Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

Chapter 4

Chain Rule &

Implicit
Differentiation
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
 Define the chain rule
 Perform chain rule
 Define implicit differentiation
 Perform and compute the implicit differentiation

4.1 Introduction

In the previous chapter, the procedure to determine the second order and
higher order partial derivatives was discussed. In Chapter 4, the chain rule
and implicit differentiation will be extended to function of more than one
variable. These will allow the generation of useful relationships among the
derivatives and partial derivatives of various functions.

4.2 Chain Rule

The standard chain rule for functions of one variable has been used
throughout in the earlier calculus courses. It’s now time to extend the chain
rule out to more complicated situations. Let’s review the notation for the

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chain rule for functions of one variable before we move further into functions
of several variables.

If z is a differentiable function of x and x is a differentiable function of t, then

the chain rule for functions of one variable states that, under assumption, z
becomes a differentiable function of t with
dz dz dx

dt dx dt
z f(x)

t x z f

g f
g(t) f(x) x g(t)

g
z = f(g(t))
t

(a) (b)
Figure 4.1
Figure 4.1 illustrates the tree diagram for the chain rule for functions of one
variable. Figure 4.1(a) is a tree diagram in horizontal form where as Figure
4.1(b) is in vertical form.

Theorem
Chain Rule: One Independent Variable
Let z  f ( x, y ), where f is a differentiable function of x and y. If x  g(t ) ,
y  h(t ) , where g and h are differentiable functions of t, then z is a
differentiable function of t,
dz z dx z dy
 
dt x dt y dt

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

x=g(t)
z z z
g x f z=f(x, y) x y
x
g z
x y
t z
f
h
h y z = f(g(t), h(t)) x dy
g t t dt
g y=h(t)
y(a) (b)
Figure 4.2

Theorem
Chain Rule: Two Independent Variables
Let z  f ( x, y ), where f is a differentiable function of x and y. If x  g(s, t ) ,

x x y y z
y  h(s, t ) , such that the first partials , , , and all exist, then
s t s t s
z
and exist and are given by
t
z z x z y z z x z y
  and  
s x s y s t x t y t

x z
t
t
z z
z
x x y
x x s
s x y
z
y
x x y y
z t t
t s t s
y y
y s t s t s
s
(a) (b)
Figure 4.3

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

Proposition

Let w  f ( x, y, z) be a function defined in region R in space. Suppose that  is

a curve in R given parametrically by x  x(t ) , y  y (t ) , z  z(t ) , with t = 0

corresponding to ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) . Then, considering w  f ( x(t ), y (t ), z(t )) as a

function of t along , we have

dw w dx w dy w dz
   ……… (1)
dt x dt y dt z dt
That is, the rate of change of w with respect to t along  is given by (1) .

Steps : Using chain rule

 Identify the variable

 Find the derivatives
 Apply chain rule
 Substitute in for x and y variables (or other
variable depending on the problem

Example 1
dz
Find , z  ln( x 2  y 2 ) , x  e t , y  e t
dt

Solution

 State chain rule

dz z dx z dy
 
dt x dt y dt

z z z
x y

x y

dx dy
t
dt dt

Figure 4.4

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

 Differentiate x and y w.r.t t (function of single variable)

dx dy
 e  t  et
dt dt
 Determine partial derivatives z w.r.t x and y
z 2x z 2y
 
x ( x  y 2 )
2 y ( x  y 2 )
2

 Applying chain rule

dz  2xet 2ye t
 
dt ( x 2  y 2 ) ( x 2  y 2 )


2
(x  y
2
2
)
ye t
 xe t 

(e  2t
2
 e 2t )
e e t t
 e t e t  ; substitute x  e t and y  e t


(e  2t
2
e 2t
)
e 2t
 e  2t 

Example 2

Let w  f ( x, y, z)  xy  y 2z . Consider the curve given parametrically by

dw
x  t , y  t 2 , z  ln t . Find at t = 2.
dt

Solution

w w
w
x z
y
x y z

dx dy dz
dt dt dt
t t t

Figure 4.5

dw w dx w dy w dz
Since   
dt x dt y dt z dt

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then
w w w
y  x  2yz  y2;
x y z
and
dx dy dz 1
1  2t  .
dt dt dt t
Hence,
dw w dx w dy w dz
  
dt x dt y dt z dt
 1
 y (1)  ( x  2yz )(2t )  y 2  
t 
At t = 2,

x t 2 y  t 2  22  4 z  ln t  ln 2
giving
dw  1
 4(1)  (2  2( 4) ln 2)(4)  16 
dt 2
 20  32 ln 2

Example 3
v v
If v  f ( p 2  q 2 ) , show that p q  0.
q p

Solution

Note that v is a function of single variable. Letting w  p 2  q 2 then

v  f (w ) . Figure 4.6 illustrates the vertical tree diagram for v  f (w )

v
dv
dw
w w w
p q
p q

Figure 4.6
v dv w v dv w
 .  .
q dw q p dw p

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v dv v dv
 .2q  .2p
q dw p dw
dv dv
 2q  2p
dw dw
v v dv dv
p q  2 pq  2pq
q p dw dw
0

Example 4
The radius of a cylinder increases at the rate of 0.2cm/s while the height
decreases at the rate of 0.5cm/s. Find the rate at which the volume is
changing at the instant when r = 8cm and h = 12cm.

Solution

Given that
dr dh
 0 .2  0.5
dt dt
while

V  r 2h  V (r , h)
where the radius (r) and height (h) depend on time (t). Hence, the tree
diagram to illustrates the given information is represented by Figure 4.7.

V V V
r h
r h

dr dh
dt t
dt

Figure 4.7
dV dr dh
 Vr  Vh
dt dt dt
dr dh
 2rh  r 2
dt dt

 2(8)(12)(0.2)  (8)2 (0.5) ; substitute the value

 20.1 cm3 / s

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

Example 5
dw
Suppose that w  cos(xy )  y 2 , x  e3t and y  sin 3t , find
dt

Solution
w w w
x y
x y

dx dy
dt t dt

Figure 4.8
dw w dx w dy
 
dt x dt y dt
w w
  sin( xy ).(y )   sin( xy ).( x )  2y
x y
dx dy
 3e 3t  3 cos 3t
dt dt
dw w dx w dy
 
dt x dt y dt
 3e 3t y sin xy  3 cos 3t 2y  x sin xy 

Warm up exercise

Given that z  ln( 2x 2  y ) ; x  t 4 , y  t 2

z z dx dy
(i) Find the partial derivatives for , , and .
x y dt dt
dz
(ii) Then apply chain rule to find .
dt
(iii) Substitute x  t 4 and y  t 2 in your answer at (ii).

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

4.3 Implicit differentiation

A method called implicit differentiation makes use of the chain rule to
differentiate implicitly defined functions.

Theorem
The Implicit Function Theorem states that if F is defined on an open disk
containing (a,b), where F (a, b)  0 , Fy (a, b)  0 , and Fx and Fy are

continuous on the disk, then the equation F ( x, y )  0 defines y as a function

of x near the point (a,b) and the derivative of this function is given by:
f
  x   x
dy F
dx f Fy
y

Steps : Using implicit differentiation

 Get a zero on one side of the equal sign and

identify F(x,y)
 Find the partial derivatives
 Apply the implicit functions theorem

Proposition
Suppose that f is a differentiable function of ( x, y , z ) near the point

( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) and fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )  0. Then the equation f ( x, y, z)  0 defines z

implicitly as function of x, y and
z f z fy
 x and 
x fz y fz

Example 6
dy
Find by using implicit differentiation.
dx

a) x 3  y 3  2x 2 y  100
b) x tan y  y sin x

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Solution

a) x 3  y 3  2x 2 y  100
 Rewrite

F ( x, y )  x 3  y 3  2x 2 y  100  0
 Differentiate with respect to x

Fx  3 x 2  4 xy
 Differentiate with respect to y

Fy  3y 2  2x 2

 Apply theorem
dy F
 x
dx Fy

4 xy  3 x 2

3y 2  2x 2

b) x tan y  y sin x ,

f ( x, y )  x tan y  y sin x  0

Fx  tan y  y cos x

Fy  x sec 2 y  sin x

dy F
 x
dx Fy
y cos x  tan y

x sec 2 y  sin x

Example 7

Obtain the equation of the tangent line to the graph y 3  6 xy  x 3  1 at

a point (1, 2).

Solution
In general the equation of a tangent line is given by
y  mx  c

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dy
where m is the slope and it can be obtained by determining m 
dx
where
dy  Fx

dx Fy

Since,

F ( x, y )  y 3  6xy  x 3  1

Fx  6y  3 x 2

Fy  3y 2  6 x

dy F
 x
dx Fy

6y  3 x 2

3y 2  6 x
At (1,2)

dy 6(2)  3(1)2

dx 3(2)2  6(1)

3
 This is the slope of the tangent line.
2
Hence, the line is
y 2 3

x 1 2
3
y 2 ( x  1)
2
3
y ( x  1)  2
2
1
 (3 x  1)
2

Example 8
dy
If 4x 2  8xy  9y 2  8x  24y  4  0 and  0 , show that x  y  1 .
dx

Solution

F ( x, y )  4x 2  8xy  9y 2  8x  24y  4

Fx  8x  8y  8

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

Fy  8x  18 y  24

dy F
 x
dx Fy
8  8 x  8y
 0
8 x  18 y  24

8  8 x  8y  0
x  y 1

Example 9
z z
Given f ( x, y, z)  z 3  3xz2  y 2z , find expression for and where
x y
z is defined implicitly as a function of ( x, y ) by the equation f ( x, y, z)  5 .
Evaluate these at the point (1, 1, 1).

