CALCULUS 1

2E-Higher Order
Derivatives and
Implicit Differentiation
Higher Order Derivatives

If 𝑓’ is differentiable, then the derivative of 𝑓’ is called the second

derivative of 𝑓 and is denoted 𝑓’’.
We can continue to obtain the third derivative, 𝑓’’’, the fourth
derivative, 𝑓 (4) , the fifth derivative, 𝑓 (5) , and other higher
derivatives.

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Higher Order Derivatives

The 𝒏-th derivative of the function 𝑓 , denoted 𝑓 (𝑛) , is the

derivative of the (𝑛 − 1)-th derivative of 𝑓 , that is,
𝑓 𝑛−1 𝑥 + Δ𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑛−1 (𝑥)
𝑓 𝑛 𝑥 = lim
Δ𝑥→0 Δ𝑥

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Higher Order Derivatives

The 𝑛 in 𝑓 (𝑛) is called the order of the derivative.

The derivative of a function 𝑓 is also called the first derivative of 𝑓.
The function 𝑓 is sometimes written as 𝑓 (0) (𝑥).
Most of the time, 𝑓 𝑛 ≠ 𝑓 𝑛 . The 𝑛-th derivative of 𝑓 is 𝑓 (𝑛) , while
𝑓 raised to the power of 𝑛 is 𝑓 𝑛 .
𝑑𝑛 𝑦 𝑑𝑛
Other notations: 𝐷𝑥𝑛 𝑓 𝑥 , 𝑛 , 𝑛 [𝑓(𝑥)] ,𝑦 𝑛
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example

Find 𝑓 4 (𝑥) and 𝑓 4

(𝑥) if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 4 .
𝑓4 𝑥 = 𝑥4 4
𝑓 4 𝑥 = 𝑥 16
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 4𝑥 3
𝑓 ′′ 𝑥 = 12𝑥 2
𝑓 ′′′ 𝑥 = 24𝑥
𝑓 4 𝑥 = 24

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example
𝑛
Find 𝑓 (𝑥) for all 𝑛 ∈ ℕ where 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 6 − 𝑥 4 − 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 2 − 4.

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example
4
Find 𝑓 (𝑥) if 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3.

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Explicit and Implicit Functions

Equations in two variables are used to define a function explicitly

or implicitly.
To illustrate:
• 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 1 defines only one function of 𝑥 (explicitly).
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 1
• 𝑦 2 = 𝑥 + 1 defines two functions of 𝑥 (implicitly):
𝑓1 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 1
𝑓2 𝑥 = − 𝑥 + 1
2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
Implicit Differentiation
𝑑𝑦
To find using implicit differentiation, we:
𝑑𝑥
1. think of the variable 𝑦 as a differentiable function of the
variable 𝑥,
2. differentiate both sides of the equation, using the chain rule
where necessary, and
𝑑𝑦
3. solve for .
𝑑𝑥

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example
𝑑𝑦
Find if 𝑥 3 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 3𝑦 − 6 = 0 by transforming it into an
𝑑𝑥
explicit function.
𝑥 3 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 3𝑦 − 6 = 0 𝑑 𝑥3 − 6
𝑦= differentiating both sides
𝑥 3 − 𝑦 2𝑥 + 3 − 6 = 0 𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3
𝑥 3 − 6 = 𝑦 2𝑥 + 3 𝑑 𝑑 𝑥3 − 6
𝑦 =
𝑥3 − 6 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3
𝑦=
2𝑥 + 3 𝑑𝑦 2𝑥 + 3 3𝑥 2 − 𝑥 3 − 6 2
=
𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3 2
𝑑𝑦 4𝑥 3 + 9𝑥 2 + 12
=
𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3 2
2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
Example
𝑑𝑦
Find if 𝑥 3 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 3𝑦 − 6 = 0 using implicit differentiation.
𝑑𝑥
𝑑 3
𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 3𝑦 − 6 = 0 (differentiating both sides)
𝑑𝑥
𝑑 3 𝑑
𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 3𝑦 − 6 = 0
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2
𝑑 𝑑
3𝑥 − 2 𝑥𝑦 − 3 𝑦 =0 (consider 𝑦 as a function of 𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2
𝑑 𝑑𝑦
3𝑥 − 2 𝑥 ∙ 𝑦 +𝑦∙ 1 −3 = 0 (using product rule)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example (continued)
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
3𝑥 2 −2 𝑥 +𝑦 −3 =0
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
3𝑥 − 2𝑥 − 2𝑦 − 3 =0
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2
𝑑𝑦
3𝑥 − 2𝑦 − 2𝑥 + 3 = 0
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 3𝑥 2 − 2𝑦
=
𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example (continued)
𝑑𝑦 3𝑥 2 − 2𝑦 𝑥3 − 6
= , for comparison with explicit, we substitute 𝑦 =
𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3 2𝑥 + 3
2 𝑥3 − 6 (3𝑥 2 )(2𝑥 + 3) − 2𝑥 3 + 12
3𝑥 − 2
𝑑𝑦 2𝑥 + 3 2𝑥 + 3
= =
𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3 2𝑥 + 3
𝑑𝑦 6𝑥 3 + 9𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 3 + 12
=
𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3 2
𝑑𝑦 4𝑥 3 + 9𝑥 2 + 12
= 2
, this result is similar to solving it explicitly.
𝑑𝑥 2𝑥 + 3

