (11)
dx dx dx
2 xy′ + 2 y + 3 = 0
2 xy′ + 2 y + 3 = 0
2 xy′ = −2 y − 3
−2 y − 3
y′ =
2x
1. Differentiate each term on both sides of the equals sign with respect to the independent
variable “x”. When taking the derivative of the dependent variable “y” don’t forget to
include dy/dx or y′ in the derivative.
2. Solve for dy/dx or y′ by grouping only the terms with dy/dx or y′ on one side of the
equals sign
3. Factor out dy/dx or y′
4. Divide to isolate dy/dx or y′
Solution:
x 2 y 3 + 4 xy = 2 x
d 2 3
dx
( x y ) + ( 4 xy ) = ( 2 x )
d
dx
d
dx
⎡ 2 d 3
(⎢⎣ x ) dx ( y ) + ( y3 ) dxd ( x2 )⎥⎦⎤ + ⎢⎣⎡( 4 x ) dxd ( y ) + ( y ) dxd ( 4 x )⎥⎦⎤ = 2
Apply the chain rule
⎡ 2 ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
⎢⎣( x ) ⋅ ( 3) ( y ) dx + ( y ) ⋅ 2 x ⎥⎦ + ⎢⎣( 4 x ) ⋅ (1) dx + ( y ) ⋅ ( 4 ) ⎥⎦ = 2
2 dy 3 dy
dy dy
3x 2 y 2 + 2 xy 3 + 4 x + 4 y = 2
dx dx
dy dy
3x 2 y 2 + 4x = 2 − 2 xy 3 − 4 y
dx dx
dy
dx
( 3x 2 y 2 + 4 x ) = 2 − 2 xy3 − 4 y
dy 2 − 2 xy 3 − 4 y
=
dx 3x 2 y 2 + 4 x
4 y + 5x 1
Example 2: Find the derivative of = using implicit differentiation.
1− 3y 6x
Solution:
d ⎛ 4 y + 5x ⎞ d ⎛ 1 ⎞
⎜ ⎟= ⎜ ⎟
dx ⎝ 1 − 3 y ⎠ dx ⎝ 6 x ⎠
d ⎛ 4 y + 5x ⎞ d
⎟ = (6x)
−1
⎜
dx ⎝ 1 − 3 y ⎠ dx
Apply quotient rule to the left side and the generalized power rule to
the right side
d ⎛ 4 y + 5x ⎞ d
⎟ = (6x)
−1
⎜
dx ⎝ 1 − 3 y ⎠ dx
d d
(1 − 3 y ) ( 4 y + 5 x ) − ( 4 y + 5 x ) (1 − 3 y ) −2 d
dx dx = ( −1)( 6 x ) (6x)
(1 − 3 y )
2
dx
(1 − 3 y ) ⎛⎜ 4 ⎞ ⎛ dy ⎞
dy
+ 5 ⎟ − ( 4 y + 5 x ) ⎜ −3 ⎟
⎝ dx ⎠ ⎝ dx ⎠ = −1 6 x −2 6
( )( ) ( )
(1 − 3 y )
2
(1 − 3 y )( 4 y′ + 5) − ( 4 y + 5 x )( −3 y′) = −1 6 x −2 6
( )( ) ( )
(1 − 3 y )
2
(1 − 3 y )( 4 y′ + 5) − ( 4 y + 5 x )( −3 y′) = −1 6 x −2 6
( )( ) ( )
(1 − 3 y )
2
6 (1 − 3 y )
2
4 y′ + 5 − 15 y + 15 xy′ = −
36 x 2
6 (1 − 3 y )
2
4 y′ + 15 xy′ = − + 15 y − 5
36 x 2
Step 3: Factor y′
6 (1 − 3 y ) 36 x 2 (15 y − 5 )
2
y′ ( 4 + 15 x ) = − +
36 x 2 36 x 2
1 ⎛ −6 (1 − 3 y ) + 36 x (15 y − 5 ) ⎞
2 2
y′ = ⎜ ⎟
4 + 15 x ⎜⎝ 36 x 2 ⎟
⎠
−6 (1 − 3 y ) + 36 x 2 (15 y − 5 )
2
y′ =
36 x 2 ( 4 + 15 x )
We can also find the equation of a tangent line at a given point using implicit differentiation.
