Q.Find dxdy when x and y are connected by the relation: sec(x+y)=xy.
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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. …
Concept: Implicit Differentiation — differentiate both sides with respect to x, treating y as a function of x, then solve for dxdy.
Differentiate sec(x+y)=xy:
sec(x+y)tan(x+y)⋅(1+dxdy)=y+xdxdy
Expand the left side:
sec(x+y)tan(x+y)+sec(x+y)tan(x+y)dxdy=y+xdxdy
Collect dxdy terms: …
We differentiate both sides implicitly using the chain rule on sec(x+y) and the product rule on xy, then solve for dxdy. The result is dxdy=sec(x+y)tan(x+y)−xy−sec(x+y)tan(x+y).
The equation sec(x+y)=xy ties x and y together in a way that cannot be easily solved for y in terms of x. That’s exactly when implicit differentiation shines: we treat y as a function of x and differentiate every term with respect to x, using the chain rule whenever we hit a y.
The left side is sec(x+y). Its derivative is sec(x+y)tan(x+y), but because the argument is x+y, we must multiply by the derivative of x+y, which is 1+dxdy.
The right side is xy, a product of x and y. Using the product rule, its derivative is 1⋅y+x⋅dxdy.
Now we set the derivatives equal and solve for dxdy.
- Differentiate both sides with respect to x:
dxd[sec(x+y)]=dxd[xy]
- Left side: chain rule gives
sec(x+y)tan(x+y)⋅dxd(x+y)=sec(x+y)tan(x+y)⋅(1+dxdy)
- Right side: product rule gives
1⋅y+x⋅dxdy=y+xdxdy
- So the equation becomes:
sec(x+y)tan(x+y)(1+dxdy)=y+xdxdy
- Expand the left side:
sec(x+y)tan(x+y)+sec(x+y)tan(x+y)⋅dxdy=y+xdxdy
- Bring terms with dxdy to one side, constants to the other:
sec(x+y)tan(x+y)⋅dxdy−xdxdy=y−sec(x+y)tan(x+y)
- Factor out dxdy: …
Method: Implicit Differentiation of Equations with a Composite Trigonometric Term
Use this when one side of the equation is a trig function of a combination of x and y, such as sec(x+y), sin(x−y), or cos(xy), equated to an algebraic expression in x and y.
Steps
Step 1: Identify the inner argument that depends on both variables
If the trig function's argument is x+y (or x−y, or a product like xy), note that differentiating it needs the chain rule, because the argument itself contains y=y(x):
dxd(x+y)=1+dxdy
Step 2: Apply the chain rule to the trig term
For sec(x+y), use dudsecu=secutanu, then multiply by the derivative of the inner argument found in Step 1:
dxdsec(x+y)=sec(x+y)tan(x+y)⋅(1+dxdy)
Step 3: Differentiate the other side using the product rule (if it's a product like xy)
dxd(xy)=y+xdxdy …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Forgetting the chain-rule factor on the composite argument
Students often write dxdsec(x+y)=sec(x+y)tan(x+y) and stop, without multiplying by dxd(x+y)=1+dxdy. Why it's wrong: x+y is itself a function of x (since y depends on x), so the chain rule demands this extra factor. Correct approach: always write the derivative of sec(x+y) as sec(x+y)tan(x+y)⋅(1+dxdy).
Mistake 2: Dropping the product rule on the right side
A common slip is differentiating xy as just y or just x, ignoring that both factors depend on x. Why it's wrong: xy is a product, so its derivative is y+xdxdy, not a single term. Correct approach: apply the product rule explicitly every time two x-dependent quantities are multiplied.
Mistake 3: Sign slip while collecting terms …
Showing the 12 most recent of 27 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set 65/2/11 markMCQQ.If e−x+e−y=2, then dxdy is (A) ex−y (B) ey−x (C) −ex−y (D) −ey−x
›Reveal solutionSolution
To find dxdy for an implicitly defined function, we differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to x, treating y as a function of x and applying the chain rule. The result is −ey−x.
When an equation relates x and y but does not explicitly express y as a function of x (like y=f(x)), we use a technique called implicit differentiation to find dxdy. The core idea is that even though y isn't isolated, it is still a function of x.
This means that when we differentiate a term involving y with respect to x, we must apply the chain rule. For example, if we differentiate g(y) with respect to x, we get dxd[g(y)]=g′(y)⋅dxdy. This dxdy term is crucial and often the source of errors if overlooked.
Let's apply this to the given equation.
- Differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to x. The given equation is e−x+e−y=2. We apply the derivative operator dxd to every term:
dxd(e−x)+dxd(e−y)=dxd(2)
- Evaluate each derivative.
-
For the first term, dxd(e−x):
Using the chain rule, if u=−x, then dxdu=−1.
