Engr. Elesio Fuentes Camiller III, M.
Eng
6 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
Implicit and Explicit Functions
Up to this point in the text, most functions have been expressed in explicit
form. For example, in the equation y = 3x2 – 5, the variable y is explicitly
written as a function of x. Some functions, however, are only implied by an
1
equation. For instance, the function y = is defined implicitly by the equation
x
xy = 1 Implicit form
dy
To find for this equation, you can write explicitly as a function of and
dx
then differentiate.
Implicit form: Explicit form: Derivative:
xy = 1 1 dy 1
y= = x–1 = –x–2 = – 2
x dx x
6 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
This strategy works whenever you can solve for the function explicitly. You
cannot, however, use this procedure when you are unable to solve for as
dy
a function of x. For instance, how would you find for the equation
dx
x2 – 2y2 + 4y = 2 ?
For this equation, it is difficult to express as a function of explicitly. To find
dy
you can use implicit differentiation.
dx
6 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
dy
To understand how to find implicitly, you must realize that the
dx
differentiation is taking place with respect to x. This means that when you
differentiate terms involving x alone, you can differentiate as usual.
However, when you differentiate terms involving y, you must apply the
Chain Rule, because you are assuming that y is defined implicitly as a
differentiable function of x.
EXAMPLE 20 Differentiating with Respect to x
QUESTION: Differentiate the following functions:
d 3
a. ( x ) = 3x2
dx
d 3 dy
b. ( y ) = 3y2
dx dx
d dy
c. ( x + 3y) = 1 + 3
dx dx
d d d
d. ( xy2) = x (y2) + y2 (x)
dx dx dx
dy
= x (2y ) + y2(1)
dx
dy
= 2xy + y2
dx
6 IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
Guidelines for Implicit Differentiation
1. Differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to x.
dy
2. Collect all terms involving on the left side of the equation and
dx
move all other terms to the right side of the equation.
dy
3. Factor out of the left side of the equation.
dx
dy
4. Solve for .
dx
EXAMPLE 21 Implicit Differentiation
QUESTION: dy
Find given that y3 + y2 – 5y – x2 = –4
dx
SOLUTION:
d 3 d
(y + y2 – 5y – x2) = (–4)
dx dx
dy dy dy
3y2 + 2y –5 – 2x = 0
dx dx dx
dy dy dy
3y2 + 2y –5 = 2x
dx dx dx
dy 2
(3y + 2y – 5) = 2x
dx
dy 2x
= 2
dx 3y + 2y – 5
12 DERIVATIVE OF HYPERBOLIC FUNCTIONS
d d
[ sinh u] = (cosh u) u’ [ csch u] = – (cschu cothu) u’
dx dx
d d
[ cosh u] = (sinh u) u’ [ sech u] = – (sechu tanhu) u’
dx dx
d d
[ tanh u] = (sech2 u) u’ [ coth u] = – (csch2 u) u’
dx dx
EXAMPLE 22 Derivative of Hyperbolic Functions
QUESTION: Differentiate the following functions:
a. f(x) = sinh(2x2) f'(x) = cosh(2x2)(4x) = 4xcosh(2x2)
b. y = tanh(x2 – 1) y’ = sech2(x2 – 1)(2x) = 2x sech2(x2 – 1)
c. y = coth(25x3 – 2) y' = – [csch2(25x3 – 2)](75x2) = –75x2 csch2(25x3 – 2)
d. f(x) = csch(x4 – x3 + 2) f'(x) = – [csch(x4 – x3 + 2)coth(x4 – x3 + 2)] (4x3 – 3x2)
f'(x) = (–4x3 + 3x2)csch(x4 – x3 + 2)coth(x4 – x3 + 2)
e. y = xsinhx – coshx y’ = x(coshx) + sinhx(1) – sinhx(1) = x(coshx)
8 DERIVATIVES OF LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS
LOGARITHMIC PROPERTIES:
1. ln(1) = 0
If a and b are positive numbers and 2. ln(ab) = lna + lnb
n is rational, then the following
properties are true. 3. ln(an) = n lna
a
4. ln( ) = lna – lnb
b
DERIVATIVES OF LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS:
d u’ d u’
[ ln u] = ;u≠0 [ loga u] = ;u≠0
dx u dx (lna)u
EXAMPLE 23 Derivative of Logarithmic Functions
QUESTION: Differentiate the following functions:
a. y = ln(4x – 5) u′ 4
y’ = =
u 4x – 5
f(x) = xlnx 1
b. f'(x) = x + lnx(1) = 1+ lnx
x
c. f(x) = xlnx2 2x
f'(x) = x + lnx2(1) = 2 + lnx2
x 2
f(x) = (lnx)3 1 3
d. f'(x) = 3(lnx)2 ( ) = (lnx)2
x x
u’ – sinx – tanx
e. y = log10 cosx y’ = = =
(lna)u (ln10)cosx ln10
