APPM1004 — Revision Lectures 1

Revision Lecture # 10
Implicit Differentiation & Related Rates

Outcomes of this lecture

After studying this lecture and practising examples you will be able to:

1.) differentiate an implicit function with respect to a given variable.

2.) differentiate a function with respect to t where y = f (x) is implicit and both x and y
are dependent on the independent variable t. (Related Rates)

Pre-knowledge and Skills

You will need to be completely familiar with

1.) the rules of differentiation.

2.) solving equations.

APPM1004 — Revision Lectures 2

Revision Lecture # 10
Implicit Differentiation & Related Rates

Implicit Differentiation

ˆ An explicit function y = f (x), has the dependent variable, y, on the left of the
equation and an expression on the right that contains only the independent variable x.
For example
y = x2 + 6x.

dy
ˆ To find the derivative , the right hand side is differentiated with respect to x.
dx
dy d 2
⇒ = (x + 6x)
dx dx

= 2x + 6.

ˆ An implicit function may contain terms like y n , ln y , ey etc. and the variable y
may be combined with the independent variable x in various ways on either side of the
equation, for example,
x2 + x3 y = ln y − y 2 .

ˆ The generalised chain rule is used to differentiate terms like y n , ln y and ey , with
respect to x.
For example, to differentiate y n ,

◦ Firstly y n is differentiated with respect to y (not wrt x).

d n
(y ) = n · y n−1
dy

d n dy
◦ Then, to get the derivative with respect to x, y is multiplied by .
dy dx
d n d dy dy
(y ) = (y n ) · = n · y n−1 ·
dx dy dx dx
APPM1004 — Revision Lectures 3

Revision Lecture # 10
Implicit Differentiation & Related Rates

ˆ Similary the terms, ln y and ey , are differentiated using the same process.

◦ The derivative of ln y with respect to x, is as follows

d d dy 1 dy
(ln y) = (ln y) · = ·
dx dy dx y dx

◦ The derivative of ey with respect to x, is as follows

d y d y dy dy
(e ) = (e ) · = ey ·
dx dy dx dx

◦ The product rule is used for mixed terms.

d n m d n d
(x y ) = (x ) · y m + xn · (y m )
dx dx dx
d n m dy
⇒ (x y ) = nxn−1 · y m + xn · m y m−1
dx dx
ˆ Example 1
dy
Find from the implicit relationship,
dx

x2 + x3 y = ln y − y 2 .

d
Step 1. Write (without the y in the numerator) on the left of each term.
dx
d 2 d 3 d d 2
(x ) + (x y) = (ln y) − (y ).
dx dx dx dx

◦ This indicates that each term is going to be differentiated with respect to x.

APPM1004 — Revision Lectures 4

Revision Lecture # 10
Implicit Differentiation & Related Rates

Step 2. Differentiate each term as follows.

◦ Terms that contain only x are differentiated normally (as for explicit func-
tions).
d 2
eg. (x ) = 2x
dx
◦ Terms that contain only y are differentiated using the chain rule, first with
respect to y and then y is differentiated with respect to x by multiplying
dy
by .
dx
d d dy 1 dy
eg. (ln y) = (ln y) · = ·
dx dy dx y dx
and
d 2 d dy dy
(y ) = (y 2 ) · = 2y ·
dx dy dx dx
◦ Terms that are products of x and y variables are differentiated using the
product rule.
d 3 d 3 d
eg. xy = (x ) · y + x3 · (y)
dx dx dx
d 3 dy
⇒ xy = 3x2 · y + x3 · (1) ·
dx dx
◦ After each term has been differentiated, the result is an equation that
dy
contains in combination with the variables x and y.
dx
dy 1 dy dy
⇒ 2x + 3x2 y + x3 · = · − 2y ·
dx y dx dx
dy
Step 3. Make the subject of the equation
dx
◦
dy 1 dy dy
⇒ x3 − + 2y = −2x − 3x2 y
dx y dx dx
 
dy 3 1
⇒ x − + 2y = −2x − 3x2 y
dx y

dy −2x − 3x2 y
⇒ = 3
dx x − y −1 + 2y
−−−−−−−−−−→
APPM1004 — Revision Lectures 5

Revision Lecture # 10
Implicit Differentiation & Related Rates

ˆ Implicit differentiation is also used when the variables x and y are both dependent
on a third variable. The third variable may or may not appear in the equation that
relates x and y.

