Q.Find the derivative of f given by f(x)=sin−1x assuming it exists.
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Implicit Differentiation
Implicit Differentiation
When y isn't alone
You can differentiate y=x2+3x term by term because y is written explicitly in terms of x. But an equation like x2+y2=25, or x3+y3=6xy, does not give y by itself — solving for y is messy or downright impossible.
Implicit differentiation finds dxdy without isolating y: treat y as an unknown function of x, differentiate the whole equation as it stands, then solve for dxdy.
The one key move: y is really y(x)
Wherever y appears, picture y(x) hiding inside. Differentiating a y-term therefore needs the chain rule, which tacks on a factor of dxdy:
dxd(y2)=2ydxdy.
That extra dxdy on every y-term is the whole trick.
The procedure
- Differentiate both sides with respect to x, treating y as y(x).
- Each time you differentiate a y-term, multiply by dxdy (chain rule); use the product rule on mixed terms such as xy.
- Gather all dxdy terms on one side, everything else on the other.
- Factor out dxdy and divide.
Worked example
For x2+y2=25:
2x+2ydxdy=0⇒dxdy=−yx.
The answer naturally contains both x and y — that is normal here. To get the slope at a point on the curve, substitute the coordinates after differentiating; there is no need to solve for y first. …
The key idea is to use implicit differentiation on the inverse relation x=siny, then apply the Pythagorean identity to express cosy in terms of x.
- Let y=sin−1x, so x=siny, where y∈[−π/2,π/2].
- Differentiate both sides with respect to x: 1=cosy⋅dxdy. …
The derivative of sin−1x is found by rewriting y=sin−1x as x=siny, then differentiating implicitly with respect to x and using the Pythagorean identity to express cosy in terms of x. The result is dxdy=1−x21.
The key insight here is that sin−1x (also written as arcsinx) is the inverse of the sine function restricted to [−π/2,π/2]. To differentiate an inverse function, we don't need a separate formula — we can use implicit differentiation on the original relationship.
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Set up the inverse relationship.
Let y=sin−1x. By definition, this means x=siny, where y lies in [−π/2,π/2]. This domain restriction is crucial because it tells us the sign of cosy later.
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Differentiate both sides with respect to x.
Since y is a function of x, we differentiate implicitly:
dxd(x)=dxd(siny)⇒1=cosy⋅dxdy.
- Solve for dxdy. Provided cosy=0, we get:
dxdy=cosy1.
- Express cosy in terms of x. We know x=siny. Using the Pythagorean identity sin2y+cos2y=1, we have:
cos2y=1−sin2y=1−x2.
Taking the square root gives cosy=±1−x2. …
Method: Deriving the Derivative of an Inverse Trigonometric Function
Use this method to find (or re-derive) the derivative of any inverse trig function such as sin−1x, cos−1x, or tan−1x, by converting the inverse relation back into the original trig function and differentiating implicitly.
Steps
Step 1: Rewrite the inverse relation as a direct trig equation
If y=sin−1x, this means, by definition, x=siny, with y restricted to the function's principal value range (here [−2π,2π]).
Step 2: Differentiate both sides implicitly with respect to x
1=cosy⋅dxdy
Step 3: Solve for dxdy in terms of y
dxdy=cosy1,cosy=0
Step 4: Convert back to a function of x using a Pythagorean identity
Since x=siny, use cos2y=1−sin2y=1−x2, so cosy=±1−x2.
Step 5: Fix the sign using the principal-range restriction …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Taking the wrong sign for cosy
Why it's wrong: cos2y=1−x2 has two square roots, ±1−x2, and picking the negative one gives the wrong final derivative. The correct sign depends entirely on the range that y=sin−1x is restricted to. Correct approach: since the principal value range of sin−1x is [−2π,2π], where cosine is never negative, always take the positive root, cosy=1−x2.
Mistake 2: Forgetting the domain restriction on the final answer …
Showing the 12 most recent of 50 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-12-FN1 markMCQQ.If tan(e3x)=cot(e2y), then at x=0, dxdy= (A) 2−π3 (B) 32−π (C) π−23 (D) 3π−2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rewrite cot as a shifted tan to turn the equation into an algebraic (exponential) relation between x and y, then implicitly differentiate and evaluate at x=0. Answer: 2−π3.
