University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa

College of Engineering Mathematics I

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mohammed Mohsen Jasim
Department 2023-2024

The Chain Rule

Introduction
When we have a function that is a composition of two or more
functions, we could use all of the techniques we have already learned to
differentiate it. However, using all of those techniques to break down a
function into simpler parts that we are able to differentiate can get
cumbersome. Instead, we use the chain rule, which states that the derivative
of a composite function is the derivative of the outer function evaluated at
the inner function times the derivative of the inner function.

The Chain Rule

Case 1 Case 2
y and t are functions. y and x are functions.
where: where:
y is a function of t y is a function of t
and and
t is a function of x x is a function of t
and It is required to find: and It is required to find:

𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙
 University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa
College of Engineering Mathematics I
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mohammed Mohsen Jasim
Department 2023-2024

Case 1
Derivative steps in this case:
𝒅𝒚
1. Derive y function of t, which means find ( )
𝒅𝒕
𝒅𝒕
2. Derive t function of x, which means find ( )
𝒅𝒙
3. Multiply the derivative result of steps 1 and 2 ,
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒕
= .
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒙
 t is replaced by It’s function in the result

Examples:
𝐝𝐲
Using the chain rule to express in terms of x and y of:
𝐝𝐱

𝑡2 𝑡= 2𝑥 + 1)
1 𝑦= 2 and
𝑡 +1
Solution
𝒅𝒚
1. Derive y function of t, which means find ( )
𝒅𝒕
𝑡2 𝑑𝑦 2𝑡 𝑡 2 + 1) − 2𝑡 𝑡 2 2𝑡
𝑦= 2 = =
𝑡 +1 𝑑𝑡 𝑡 2 + 1)2 𝑡 2 + 1)2

𝒅𝒕
2. Derive t function of x, which means find ( )
𝒅𝒙

1 𝑑𝑡 1 −1 1
𝑡 = 2𝑥 + 1)2 )
= 2𝑥 + 1 2 . 2 =
𝑑𝑥 2 2𝑥 + 1
 University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa
College of Engineering Mathematics I
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mohammed Mohsen Jasim
Department 2023-2024

3. Multiply the derivative result of steps 1 and 2 ,

𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒚 2𝑡 1
= ∗ = 2 ∗
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝑡 + 1)2 2𝑥 + 1

𝒅𝒚 2 2𝑥+1) 1 2
𝒅𝒙
= 2 ∗ = 2
2 2𝑥+1 2𝑥+1)+1
2𝑥+1)) +1

2 2 2 1
= = = =
2𝑥 + 2)2 2 𝑥 + 1))2 4 𝑥 + 1)2 2 𝑥 + 1)2

1 1
2 =1− and = 1−

Solution
1 𝑑𝑦 𝑡 0) − 1 1) 1
𝑦 =1− =0− = 2
𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑡2 𝑡
1 𝑑𝑡 1 − 𝑥 ) 0) − 1 −1) 1
𝑡= = =
1−𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑡 1 −1𝑥) − 𝟐𝑥 ) 0) − 1 1−1)
− 𝑥)2 𝟏
= =
𝑑𝑥 1 − 𝑥)𝟐 1 − 𝑥)𝟐
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒕 𝑑𝑦 1 𝟏
= = 𝑑𝑡∗ 1 −𝟐𝑥 ) 0) − 1 −1) 𝟏 1
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒙 𝑑𝑥 𝑡2 1
= − 𝑥 ) =
𝑑𝑥 1 − 𝑥) 1 − 𝑥)
1
Since It's: 𝑡 = Sub in 1
1−𝑥
𝑑𝑦 1 1
= 2
∗ =1
𝑑𝑥 1 1 − 𝑥 )2
1−𝑥
 University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa
College of Engineering Mathematics I
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mohammed Mohsen Jasim
Department 2023-2024

Case 2
Derivative steps in this case:
𝒅𝒚
4. Derive y function of t, which means find ( )
𝒅𝒕
𝒅𝒙
5. Derive x function of t, which means find ( )
𝒅𝒕
6. Divide the derivative result of steps 1 and 2 ,
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒙
= ÷
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕
With the (t) function replaced by (t) in the result

1
3 𝑦= and 𝑥= 4𝑡 + 1)
𝑡2 + 1

Solution
𝒅𝒚
2. Derive y function of t, which means find ( )
𝒅𝒕
2
1 𝑑𝑦 𝑡 + 1) 0) − 1 2𝑡) −2𝑡
𝑦= = =
𝑡2 + 1 𝑑𝑡 𝑡 2 + 1)2 𝑡 2 + 1)2
1
𝑥 = 4𝑡 + 1)2
𝑑𝑥 1 −1 2
= 4𝑡 + 1) 2 4) =
𝑑𝑡 2 4𝑡 + 1)
𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒚 −2𝑡 2
= ÷ = ÷
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒙 2
4𝑡 + 1)
𝑡2 + 1

𝒅𝒚 −2𝑡 4𝑡 + 1) −𝑡 4𝑡 + 1)
= ∗ = 1
𝒅𝒙 2
𝑡 +1
2 2 𝑡2 + 1
2
 University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa
College of Engineering Mathematics I
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mohammed Mohsen Jasim
Department 2023-2024

We replace each (t) with its function, so we need a function (t) as

follows:
2 𝑥 2 −1 Sub in 1
𝑥 =4t+1 𝑡=
4

−
𝑥2 − 1 ) 4
𝑥2 − 1 +1 𝑥2 − 1 𝑥2 − 1 + 1
4 4 −
𝒅𝒚
= = 4
𝒅𝒙 2 2
2 2
𝑥2 − 1 +1
𝑥2 − 1 +1
4 4

−
𝑥2 − 1) 𝑥)
𝒅𝒚
= 4
𝒅𝒙 2 2
2
𝑥 −1 +1
4

Exercise
𝑡−1 2 1
For 𝑦= ) 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑥 = − 1 , 𝑎𝑡 𝑡 = 2
𝑡+1 𝑡2
𝑑𝑦 −16
Prove that
𝑑𝑥
= 27