Q.Find dxdy in the following: x3+x2y+xy2+y3=81
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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 term by term:
- dxd(x3)=3x2
- dxd(x2y)=2xy+x2dxdy (product rule)
- dxd(xy2)=y2+2xydxdy (product rule)
- dxd(y3)=3y2dxdy
- dxd(81)=0
So:
3x2+2xy+x2dxdy+y2+2xydxdy+3y2dxdy=0 …
We treat y as a function of x and differentiate every term implicitly, then solve for dxdy. The result is dxdy=−x2+2xy+3y23x2+2xy+y2.
The equation x3+x2y+xy2+y3=81 mixes x and y together — you cannot solve for y in terms of x easily (it’s a cubic in y). So we use implicit differentiation: assume y is a function of x, differentiate both sides with respect to x, and treat y as y(x). Every time we hit a y, we apply the chain rule: dxd(yn)=nyn−1dxdy.
Let’s go term by term.
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Differentiate x3:
dxd(x3)=3x2.
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Differentiate x2y:
This is a product of x2 and y. Use the product rule:
dxd(x2y)=dxd(x2)⋅y+x2⋅dxd(y)=2x⋅y+x2⋅dxdy.
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Differentiate xy2:
Again a product: x times y2.
dxd(xy2)=dxd(x)⋅y2+x⋅dxd(y2)=1⋅y2+x⋅(2ydxdy)=y2+2xydxdy.
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Differentiate y3:
Chain rule: dxd(y3)=3y2dxdy.
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Differentiate the right side:
dxd(81)=0.
Now put it all together:
3x2+(2xy+x2dxdy)+(y2+2xydxdy)+3y2dxdy=0.
Collect the terms without dxdy and those with it:
- Terms without dxdy: 3x2+2xy+y2.
- Terms with dxdy: x2dxdy+2xydxdy+3y2dxdy=(x2+2xy+3y2)dxdy.
So the equation becomes: …
Method: Implicit Differentiation with Several Mixed-Power Terms
This method handles equations where x and y appear together in more than one mixed term (like x2y and xy2) — each such term needs its own product-rule expansion before you can collect dxdy.
Steps
Step 1: List every term and classify it
Sort the equation's terms into three kinds: pure-x powers (differentiate normally), pure-y powers (chain rule adds dxdy), and mixed terms like x2y or xy2 (need the product rule).
Step 2: Expand each mixed term with the product rule
For a term xayb, treat it as a product of xa and yb:
dxd(xayb)=axa−1yb+xa⋅byb−1dxdy.
Apply this once per mixed term — several such terms means doing this step several times, one term at a time.
Step 3: Differentiate the remaining pure-power and constant terms
Pure x-power terms differentiate normally; a pure y-power term yn differentiates to nyn−1dxdy; a constant differentiates to 0.
Step 4: Separate "with dxdy" from "without," factor, and solve …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Only partially expanding a mixed term like x2y
It's easy to differentiate x2y as 2xy alone, forgetting the second half of the product rule. Why it's wrong: x2y is a product of x2 and y(x), so it needs 2xy+x2dxdy — both the derivative of x2 times y, and x2 times the derivative of y. Correct approach: apply the product rule fully to each mixed term separately before combining.
Mistake 2: Losing track of a term while collecting four differentiated pieces …
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.
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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.
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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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