Differential Calculus - Implicit Differentiation

 An explicit function is a function that is expressed clearly.

 An implicit function is a function that is defined by an implicit equation. That means the
function contains several variables.
Page | 1
Revision of The Chain Rule
dy dy du
 The chain rule states that if y is a function of x then   .
dx du dx
Example:
9
Using chain rule method differentiate y   6 x 2  3 x  with respect to x .

 Notice that the given function in the example above is an explicit function, as it is clearly
expressed in terms of x .
Solution:
9
y   6 x 2  3x 
Step 1: let u  6 x 2  3 x,
Step 2 : then y  u 9
du
Step 3:  6  2  x 2 1  3 1 x11  12 x  3 x 0  12 x  3
dx
dy d  u 
9

Step 4:   9u 9 1  9u 8
du du
dy dy du
Step 5:  
dx du dx
dy
Step 6:   9u 8   12 x  3  But u  6 x 2  3 x 
dx
dy 8
Step 7:  9  6 x 2  3 x  12 x  3 
dx

 Now, differentiate the function y  u 9 with respect to x .

 Notice that y  u 9 is not clearly expressed in terms of of x , and so it is an implicit function.
 And to differentiate y  u 9 , we will pick the solution above from Step 2, disregarding Step
du
3, taking Steps 4 and 5, and then multiply the derivative of y with respect to u by .
dx

By Emmanuel Mwaba, Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.

Solution

Step 2 : y  u 9
dy d  u 
9

Step 4:   9u 91  9u 8
du du Page | 2
dy dy du
Step 5:  
dx du dx
dy du
  9u 8  
dx dx
dy du
 9u 8
dx dx

 In short, given an implicit function like y  u 9 , to find its derivative with respect to x , first
dy du
differentiate y with respect to u i.e  9u 8 and then multiply it by .
du dx

y  u9
dy d  u 
9

  9u 91  9u 8
du du
dy du
 9u 8
dx dx

Examples of Implicit Functions:

The following are examples of implicit functions:

1. x 2  y 2  4
2. x 2  xy  y 2  x  6  0
y2
3. y 3  x sin y  8
x
Example 1:
Find the derivative, with respect to x , of each of the following functions:

a) y9
b) z  e3u
c) y cos x
d) z  sin  y 3  2 

By Emmanuel Mwaba, Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.

Solution 1(a)

d 9  dy 
dx
y  9
 y depends on x. find derivative of y and then multiply it by dx 
dy
 9 x 9 1 Page | 3
dx
dy
 9 x8
dx
Solution 1(b)

 du 
z  e3u 3u
u depends on x. find derivative of e and then multiply it by dx 
dz du
 3e3u
dx dx
Solution 1(c)

y cos x  use product rule to differentiate

du dy
Let u  y , then 
dx dx
dv
Let v  cos x, then   sin x
dx
d dv du
 y cos x   u  v
dx dx dx
 dy 
  y   sin x    cos x   
 dx 
dy
  y sin x  cos x
dx
Solution 1(d)

z  sin  y 3  2 
Let u  y 3  2, then z  sin u
du dy dz
 3y2 and  cos u
dx dx du
dz dz du
 
dx du dx
dz  dy 
  cos u   3 y 2 
dx  dx 
dz dy
 3 y 2 cos  y 3  2 
dx dx

By Emmanuel Mwaba, Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.

Example 2:
dy
Differentiate each of the following with respect to x and find :
dx

a) cos y  x 3  4 y  sin x Page | 4

y2
b) x  cos x 2   3x 5  4 x3
x
c) 6 xy 3  sin y 2  2 x 3  10  0

Solution 2(a)

cos y  x 3  4 y  sin x
dy dy
 sin y  3 x 2  4  cos x
dx dx
dy dy
4  sin y  cos x  3 x 2
dx dx
dy
 4  sin y   cos x  3x 2
dx
dy cos x  3 x 2

dx 4  sin y

Solution 2(b)

2 y2
x  cos x   3x5  4 x3
x
 dy 
  x   2 y    y 2  1 
1  2 x sin x 2   dx   15 x 2
 12 x 3
 x2
2
 x 
 
dy
x 2  2 x 3 sin x 2  2 xy  y 2  15 x 4  12 x 5
dx
dy
2 xy  12 x 5  x 2  2 x 3 sin x 2  y 2  15 x 4
dx
dy 12 x 5  x 2  2 x 3 sin x 2  y 2  15 x 4

dx 2 xy

By Emmanuel Mwaba, Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.

Solution 2(c)

6 xy 3  sin y 2  2 x 3  10  0
dy   dy 
 6 x   3 y 2   y   6    2 y  cos y  6 x  0
3 2 2

 dx   dx 
Page | 5
dy dy
18 xy 2  6 y 3  2 y cos y 2  6x2  0
dx dx
dy dy
18 xy 2  2 y cos y 2  6 x2  6 y3
dx dx
dy
dx
18 xy 2  2 y cos y 2   6 x 2  6 y 3
dy 6x2  6 y3

dx 18 xy 2  2 y cos y 2

Exercise:
Question 1:
Find the derivative, with respect to x , of each of the following functions:

a) x 2 y
b) x sin y
c) z  cos  y 2  x 
d) y 3
e) z  x  y

Question 2:
dy
Differentiate each of the following with respect to x and find :
dx

a) 5 x 3  x 2 sin y  6 xy  9
b) sin y  4 y  x 2  cos x
4 y3
c) y  sin x 3   7 x2  4 x3
x
3 3
d) 2 y  x  xy  cos y  0
e) cos y  x 3  4 y  sin x
f) e x  y  cos  x  y 

By Emmanuel Mwaba, Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.