Concept and Intuition
tanθ1=tanθ2 implies θ1=θ2+nπ for integer n; taking n=0 (the principal relation intended here) converts the trig equation into a clean equation between the exponential expressions, which we can differentiate implicitly.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Use the identity cotθ=tan(2π−θ) with θ=e2y: cot(e2y)=tan(2π−e2y).
- Given tan(e3x)=cot(e2y)=tan(2π−e2y), equate arguments (principal branch): e3x=2π−e2y.
- Rearrange: e3x+e2y=2π.
- Differentiate both sides w.r.t. x: 3e3x+2e2ydxdy=0.
- Solve: dxdy=−2e2y3e3x.
- At x=0: e3x=e0=1. From step 3, 1+e2y=2π⇒e2y=2π−1=2π−2. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-FN1 markMCQQ.If Tan−1x2+Tan−1y2=2π, then (dxdy)(−1,2)= (A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 21 (D) −21
›Reveal solutionSolution
Reducing to y2=x−2 gives dxdy=−x3y1, which at (−1,2) equals 21.
Concept and Intuition
If Tan−1a+Tan−1b=2π with a,b>0, then Tan−1b=2π−Tan−1a=Cot−1a, so b=a1. Applying this to a=x2, b=y2 collapses the relation into an algebraic one.
Step-by-Step Solution
- From Tan−1x2+Tan−1y2=2π we get y2=x21=x−2.
- Differentiate: 2ydxdy=−2x−3.
- Hence dxdy=−x3y1. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-14-FN1 markMCQQ.If the normal drawn to the curve y4=16x3 at the point of intersection of this curve and the line y=2 meets the X and Y axes at A and B respectively, then OA+3OB= (A) 6 (B) 8 (C) 16 (D) 12
›Reveal solutionSolution
Finding the intersection point, then the normal line's slope and intercepts, gives OA+3OB=12.
Concept and Intuition
The normal to a curve at a point is the line perpendicular to the tangent there. We find the point of intersection with y=2, use implicit differentiation to get the tangent slope, take its negative reciprocal for the normal slope, then find where that normal line crosses each axis (its intercepts) to compute OA and OB (the distances from the origin to those intercepts).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Find the intersection: substitute y=2 into y4=16x3: 16=16x3⇒x3=1⇒x=1. So the point is (1,2).
- Differentiate implicitly: 4y3dxdy=48x2⇒dxdy=y312x2.
- At (1,2): dxdy=812(1)=23. This is the tangent's slope.
- Normal's slope is the negative reciprocal: mnormal=−32.
- Normal line equation: y−2=−32(x−1). …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-AN1 markMCQQ.If x2+y2=t+t1 and x4+y4=t2+t21, then x3ydxdy= (A) -1 (B) 0 (C) 1 (D) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The two given relations force x2y2=1 (i.e. xy is constant), from which x3ydy/dx=−1.
Concept and Intuition
Rather than solving for x,y in terms of t explicitly, combine the two given equations algebraically (square the first, subtract the second) to eliminate t entirely and land on a simple constant-product relation between x and y.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Square the first relation: (x2+y2)2=(t+t1)2=t2+2+t21, i.e.
x4+2x2y2+y4=t2+2+t21
- The second given relation is x4+y4=t2+t21.
- Subtract: 2x2y2=(t2+2+t21)−(t2+t21)=2, so x2y2=1.
- This means xy=±1, a constant independent of t. Differentiate xy=const implicitly: …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-AN1 markMCQQ.If x2+y2+siny=4, then the value of dx2d2y at the point (−2,0) is (A) -34 (B) -32 (C) 34 (D) 32
›Reveal solutionSolution
Implicit differentiation twice on x2+y2+siny=4 gives y′′=−34 at (−2,0).
Concept and Intuition
For an implicitly defined curve, differentiate the whole equation with respect to x once to get y′ in terms of x,y, then differentiate that resulting equation again (product/chain rule carefully) to isolate y′′, finally substituting the numeric point.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Differentiate x2+y2+siny=4 w.r.t. x:
2x+2yy′+cosyy′=0⇒y′(2y+cosy)=−2x⇒y′=2y+cosy−2x
- At (−2,0): y′=2(0)+cos0−2(−2)=14=4.