◦ To differentiate any relationship between the variables x and y with respect to

another independent variable, t, requires the following rules.
d d dx dx
f (x) = f (x) · = f 0 (x) ·
dt dx dt dt

d d dy dy
g(y) = g(y) · = g 0 (y) ·
dt dy dt dt
◦ You will be told in the question that the variables are dependent on a third
variable in the case that the third variable does not appear in the equation.

ˆ Example 2(i)
dp
Find from the equation
dt
x2 − 7xp = p2 + 28,

where both x and y are dependent on the variable t.

Step 1. Differentiate each term with respect to the variable t ,

d
◦ Write on the left of each term.
dt
d 2 d d d
(x ) − (7xp) = (p2 ) + (28).
dt dt dt dt

d 2 dx
◦ (x ) = 2x · and
dt dt
d 2 dp
◦ (p ) = 2p ·
dt dt
d d d dx dp dx dp
◦ (7xp) = (7x) · p + 7x · (p) = 7 · · p + 7x · = 7p + 7x
dt |dt {z dt } dt dt dt dt
product rule
APPM1004 — Revision Lectures 6

Revision Lecture # 10
Implicit Differentiation & Related Rates

Step 2. After differentiating each term,

 
dx dx dp dp
2x − 7p + 7x = 2p + 0.
dt dt dt dt
dp
make the subject of the equation.
dt
◦ Multiply out the bracket around the product rule, taking care with the neg-
ative sign.
dx dx dp dp
2x − 7p − 7x = 2p + 0.
dt dt dt dt
dp
◦ Collect the terms containing onto to the left hand side of the equation.
dt
dp dp dx dx
−7x − 2p = −2x + 7p .
dt dt dt dt
dp dx
◦ Factorise out and .
dt dt
dp dx
[−7x − 2p] = [−2x + 7p] .
dt dt
◦ Hence
dp −2x + 7p dx
= · .
dt −7x − 2p dt
dx dp
ˆ Example 2(ii) Given = 6 when p = 2, evaluate for x > 0.
dt dt
Step 3. Calculate the value of x from the original equation by substituting p = 2.

x2 − 7x(2) = (2)2 + 28

⇒ x2 − 14x − 32 = 0

⇒ (x + 2)(x − 16) = 0

⇒ x = −2 and x = 16

dp −2(16) + 7(2)
Step 4. = · (6) = 0, 931 rounded to three decimal places.
dt −7(16) − 2(2)
APPM1004 — Revision Lectures 7

Revision Lecture # 10
Exercises

1. Given the equation,

xy 3 − 160x2 = 1 000,

where x is the number of units sold and y is revenue. Calculate the rate of change of
revenue with respect to the number of units sold when five units are sold.

2. The demand for q units of a product is related to the price of the product, p (in rands),
by means of the equation,
√
q 2 − 2q p − p2 = 29.

Calculate (rounded to two decimal places) the rate of change of demand with respect
to price when the price of the product is R4.

3. Given the equation,

7x3 + y 2 = 1 100,

where x is the number of units produced and sold and y is profit. If x and y are both
dx dy
functions of time, t, then calculate at the instant that y = 15 and = 98.
dt dt
4. Supply, q (in thousands of units), is related to price, p (in rands), by means of the
equation,
q 2 + qp + p2 = 52,

where p and q are both functions of time t (in months). Determine the rate of change
of supply per month at the instant that the price is R6 and is increasing at a rate of
fifteen cents per month.

5. Challenge:
dy
Using the rules of logarithms and implicit differentiation, find from the equation
dx

y = xx