Higher Derivatives

𝑑𝑦
The first derivative of 𝑦 with respect to 𝑥, , is itself a function of 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
(independent variable) and hence can be differentiated once more,
i.e.,
𝑑 𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚
( ) =
𝑑𝑥 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙𝟐
This is known as the second derivative of 𝑦 with respect to 𝑥 or
noted as 𝑦″.
𝑑3𝑦 𝑑𝑛𝑦
Subsequent differentiation may yield: ; . ..... ..;
𝑑𝑥 3 𝑑𝑥 𝑛
 Alternatenotations : 𝑦″, 𝑦‴, … , 𝑦ⁿ(𝑥), 𝑓″(𝑥),
𝑓‴(𝑥), 𝑓ⁿ(𝑥), ....., 𝐷𝑥2 𝑦, .... , 𝐷𝑥𝑛 𝑦

The second derivative of 𝑦 with respect to 𝑥

is the rate of change of slope of the graph.
Illustrative Exercises: Find the second and
third derivatives:
1) 𝑦 = (𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1)2
Solution:
 First, determine the first derivative,
𝑑(𝑦) 𝑑(𝑥 2 +𝑥+1)2
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
Since it is a power function, apply the power formula first:
𝑑𝑦 𝑑 𝑥 2 +𝑥+1 𝑑𝑢𝑛 𝑑𝑢
=2 𝑥2 +𝑥+1 [ = n𝑢 𝑛−1
]
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝒅
Note that every time the differential operator ( ) is observed,
𝒅𝒙
differentiation must continue on the factor or term being operated.
𝑑𝑦
= 2 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1 (2x + 1)
𝑑𝑥
 Next, Determine the second derivative by differentiating the result
of the first derivative:
𝑑𝑦
𝑑(𝑑𝑥) 𝑑2𝑦 𝑑(2 𝑥 2 +𝑥+1 (2x+1) ) 𝑑( 𝑥 2 +𝑥+1 (2x+1))
= = y″ = =2
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
 Observe that you may differentiate the functions as factors or you
may multiply the factors before differentiating: Choose according to
your convenience
 If differentiated as factors, the product rule apply:
2+𝑥+1
𝑑 2𝑥 + 1 𝑑 𝑥
𝑦 ″ = 2[ 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1 + 2x + 1 ]
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= 2[ 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1 2 + 2𝑥 + 1 2𝑥 + 1 ]
= 2[2𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 2 + 4𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 1]
= 2(6𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 3)
= 6(2𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 1)
 Finally, take the third derivative by differentiating the result of the second
derivative:
𝑑2 𝑦
𝑑( ) 𝑑3𝑦 𝑑(6(2𝑥 2 +2𝑥+1) ) 𝑑( (2𝑥 2 +2𝑥+1) )
𝑑𝑥2 ‴
= =𝑦 = = 6
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 3 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= 6 4𝑥 + 2
= 12(2𝑥 + 1)
1+𝑡 2
2) 𝑥 =
𝑡2
 The independent variable in this exercise is 𝑡 and the quotient rule apply.
Take the first derivative:
1+𝑡2
𝑑𝑥 𝑑( 2 ) 𝑡 2 2𝑡 −(1+𝑡 2 ) (2𝑡) 2𝑡 3 −2𝑡−2𝑡 3 −2
= 𝑡
= = = = −2𝑡 −3
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑡4 𝑡4 𝑡3
Take the second derivative:
𝑑𝑥
𝑑( ) −3
𝑑𝑡 = 𝑥 ″ = 𝑑(−2𝑡 ) = 6𝑡 −4
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Finally, the third derivative:
𝑑(𝑥 ″ ) 𝑑(6𝑡 −4
)
= 𝑥‴ = = −24𝑡 −5
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Exercise No.3 Rate of change of slope

(1−𝑥)2
3) For the curve 𝑦 = ,
find the rate of change of the slope at
𝑥
(2,½)
Solution:
 The rate of change of slope is the value of the second derivative of
the function at a point.
′ 𝑥 2 1−𝑥 −1 −(1−𝑥)2 (1) (1−𝑥 2 )
𝑦 = = − 2
𝑥2 𝑥
𝑥 2 −2𝑥 − 1−𝑥 2 2𝑥 −2𝑥 2
𝑦″ = − = − 4 = 3
𝑥4 𝑥 𝑥
1
Hence, @𝑃: (2, );
2
2 1
𝑦″ = = .
(2)3 4
4) If 𝑦 = 4𝑥 − 1, find 𝑦‴:
Solution:
Find the first derivative:
1
′ 1 𝑑(4𝑥−1) 1 −2
𝑦 = (4𝑥 − 1)−1/2 = 4𝑥 − 1 4 = 2(4𝑥 − 1)−1/2
2 𝑑𝑥 2
Find the second derivative:

