# implicit differentiation

• May 18th 2012, 05:45 AM
Stuck Man
implicit differentiation
x^-1 +y^-1 = pi^-1

How do I differentiate this? dy/dx should be -(y^2)/x^2.
• May 18th 2012, 05:58 AM
Plato
Re: implicit differentiation
Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck Man
x^-1 +y^-1 = pi^-1
How do I differentiate this? should be $\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{-y^2}{x^2}$.

YES
• May 18th 2012, 06:03 AM
Stuck Man
Re: implicit differentiation
That is the answer in the book. I have not obtained it.
• May 18th 2012, 06:21 AM
Plato
Re: implicit differentiation
Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck Man
That is the answer in the book. I have not obtained it.

Start with $x^{-1}+y^{-1}=\pi^{-1}$
STEP I: $-x^{-2}-y^{-2}y^/=0$

STEP II: Solve for $y^/$
• May 18th 2012, 06:38 AM
Stuck Man
Re: implicit differentiation
Thanks. Is the second derivative (2y^3 +2xy^2)/x^4?
• May 18th 2012, 09:06 AM
Soroban
Re: implicit differentiation
Hello, Stuck Man!

Quote:

$\text{Is the second derivative: }\:y'' \:=\:\frac{2y^3 +2xy^2}{x^4}\:?$

Yes . . . but it can be further simplified.

We have: . $y'' \;=\;\frac{2y^2(y + x)}{x^4}$ .[1]

From the original equation: . $\frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{y} \:=\:\frac{1}{\pi}$

. . we have: . $\frac{y+x}{xy} \:=\:\frac{1}{\pi} \quad\Rightarrow\quad y+x \:=\:\frac{xy}{\pi}$

Substitute into [1]: . $y'' \;=\;\frac{2y^2\left(\frac{xy}{\pi}\right)}{x^4} \;=\;\frac{2y^3}{\pi x^3}$

This is something to watch for . . .
Quite often, the second derivative contains part (or all) of the original equation.