So, dxd(e−x)=e−x⋅dxd(−x)=e−x⋅(−1)=−e−x.
-
For the second term, dxd(e−y):
This is where implicit differentiation comes in. We treat y as a function of x.
Using the chain rule, if v=−y, then dxdv=dxd(−y)=−1⋅dxdy.
So, dxd(e−y)=e−y⋅dxd(−y)=e−y⋅(−dxdy)=−e−ydxdy.
Watch outA common mistake is to forget the dxdy term when differentiating expressions involving y with respect to x. Remember, y is a function of x.
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For the right-hand side, dxd(2): …
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- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.If y=sinx+sinx+sinx+… then dxdy=(a) 2y−11(b) 2y−1cosx(c) 2y−1sinx(d) cosx2y−1
›Reveal solutionSolution
dxdy=2y−1cosx.
The infinite nested radical satisfies y=sinx+y, so
y2=sinx+y.
Differentiate both sides implicitly with respect to x:
2ydxdy=cosx+dxdy.
Collect dxdy: …
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.If xn+yn=an then dxdy=(a) −yn−1xn−1(b) yn−1xn−1(c) −xn−1yn−1(d) nxn−1
›Reveal solutionSolution
dxdy=−yn−1xn−1.
Differentiate xn+yn=an implicitly (a constant):
nxn−1+nyn−1dxdy=0.
Solve: …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If 2x+3y=siny, then dxdy is equal to(a) siny−23(b) cosy−32(c) 2cosy+3(d) cosy2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate both sides with respect to x, treating y as a function of x, then solve for dy/dx.
2x+3y=siny
Differentiating: 2+3dxdy=cosydxdy
2=dxdy(cosy−3)
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find dxdy for the following : 2x+3y=siny
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate both sides of 2x+3y=siny with respect to x (using the chain rule for the y-terms), then collect dxdy on one side.
Given: 2x+3y=siny
Differentiate both sides w.r.t. x:
dxd(2x)+dxd(3y)=dxd(siny)
2+3dxdy=cosy⋅dxdy
Collect all dxdy terms on one side: …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If x2+y2=2, then dxdy is equal to -(a) 2y1−2x(b) 1−2x2y(c) −yx(d) −xy
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate x2+y2=2 implicitly with respect to x, treating y as a function of x.
dxd(x2+y2)=dxd(2)
2x+2ydxdy=0 …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find dxdy, if ax+by2=cosy. OR Find the integral ∫xlogxdx.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate both sides with respect to x, treating y as a function of x.
Start from ax+by2=cosy and differentiate w.r.t. x:
dxd(ax)+dxd(by2)=dxd(cosy)
a+2bydxdy=−sinydxdy.
Gather the dxdy terms:
2bydxdy+sinydxdy=−a
dxdy(2by+siny)=−a.
Hence
dxdy=2by+siny−a.
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The value of dy/dx at (4, 1) of y³ − √x = 5 is ......................(a) 5/4(b) 1/12(c) 1/24(d) 1/3
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate the implicit relation y3−x=5 term by term with respect to x, then substitute the point (4,1).
Given: y3−x=5
Step 1 — differentiate implicitly w.r.t. x:
3y2dxdy−2x1=0
Step 2 — solve for dy/dx:
dxdy=2x⋅3y21=6y2x1
…
- CBSE 2024Set D1 markMCQQ.If y=sinx+sinx+sinx+… to ∞ then dxdy=(a) 2y−1sinx(b) y−1cosx(c) 2y−1cosx(d) 2y−11
›Reveal solutionSolution
dxdy=2y−1cosx.
The infinite nested radical satisfies y=sinx+y because the expression inside the outer root repeats. Square both sides:
y2=sinx+y.
Differentiate implicitly with respect to x:
2ydxdy=cosx+dxdy. …
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If 2x+8y=sinx, then dxdy is:(a) 8sinx−2(b) 8cosx−2(c) 2cosx+2(d) 3cosx+2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate both sides of 2x+8y=sinx implicitly with respect to x and isolate dxdy.
2x+8y=sinx
Differentiating both sides w.r.t. x:
2+8dxdy=cosx
…
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find dxdy for the following : 2x+3y=siny
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate both sides with respect to x (implicit differentiation) and solve for dxdy.
Given 2x+3y=siny. Differentiate both sides w.r.t. x:
dxd(2x)+dxd(3y)=dxd(siny)
2+3dxdy=cosydxdy.
Collect the dxdy terms: …
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.If y=ex+y2, then find dxdy.
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is an implicit relation; differentiate both sides with respect to x and collect the dxdy terms.
Given y=ex+y2.
Differentiate both sides with respect to x:
dxdy=ex+2ydxdy
Collect the dxdy terms on one side: …
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