″
1 −2 𝑑
3 4𝑥 − 1 3
−2
𝑦 = 2 − 4𝑥 − 1 = − 4𝑥 − 1 (4)
2 𝑑𝑥
Finally, the third derivative:
3
𝑦 ‴ = −4[− (4𝑥 − 1)−5/2 ](4)
2
= 24(4𝑥 − 1)−5/2
Assignment Set No. 4

A) Find the first derivative:

a-1. y = (1-2x)³ Ans. yʹ = -6(1-2x)²
3 −6𝑡 3
a-2. 𝜃 = Ans. 𝜃′=
16+𝑡 4 ( 16+𝑡 4 )3
a-3. f(x) = (2+x)²(1-x)³ Ans. fʹ(x) = -(2+x)(1-x)²(4+5x)
−1
a-4. φ(x) = 1 + 1 − 𝑥 Ans.φʹ(x)=
1−𝑥 1+ 1−𝑥
(𝑥+1)2
a-5. 𝑦 = Ans.yʹ= 1 - 3x¯² - 2x¯³
𝑥2
B) Find the slope of the curve at the given point:
b-1. y = (2x-1)²(x-2)³ at (1,-1). Ans. - 1
b-2. y = 25 − 𝑥 2 at (4,3). Ans. - 4/3
C) Find the second derivative:
𝑐 − 1. 𝑦 = (2𝑥 − 1)³(𝑥 + 2)² Ans. y″ = 10(2x-1)(8x²+16x+5)

(2𝑥 2 −4𝑎𝑥+𝑎2 )
c-2. 𝑦 = 2𝑎𝑥 − 𝑥2 Ans. y″ = −
(2𝑎𝑥−𝑥 2 )3/2

D) If ∅ 𝑥 = (𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏)1/2 ; 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 ∅‴ 𝑥 .

3 3
Ans. ∅‴ 𝑥 = 𝑎 (𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏)−5/2
8
Implicit Functions and Derivatives in Implicit
Forms

The general form of implicit function:

𝐹(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑐
 To find the derivative of a function implicitly defined, differentiate
each term of the equation F(x,y) = c with respect to x (independent
variable), bearing in mind that y is a function of x.
Illustration:

Differentiate implicitly: Find the first derivative:

