Derivatives of Parametric Equations

In some cases, it is more convenient to represent a function by expressing x and y

separately in terms of a third independent variable, e.g. x  sin t ; y  cos 2 t . In this
case, any value we give to t will produce a pair of values for x and y , which could if
necessary be plotted and provide one point of the curve of y  f ( x ) .
The third variable, e.g. t , is called a parameter, and the two expressions for x and y
parametric equations. We may still need to find the derivatives of the function with
respect to x , so how do we go about it?
Let us take the case already quoted above.
The parametric equations of a function are given as x  sin t ; y  cos 2 t .
dy d2y
We are required to find expressions for and .
dx dx2
Here is the working:

That was easy enough. Now how do we find the second derivative? We cannot get it
d2y d 2x
by finding and from the parametric equations and joining them together as
dt 2 dt 2
we did for the first derivative. So what do we do?
To find the second derivative, we must go back to the very meaning of
d 2 y d  dy  d
     4 sin t 
dx2 dx  dx  dx

This instruction material adopted from Engineering Mathematics by K.A. Stroud 1

 But we cannot differentiate a function of t directly with respect to x.
d dt 1
Therefore we say  4 sin t   d  4 sin t . dt ; remember: 
dx dt dx dx dx dt
So that,
d2y d dt 1
2
  4 sin t .  4 cos t .  4
dx dt dx cos t
d2y
  4
dx2

Let us work through another one. What about this?

The parametric equations of a function are given as: y  sin   sin 3  and x  cos 3 
dy d2y
find and
dx dx2

Here is the working:

This instruction material adopted from Engineering Mathematics by K.A. Stroud 2

 Now here is one for you to do in just the same way.

Here is the working:

EXERCISES

This instruction material adopted from Engineering Mathematics by K.A. Stroud 3