- Differentiate the equation 2x+2yy′+cosyy′=0 again w.r.t. x:
2+2(y′)2+2yy′′−siny(y′)2+cosyy′′=0
2+[2−siny](y′)2+(2y+cosy)y′′=0
- At the point: y=0, y′=4, siny=0, cosy=1, so 2y+cosy=1: …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-AN1 markMCQQ.Let the normal drawn at a point P on the curve y2−3x2+y+10=0 intersect the Y-axis at (0,23). If m is the slope of the tangent at P to the curve, then ∣m∣= (A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 6
›Reveal solutionSolution
Implicit differentiation gives the tangent slope in terms of (x0,y0); using that the normal meets the Y-axis at (0,3/2) pins down y0=1, then the curve equation gives x0=±2, so ∣m∣=4.
Concept and Intuition
When a curve is given implicitly, differentiate term-by-term treating y as a function of x to get dy/dx symbolically in terms of x,y. The normal line at a point has slope −1/m where m is the tangent slope; using where that normal crosses a known axis gives an equation linking x0,y0, which combined with the original curve equation pins down the point.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Differentiate y2−3x2+y+10=0: 2yy′−6x+y′=0⇒y′(2y+1)=6x⇒y′=2y+16x.
- At P=(x0,y0), tangent slope m=2y0+16x0, so normal slope =−6x02y0+1.
- Equation of the normal at P: y−y0=−m1(x−x0). At x=0, y=23: 23−y0=−m1(0−x0)=mx0.
- Since m=2y0+16x0, we get mx0=62y0+1 (the x0 cancels). …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-15-FN1 markMCQQ.The length of the tangent drawn at the point P(1,33) on the curve x2/3+y2/3=4 is (A) 4 (B) 6 (C) 12 (D) 8
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests the "length of tangent" formula (segment of the tangent line between the point of contact and the x-axis) applied to a point on an astroid. Answer: length =6.
Concept and Intuition
For a curve y=f(x), the tangent line at (x1,y1) with slope m meets the x-axis at (x1−my1,0). The distance from (x1,y1) to that point is called the length of the tangent, and it works out to
L=∣y1∣∣m∣1+m2.
So we just need y1 and the slope m=dxdyP from the implicit equation of the astroid.
Step-by-Step Solution
- The curve is x2/3+y2/3=4. Check P(1,33): 12/3=1 and (33)2/3=(33/2)2/3=3, so 1+3=4 — P lies on the curve.
- Differentiate implicitly: 32x−1/3+32y−1/3dxdy=0⇒dxdy=−(xy)1/3. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-AN1 markMCQQ.If x2y−xy2+x3−y3=0, then dxdy at the point (1,1) is (A) 1 (B) 0 (C) −1 (D) Does not exist
›Reveal solutionSolution
Implicit differentiation of a symmetric cubic curve, evaluated at the point (1,1).
Concept and Intuition
When a curve is given implicitly (not solved for y), differentiate every term with respect to x, treating y as a function of x and applying the product rule wherever x and y appear together. Collecting all the y′ terms on one side isolates the slope as a ratio of two expressions in x,y.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Differentiate term by term: dxd(x2y)=2xy+x2y′; dxd(xy2)=y2+2xyy′; dxd(x3)=3x2; dxd(y3)=3y2y′.
- So 2xy+x2y′−y2−2xyy′+3x2−3y2y′=0.
- Collect y′ terms: y′(x2−2xy−3y2)=−(2xy−y2+3x2), i.e. y′=x2−2xy−3y2−(2xy−y2+3x2)=x2−2xy−3y2y2−2xy−3x2. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-AN1 markMCQQ.The length of the normal drawn to the curve 2x3+2y3=9xy at the point (2,1), is (A) 441 (B) 3241 (C) 5 (D) 325
›Reveal solutionSolution
Find the tangent slope by implicit differentiation, then apply the standard formula for the length of the normal at a point on a curve.
