Lecture 5: Implicit partial differentiation

Definition
An implicit function is a function that is defined implicitly by an
equation, by associating one of the variables (the value or the
dependent variable) to the others (the arguments or the
independent variable). Generally, we have an equation connecting
x and y with z such as

f (x, y , z) = 0

For most implicit functions, there is no formula which define

them explicitly, that is, finding the value of z corresponding to
the values of x and y requiring a numerical solution of the
equation.
Even when such a formula may exist, one must often restrict
the domain of definition and the range to have a well defined
function.
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Implicit differentiation for functions of one variable
Recall in MATH141:
When y is defined implicitly with the variable x by an equation
F (x, y ) = 0, it is assumed that y is a function of x.

dy
Finding when y is defined implicitly:
dx
Treat y as an unspecified function of x, That is, y = f (x),
where f is “unknown”.
Differentiate both sides of the equation. Use chain rule for
every term involving “y ” and watch for the need to use the
product rule and quotient rule.
dy
Solve the equation for dx .

This technique applies to partial differentiation of functions of

several variables by holding all but one independent variables
constant!
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Example
dy
Find if y = f (x) is defined implicitly by x 2 + y 2 = 4.
dx

dy x
Ans: =−
dx y

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Example
∂z
Find if z = f (x, y ) is defined implicitly by x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4.
∂x

∂y x
Ans: =−
∂x z

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Example
The equation yz − ln z = x + y defines z as a function of x and y
∂z
implicitly. Find ∂x .

Solution: z is an implicit (unspecified) function of x and y

∂z
To find ∂x , we differentiate partially w.r.t x term by term on both
sides of the equation while holding y constant,

∂ ∂ ∂x ∂y
(yz) − (ln z) = +
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x
∂z 1 ∂z
=⇒ y − =1+0
∂x z ∂x
∂z
Now, we solve for from the above equation.
∂x

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Rearranging the equation:
 
1 ∂z
y− =1
z ∂x

∂z 1 z
=⇒ = =
∂x y − 1/z yz − 1

∂z
can be found in the same way:
∂y

∂z (1 − z) z(1 − z)
= =
∂y y − 1/z yz − 1

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Example
Differentiate the following expressions with respect to x, where z is
a function of x and y :

∂
1 x 2y 2
∂x (x y ) = 2xy

∂ ∂z
2 yz ∂x (yz) = y ∂x

∂ ∂z ∂
3 ze z ∂x (z e z ) = ∂x · e z + z ∂x (e z )

∂z ∂z
= ∂x · e z + ze z · ∂x

∂ ∂ ∂
z 2 sin x z 2 sin x = 2 + z 2 ∂x


∂x (z ) sin x (sin x)
4
∂x

∂z
= 2z ∂x sin x + z 2 cos x

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Example
∂z
Find ∂x if z(x, y ) is defined by the equation
z e + z sin x + yz = x 2 y .
z 2

Solution:

Differentiate both sides term by term with respect to x while

holding y constant, bearing in mind that z is a function of x and y .

∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ 2
(z e z ) + z 2 sin x +


(yz) = (x y )
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x

We could see that the partial differentiation of each term was

carried out in the previous example so we could use the results
directly.

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Plugging all partial derivatives
∂z z ∂z ∂z ∂z
· e + ze z · + 2z sin x + z 2 cos x + y = 2xy
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x
∂z
Collecting the terms involving ∂x on one side of the equation:

∂z z
(e + ze z + 2z sin x + y )
∂x
= 2xy − z 2 cos x
∂z
Solving for ∂x :

∂z 2xy − z 2 cos x
= z
∂x e + ze z + 2z sin x + y
Similarly, using the exercises in the next slide we could obtain

∂z x2 − z
= z
∂y e + ze z + 2z sin x + y

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Exercise
Differentiate the following with respect to y , where z = f (x, y ):
1 x 2y
∂ 2
∂y (x y ) = x2
2 yz
∂ ∂z
∂y (yz) = z + y ∂y

3 ze z
∂ z ∂z ∂z
∂y (ze ) = ∂y · e z + ze z · ∂y

4 z 2 sin x
∂ 2 ∂z
∂y (z sin x) = 2z ∂y sin x

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