Solution
 Compute partial derivatives
f
 3z 2
x
f
 2yz
y
f
 3z 2  6 xz  y 2
z
Hence,

z 3z 2

x 3z 2  6 xz  y 2
z 2yz
and 
y 3z  6 xz  y 2
2

The values at (1, 1, 1) are

z  3 z  1
 and 
x 10 y 5

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

Warm up exercise

Let y 2  6 xy  x 2  1.
(i) Rewrite the function as F ( x, y )  0 .

(ii) Find the partial derivatives Fx and Fy .

(iii) Then, obtain the equation of the tangent line to the graph

y 2  6 xy  x 2  1 at a point (2,4) by using implicit functions theorem.

Exercise 4

Chain Rule
1. Use the chain rule to find the rate of change of z with respect to t.

a) z  3x 2 y 3 ; x  t 4 , y  t 2

1
b) z  3 cos x  sin xy ; x  , y  3t
t

 
c) z  ln 2x 2  y ; x  t 4 , y  t 2  1

d) z  1  x  2xy 4 ; x  ln t , y  t

z z
2. Apply the chain rule to find and .
u v
u
a) z  e 2 xy , x  2u  v , y
v
b) z  sin  tan ,   3u  v,   u  v

x
c) z  , x  v cos u, y  u sin v
y
u
d) z  x 2  y tan x , x , y  u 2v 2
v

3. Find zu if

rs
a) z  , r  uv and s  u  2v
r  s2
2

b) z  ln( x 2  y 2  2w ) , x  u  v, y  u  v, w  2 sin uv

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

dw
4. If w  x 3 y 4 and x  t 2  2 , y  5t  3 , evaluate when t  1.
dt

Z
5. Let Z  ln( x 2  2y ) where x  2t 3  r and y  t 2r . Find when
t
t  1, r  2 .

6. If z  f ( x, y ) , where f is differentiable, x  g(t ), y  h(t ) , g(3) = 2, g’(3) = 5,

dz
h(3) = 7, h’(3) = - 4, f x (2,7)  6 , and fy (2,7)  8 , find when t = 3.
dt

Implicit Function
dy
1. Find by using implicit partial differentiation:
dx

a) x 3  3xy 2  y 3  5 x 2 y 3  cos y  0
b) sin x  cos y  sin x cos y

c) e xy  1  ye y

d) x  xy  4  3y

dy 4y 2x
2. Find given that   300 .
dx x y

dz
3. Given that z  x 3  y 3 and x 2  y 2  1 . Determine an expression for in
dx
term of x and y.

4. Obtain the equation of the tangent line to the graph y 2  6 xy  x 2  1 at a point

(2, 4).
dy
5. If e xy  x  y  1, evaluate at (0,0).
dx
dy
6. Find an expression for when x tan y  y sin x .
dx

z z
7. Let x 2  z 2  y 3  10 , find and .
x y

8. Given 2z  8  7 x  ye x , find the rate of change of z with respect to y.

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 Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

Miscellaneous Exercises

1. The radius r and height h of a right circular cylinder are increasing at rates of
0.02 cm/min and 0.01 cm/min respectively. Using partial differentiation, find the
rate at which the volume is increasing when r = 4 cm and h = 7 cm.
2. Two straight roads intersect at right angles. Car A, moving on one of the roads,
approaches the intersection at 25km/h and car B, moving on the other road,
approaches the intersection at 30km/h. At what rate is the distance between
the cars changing when A is 0.3 km from the intersection and B is 0.4 km from
the intersection?
3. Suppose that the portion of a tree that is usable for lumber is a right circular
cylinder. If the usable height of a tree increases 2m/year and the usable
diameter increases 3cm/year, how fast is the volume of usable lumber
increasing when the usable height of the tree is 20m and the usable diameter is
30cm?
4. The radius of a right circular cone is increasing at a rate of 1.5 cm/s while the
height is decreasing at a rate of 2 cm/s. If the surface area of the cone is

S  r 2  r r 2  h2 , find the rate of change of S when the radius is 4 cm and

the height is 6 cm.
5. As a solid right circular cylinder is heated, its radius r and height h increase;
hence, so does its surface area S. Suppose that at the instant when r = 10 cm
and h = 100 cm, r is increasing at 0.2 cm/min and h is increasing at 0.5 cm/min.
How fast is S increasing at this instant?
6. Use partial differentiation to find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of

x 3  y 3  3xy  0 at the point (1, 4).

7. Find the slope of a tangent line to the curve 10  x2  y2  3 at the point (2, 1).

8. Use formula from partial differentiation to find the slope of the tangent line to the

curve x 3 y 2  5 x 2 y  x  1 at any point (x,y).

9. Find the equation of the tangent to the graph of the equation
xy  ln( x  y )  2  0 at the point (2, -1) using partial differentiation.

10. For an implicit function e xy sin xy  xy 2  x  y , compute the slope of the

tangent line at point (, 1) by using partial differentiation.

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