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example
𝑑𝑦
Find if 𝑥 4 𝑦 3 − 7𝑥𝑦 = 7.
𝑑𝑥
𝐷𝑥 𝑥 4 𝑦 3 − 7𝑥𝑦 = 𝐷𝑥 7
𝐷𝑥 𝑥 4 𝑦 3 − 7𝐷𝑥 𝑥𝑦 = 0
4 2
𝑑𝑦 3 3
𝑑𝑦
𝑥 ∙ 3𝑦 + 𝑦 ∙ 4𝑥 − 7 𝑥 ∙ +𝑦∙ 1 = 0 (apply chain rule to 𝑦 3 )
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
4 2
𝑑𝑦 3 3
𝑑𝑦
3𝑥 𝑦 + 4𝑥 𝑦 − 7𝑥 − 7𝑦 = 0
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 7𝑦 − 4𝑥 3 𝑦 3
=
𝑑𝑥 3𝑥 4 𝑦 2 − 7𝑥

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example
𝑑𝑦
Find if tan 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑦 = 𝑦.
𝑑𝑥
𝐷𝑥 tan 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑦 = 𝐷𝑥 𝑦
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
sec 2 𝑥2 − 2𝑥𝑦 ∙ 2𝑥 − 2 𝑥 ∙ +𝑦 1 =
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2 2 2 2
𝑑𝑦 2 2
𝑑𝑦
2𝑥 sec 𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 2𝑥 sec 𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 2𝑦 sec 𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑦 =
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 2𝑥 sec 2 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑦 − 2𝑦 sec 2 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑦
=
𝑑𝑥 1 + 2𝑥 sec 2 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑦

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example
𝑑2 𝑦
Determine 2 if 𝑥𝑦 2 = 𝑦 − 2.
𝑑𝑥
𝐷𝑥 𝑥𝑦 2 = 𝐷𝑥 𝑦 − 2
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑑𝑦
𝑥 ∙ 2𝑦 +𝑦 ∙ 1 =
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 𝑦2
=
𝑑𝑥 1 − 2𝑥𝑦
𝑑 𝑑𝑦 𝑑 𝑦2
= differentiating both sides again
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 1 − 2𝑥𝑦

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION

Example

𝑑𝑦 2 𝑑𝑦
1 − 2𝑥𝑦 ∙ 2𝑦 − 𝑦 ∙ −2 𝑥 ∙ +𝑦∙ 1
𝑑2 𝑦 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2
= 2
𝑑𝑥 1 − 2𝑥𝑦
𝑑𝑦 𝑦2
substitute =
𝑑𝑥 1 − 2𝑥𝑦
𝑦2 2 𝑥𝑦 2
1 − 2𝑥𝑦 2𝑦 + 2𝑦 +𝑦
𝑑2 𝑦 1 − 2𝑥𝑦 1 − 2𝑥𝑦
=
𝑑𝑥 2 1 − 2𝑥𝑦 2

2E-HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES AND IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION