Implicit Differentiation:

y depends upon x explicitly

when y equals an explicit function of x: y = f (x).

y depends upon x implicitly

when the relationship is less direct: g(x, y) = 0.

The Implicit Function Theorem gives many situations where an

implicit relationship g(x, y) = 0 can still yield an function f
where we can have y = f (x) over certain intervals,
but we often cannot solve for y explicitly, as a function of x.

dy
However, we can still solve for = f 0(x) at any point (x, y)
dx
in terms of the coordinates x and y.
 Given g(x, y) = x3 + y 3 − 3axy = 0,
assume that x3 + y 3(x) − 3axy(x) = 0.
d
: 3x2 + 3y 2(x)y 0(x) − 3ay(x) − 3axy 0(x) = 0.
dx
÷3 : x2 + y 2(x)y 0(x) − ay(x) − axy 0(x) = 0.
Separate y 0s from non-y 0s: y 2y 0 − axy 0 = ay − x2.
Factor out y 0s: y 0(y 2 − ax) = ay − x2.
2
ay − x
Finally, divide: y0 = 2 .
Another way: y − ax
∂g(x, y) ∂
(x3 + y 3 − 3axy) 3x2 + 0 − 3ay
y0 = − ∂x = − ∂x =−
∂g(x, y) ∂ 3 3 0 + 3y 2 − 3ax
(x + y − 3axy)
∂y ∂y
 √ √ √
Given g(x, y) = x+ y = a,
1 1 1
assume that x + y (x)
2 2 =a.2

d 1 −1 1 −1
: x 2 + y 2 (x)y 0(x) = 0.
dx 2 1
2 1
×2 : x− 2 + y − 2 (x)y 0(x) = 0.
1 1
√ +p y 0(x) = 0.
x y(x)
0 0 1 1
Separate y s from non-y s: p y 0(x)
= −√
y(x) x
1
√ r
0 x y
Finally, divide: y (x) = − =− .
1 x
p
y(x)
∂g(x,y) ∂ √ √ 1
( x + y)
r
0 ∂x ∂x
√
2 x y
Or y = − ∂g(x,y) = − ∂ √ √ =− 1 =− .
∂y
( x + y) √
2 y
x
∂y
 An Ellipse: 9x2 + 4y 2 = 72,
assume that 9x2 + 4y 2(x) = 72.
d
: 18x + 8y(x)y 0(x) = 0.
dx

Let x = 2 and y = 3: 18 · 2 + 8 · 3y 0 = 0.
0 3
y =−
2
The line tangent to the ellipse at (2, 3) is (y −3) = − 32 (x−2).

The line normal to the ellipse at (2, 3) is (y − 3) = 23 (x − 2).

(Advice: Differentiate, then substitute numbers, then simplify.)

 The tangent line to the ellipse above has angle of inclination
equal to arctan (− 32 ) = − arctan 32 .
The line y = 32 x, which intersects the tangent line at the point
(2, 3), has angle of inclination equal to arctan 32 .
The angle between these lines has tangent equal to:
!
3 3 3 3
  
tan arctan − − arctan = tan arctan + arctan
2 2 2 2
 
2 tan arctan 32 2 · 32 3 3 12
=  =
3

2 = 9 = 5 =− .
1 − tan2 arctan 32 1− 2 1−4 −4 5

This angle, being positive, is equal to

12
π − arctan = 180◦ − 67.38◦ = 112.62◦.
5
 A Hyperbola: x2 + 4xy + y 2 + 3 = 0,
d
: 2x + 4y + 4xy 0 + 2yy 0 + 0 = 0.
dx
÷2 : x + 2y + 2xy 0 + yy 0 = 0.
At (x = 2, y = −1) : 2 + 2 · (−1) + 2 · 2y 0 + (−1) · y 0 = 0.
At (x = 2, y = −1) : y 0 = 0.
At most (x, y) again : x + 2y + 2xy 0 + yy 0 = 0.
d
: 1 + 2y 0 + 2y 0 + 2xy 00 + y 0y 0 + yy 00 = 0.
dx
At (x = 2, y = −1) : 1 + 4 · 0 + 2 · 2y 00 + 02 + (−1)y 00 = 0.
At (x = 2, y = −1, y 0 = 0) : 1 + 3y 00 = 0.
00 1
y =− .
3
A Conic Section: ax2 + 2xy + by 2 = 1,
d
: 2ax + 2y + 2xy 0 + 2byy 0 = 0.
dx
÷2 : ax + y + xy 0 + byy 0 = 0.

0
ax + y
(This yields y = − .)
x + by
d
: a + y 0 + y 0 + xy 00 + by 0y 0 + byy 00 = 0.
dx

xy 00 + byy 00 = −a − 2y 0 − by 0y 0.
00 ax + y ax + y 2
(x + by)y = −a − 2(− ) − b(− )
x + by x + by
(x + by)3y 00 = −a(x + by)2 + 2((ax + y)(x + by))
− b(ax + y)2
(x + by)3y 00 = −a(x + by)2 + 2((ax + y)(x + by))
− b(ax + y)2
(x + by)3y 00 = − a x2 − 2ab xy − ab2 y 2
+ 2a x2 + 2ab xy + 2 xy + 2 b y 2
− a2b x2 − 2ab xy − b y2

= − 2ab xy − ab2 y 2
+ a x2 + 2 xy + b y2
− a 2 b x2
= (1−ab) · (ax2 + 2xy + by 2) = (1 − ab)(1)

00 1 − ab
y =
(x + by)3