The steps involved in do this are:
x
y+ =3
y
d ⎛x2 ⎞ d
1
d
( y) − ⎜ ⎟ = ( 3)
dx dx ⎝ y ⎠ dx
⎛1 1 ⎞ 1
y ⎜ x − 2 ⎟ − x 2 y′
y′ − ⎝ ⎠
2
2
=0
y
⎛ 1 ⎞ 1
y ⎜ 1 ⎟ − x 2 y′
y′ − ⎝
2x 2 ⎠
=0
y2
⎛ ⎛ 1 ⎞ 1 ⎞
⎜ y ⎜ 1 ⎟ − x 2 y′ ⎟
y 2 ⎜ y′ − ⎝
2x ⎠
2
⎟
= 0
⎜ y2 ⎟
⎜ ⎟
⎝ ⎠
⎛ y ⎞
y 2 y′ − ⎜ 1 − x 2 y′ ⎟ = 0
1
⎝ 2x 2
⎠
y
y 2 y′ − 1 + x 2 y′ = 0
1
2x 2
y
y 2 y′ + x 2 y′ = 1
1
2x 2
(
y′ y 2 + x 2 = 1
1
) y
2x 2
y
y′ = 1 2
(
2x 2 y + x 2
1
)
y
y′ =
2x 2 y2 + 2x
1
In this problem we know the value for x but not y. So we must find the
corresponding y value when x = 2.
x
y+ =3
y
4
y+ =3
y
2
y+ =3
y
⎛ 2 ⎞
y ⎜ y + = 3⎟
⎝ y ⎠
y2 + 2 = 3y
y2 − 3y + 2 = 0
( y − 1)( y − 2 ) = 0
y − 1 = 0 or y−2=0
y =1 y=2
x = 4, y = 1 x = 4, y = 2
y
y y′ =
y′ = 2y 2
x + 2x
2y 2
x + 2x 2
=
1 2 ( 2) 4 + 2 ( 4)
2
=
2 (1) 4 + 2 ( 4)
2
2
=
=
1 2 ( 2 )( 2 ) + 8
2 (1)( 2 ) + 8
2
1 =
= 8+8
4+8 2
1 =
= 16
12 1
=
8
x = 4, y = 1, y′ = 1/12
y − y1 = m ( x − x1 )
1
y −1 = ( x − 4)
12
1 1
y −1 = x −
12 3
1 1
y = x − +1
12 3
1 2
y = x+
12 3
x = 4, y = 2, y′ = 1/8
y − y1 = m ( x − x1 )
1
y−2= ( x − 4)
8
1 1
y−2= x−
8 2
1 1
y = x− +2
8 2
1 3
y = x+
8 2
Another application for implicit differentiation is the topic of related rates. Related rates are
used to determine the rate at which a variable is changing with respect to time. We use the
concept of implicit differentiation because time is not usually a variable in the equation.
For example, if we were asked to determine the rate at which the area of a square is changing
then implicit differentiation must be used because the equation for the area of a square only
contains the variables for the length, width, and area. Time is not a variable in the equation so
the only way to determine the rate at which the area is changing (dA/dt) is to take the derivative
implicitly.
Example 4: A 50-ft ladder is placed against a building. The top of the ladder is sliding down
the building at the rate of 2 ft/min. Find the rate at which the base of the ladder is
moving away from the building at the instant that the base is 30 ft from the
building.
Solution:
In this problem are variables are the sides the triangle formed by the
ladder (c), the building (a), and the ground (b). An equation that would
relate these three variables is the Pythagorean theorem, a2 + b2 = c2.
a 2 + b2 = c2
dt
(
d 2
a + b2 ) = ( c2 )
d
dt
da db dc
2a + 2b = 2c
dt dt dt
da db dc
2a + 2b = 2c
dt dt dt
db dc da
2b = 2c − 2a
dt dt dt
dc da
2c − 2a
db dt dt
=
dt 2b
Since “c” represents the length of the ladder and the length is not going
to change the related rate dc/dt would be equal to zero. Also we do not
know the value of “a” so we must find it first before finding db/dt.
a 2 + b2 = c2
a 2 + ( 30 ) = ( 50 )
2 2
a 2 + 900 = 2500
a 2 = 1600
a = 1600
a = 40
dc da
2c − 2a
db dt dt
=
dt 2b
2 ( 50 )( 0 ) − 2 ( 40 )( −2 )
=
2 ( 30 )
160
=
60
8
=
3
Example 5: A rock is thrown into a still pond. The circular ripples move outward from the
point of impact of the rock so that the radius of the circle formed by a ripple
increases at the rate of 2 ft per minute. Find the rate at which the area is changing
at the instant the radius is 4 ft.
Solution:
In this example we are dealing with the area of a circle, therefore the
equation that we will use would be A = Π r2
A = π r2
( A ) = (π r 2 )
d d
dt dt
dA dr
= 2π r
dt dt
dA dr
= 2π r
dt dt
= 2π ( 4 )( 2 )
= 16π
Example 6: The revenue function for a company is 60x - .5x2 and its cost function is 8x + 12,
where x is the daily production and sales. If the daily production is currently 20
units and the rate of change for production is 6 units per day, find the rate at
which the company’s profit is changing.
Solution:
Since we need to find the rate at which the profit is changing we need to
find the Profit function. The profit function would be equal to the
difference between the revenue and cost functions.
P = −.5 x 2 + 52 x − 12
P = ( −.5 x 2 + 52 x − 12 )
d d
dt dt
dP dx dx
= −1x + 52 − 0
dt dt dt
dP dx dx
= − x + 52
dt dt dt
dP dx dx
= − x + 52
dt dt dt
= − ( 20 )( 6 ) + 52 ( 6 )
= −120 + 312
= 192