1) (𝑥 + 𝑦)2 = 2𝑎𝑦
 Note that expressing 𝑦 as an explicit function of 𝑥 is quite difficult.
 The given relationship is a typical implicit function of 𝑥 and 𝑦.
 Let us take the first derivative bearing in mind that 𝑥 is the
independent variable.
𝑑(𝑥+𝑦)2 𝑑(2𝑎𝑦)
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑(𝑥+𝑦) 𝑑𝑦
2 𝑥+𝑦 = 2𝑎
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
 Reduce to the lowest terms before continuing to differentiate:
𝑑(𝑥+𝑦) 𝑑𝑦
𝑥+𝑦 = 𝑎
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑥+𝑦 + =𝑎
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑥+𝑦 1+ =𝑎
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
 Collect similar terms and simplify:
𝑑𝑦
𝑎− 𝑥+𝑦 = (𝑥 + 𝑦)
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 𝑥+𝑦
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑎−𝑥−𝑦
Or, 𝑎 − 𝑥 − 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 𝑑𝑥
which will become familiar to you in your study of the
differential equations.
 𝑑𝑧
2) If 𝑧 2 − 2𝑧𝑦 + 3𝑦 2 = 4, find
𝑑𝑦
Solution:
 Differentiate all terms with respect to 𝑦:
𝑑(𝑧 2 − 2𝑧𝑦 + 3𝑦 2 ) 𝑑(4)
=
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑑(𝑧 2 ) 𝑑 𝑧𝑦 𝑑(𝑦 2 )
−2 +3 =0
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑧 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧 𝑑𝑦
2𝑧 − 2 𝑧 + 𝑦 + 3[2𝑦 ] = 0
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑧 𝑑𝑧
2𝑧 − 2 𝑧(1) + 𝑦 + [6𝑦] = 0
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑧 𝑑𝑧
2𝑧 − 2y = 2𝑧 − 6𝑦
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑧
2 𝑧−𝑦 = 2(𝑧 − 3𝑦)
𝑑𝑦
Therefore,
𝑑𝑧 𝑧−3𝑦
=
𝑑𝑦 𝑧−𝑦
3) If 𝑦 2 = 4𝑎𝑥 , find 𝑦 ″ :
Solution:
 There are two possible ways to solve the exercise.
 First, differentiate implicitly:
𝑑(𝑦 2 ) 𝑑(4𝑎𝑥) 𝑑𝑥
= = 4𝑎 = 4𝑎
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
2𝑦 = 4𝑎
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 2𝑎
= = 2𝑎𝑦 −1
𝑑𝑥 𝑦
𝑑𝑦
𝑑(𝑑𝑥) 𝑑(𝑦 −1 ) 𝑑𝑦
= 2𝑎 = −2𝑎𝑦 −2 ( )
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑦″ = −2𝑎𝑦 −2 [2𝑎𝑦 −1 ]
4𝑎2
= − 3
𝑦
 𝑦 = 2 𝑎𝑥;
4𝑎2 4𝑎2 𝑎
Hence, 𝑦″ =− 3 = − =−
(2 𝑎𝑥) 8 𝑎𝑥 𝑎𝑥 2𝑥 3/2
The alternate solution:
 Differentiate explicitly, i.e.,
𝑦 = 4𝑎𝑥 = 2 𝑎𝑥
1
′ 1 − 𝑑 𝑎𝑥
𝑦 = 2[ 𝑎𝑥 2 ]
2 𝑑𝑥
= 𝑎(𝑎𝑥)−1/2
1 𝑑(𝑎𝑥)
𝑦″ = − 𝑎(𝑎𝑥) −3/2
2 𝑑𝑥
1
= − 𝑎2 (𝑎𝑥)−3/2
2
1
= − 𝑎2 𝑎 −3/2 𝑥 −3/2
2
𝑎1/2
= − 3/2
2(𝑥 )
𝑎
=−
2(𝑥 3/2 )
 𝑥3
4) Find the slope of the curve 𝑦² = at (𝑎, 𝑎).
2𝑎−𝑥
Solution:
2𝑎−𝑥 3𝑥 2 −𝑥 3 (−1) 2𝑎−𝑥 3𝑥 2 +𝑥 3
2𝑦𝑦 ′ = =
(2𝑎−𝑥)2 (2𝑎−𝑥)2
Substitute value of 𝑥 = 𝑎 and 𝑦 = 𝑎:
′
2𝑎 − 𝑎 3𝑎2 + 𝑎3 4𝑎3
2 𝑎 𝑦 = 2
= 2 = 4𝑎
(2𝑎 − 𝑎) 𝑎
Therefore: 𝑦′ = 2

 This procedure illustrate the advantage of implicit differentiation.

Assignment set No. 5

A) Find the first derivative :

𝑥
𝑎 − 1. 𝑥² + 𝑦² = 𝑎² Ans. 𝑦 ′ = - 𝑦
𝑥−𝑦−3
𝑎 − 2. 𝑥² − 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦² − 6𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 0 Ans. 𝑦 ′ =
𝑥−𝑦−1
′ 𝑥(𝑥 2 −𝑦 2 −𝑎2 )
𝑎 − 3 (𝑥² − 𝑦²)³ = 3𝑎⁴𝑥 2 Ans. 𝑦 =
𝑦(𝑥 2 −𝑦 2 )2

𝑑2 𝜃 𝑑2 𝜃 (𝑡𝜃 2 −𝑡 3 − 𝑐 2 𝜃)
B) If 4𝑐³𝜃𝑡 = (𝜃² − 𝑡²)², find Ans. =
𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 2 𝜃 3 −𝑡 2 𝜃−𝑐 2 𝑡

C) Find the slope of the curve at the given point:

c-1. 𝑥² + 𝑦² − 12𝑥 + 4𝑦 − 5 = 0 at (0,1) Ans. 2
2 2𝑎3 𝑥
c-2. 𝑦 = at (𝑎, 𝑎) Ans. 0
𝑥 2 +𝑎2