Table of contents
- 0. Functions7h 52m
- Introduction to Functions16m
- Piecewise Functions10m
- Properties of Functions9m
- Common Functions1h 8m
- Transformations5m
- Combining Functions27m
- Exponent rules32m
- Exponential Functions28m
- Logarithmic Functions24m
- Properties of Logarithms34m
- Exponential & Logarithmic Equations35m
- Introduction to Trigonometric Functions38m
- Graphs of Trigonometric Functions44m
- Trigonometric Identities47m
- Inverse Trigonometric Functions48m
- 1. Limits and Continuity2h 2m
- 2. Intro to Derivatives1h 33m
- 3. Techniques of Differentiation3h 18m
- 4. Applications of Derivatives2h 38m
- 5. Graphical Applications of Derivatives6h 2m
- 6. Derivatives of Inverse, Exponential, & Logarithmic Functions2h 37m
- 7. Antiderivatives & Indefinite Integrals1h 26m
- 8. Definite Integrals3h 25m
4. Applications of Derivatives
Implicit Differentiation
Problem 44
Textbook Question
Find by implicit differentiation.
x² + xy + y² - 5x = 2

1
Start by differentiating both sides of the equation with respect to x. Remember that y is a function of x, so when differentiating terms involving y, use implicit differentiation.
Differentiate the term x² with respect to x, which gives 2x.
For the term xy, apply the product rule: differentiate x to get 1, multiply by y, then differentiate y with respect to x (dy/dx) and multiply by x. This results in y + x(dy/dx).
Differentiate y² with respect to x using the chain rule: 2y(dy/dx).
Differentiate the term -5x with respect to x, which gives -5. Set the derivative of the right side, which is a constant 2, to 0. Combine all these results to form the equation: 2x + y + x(dy/dx) + 2y(dy/dx) - 5 = 0.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Implicit Differentiation
Implicit differentiation is a technique used to differentiate equations where the dependent variable is not isolated on one side. Instead of solving for y explicitly, we differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to x, treating y as a function of x. This allows us to find dy/dx without needing to express y in terms of x.
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Chain Rule
The chain rule is a fundamental principle in calculus that allows us to differentiate composite functions. When applying implicit differentiation, we often encounter terms involving y, which requires us to use the chain rule to differentiate these terms correctly. For example, when differentiating y², we apply the chain rule to get 2y(dy/dx).
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Collecting Like Terms
Collecting like terms is a crucial step in simplifying equations after differentiation. After applying implicit differentiation, we often end up with an equation that contains multiple terms involving dy/dx. By rearranging and combining these terms, we can isolate dy/dx, making it easier to solve for the derivative and understand the relationship between x and y.
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