Concept and Intuition
The length of the normal segment (from the curve point down to where the normal line meets the x-axis) is ∣y1∣1+m2, where m is the slope of the tangent at that point — this comes from the right triangle formed by the ordinate, the subnormal, and the normal itself.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Differentiate 2x3+2y3=9xy implicitly: 6x2+6y2y′=9(y+xy′), i.e. 6x2+6y2y′=9y+9xy′.
- Collect: y′(6y2−9x)=9y−6x2⇒y′=6y2−9x9y−6x2.
- At (2,1): numerator =9(1)−6(4)=9−24=−15; denominator =6(1)−9(2)=6−18=−12.
- y′=−12−15=45=m. …
- CA Foundation 2026Set may-20261 markMCQQ.If xy=yx, then dxdy= ______. (A) x(ylogx−x)y(xlogy−y) (B) x(ylogx−x)y(xlogy+y) (C) x(ylogx+x)y(xlogy−y) (D) y(ylogx−x)x(xlogy−y)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Log-differentiate xy=yx: from ylogx=xlogy you get dxdy=x(ylogx−x)y(xlogy−y).
Step 1 — Take logarithms of both sides
xy=yx ⇒ ylogx=xlogy
Step 2 — Differentiate implicitly with respect to x
Apply the product rule to each side:
y′logx+xy=logy+x⋅yy′
Step 3 — Collect the y′ terms
y′logx−yxy′=logy−xy
y′(logx−yx)=logy−xy
Step 4 — Solve for y′ and tidy the fractions
y′=logx−yxlogy−xy=yylogx−xxxlogy−y=x(ylogx−x)y(xlogy−y) …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-21-AN1 markMCQQ.If x2+y2=t−t1 and x4+y4=t2+t21, then dxdy= (A) xy (B) x2y2 (C) xy (D) −xy
›Reveal solutionSolution
Eliminating the parameter t between the two given equations produces the direct relation x2y2=−1 between x and y, whose implicit derivative is −y/x.
Concept and Intuition
When x and y are both linked to a parameter t through two equations, differentiating each with respect to t separately (and dividing) works, but it is often faster — and here it is exact — to first eliminate t algebraically to get a direct x–y relation, then differentiate that implicitly in the ordinary way.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Square the first equation: (x2+y2)2=(t−t1)2=t2−2+t21, i.e. x4+2x2y2+y4=t2+t21−2.
- The second equation says x4+y4=t2+t21. Substitute this in: (t2+t21)+2x2y2=t2+t21−2.
- This forces 2x2y2=−2⇒x2y2=−1 — a t-free relation directly linking x and y. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-22-AN1 markMCQQ.If x−xy+y−xy=1, then dxdy= (A) −x−x2y−y2 (B) −1−x21−y2 (C) −1−x1−y (D) −x+yx−y
›Reveal solutionSolution
Squaring the constraint reveals that it forces x+y=1 identically, so dxdy=−1 throughout; matching this against the options singles out −x−x2y−y2, since it equals −1 for every point satisfying y=1−x.
Concept and Intuition
Rather than blindly grinding through implicit differentiation of two square roots, it pays to first understand the curve itself. Squaring x−xy+y−xy=1 carefully (using s=x+y,p=xy) collapses to a perfect square equalling zero, revealing that the relation is nothing but the straight line x+y=1. Once we know that, dxdy=−1 is immediate, and we just need to find which option reduces to −1 on this line.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Square the given equation:
x(1−y)+y(1−x)+2xy(1−x)(1−y)=1
x+y−2xy+2xy(1−x)(1−y)=1
- Let s=x+y, p=xy. Then:
2p(1−x)(1−y)=1−s+2p
Note (1−x)(1−y)=1−s+p. Squaring again:
4p(1−s+p)=(1−s+2p)2
Let q=1−s. Expanding both sides: LHS =4pq+4p2; RHS =q2+4pq+4p2. So 0=q2, i.e. q=0, i.e. s=1.
3. Hence x+y=1 is forced — the given relation is the line y=1−x (restricted to the domain where the square roots are real, 0≤x,y≤1).
4. Differentiating y=1−x directly: dxdy=−1.
5. Check which option gives −1 identically along y=1−x:
- (A): y−y2=y(1−y). Substituting y=1−x: y(1−y)=(1−x)⋅x=x−x2. So the ratio is exactly 1, and −1=−1 for every x. ✓ …
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