106

LESSON 13: Higher Derivatives and Implicit

Differentiation

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this lesson, the students are expected to accomplish the
following:
 define higher derivatives;
 apply the knowledge of higher derivatives and implicit differentiation in
proving relations;
 find the higher derivative of algebraic functions; and
 determine the derivative of algebraic functions implicitly under the
specified conditions.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:

The lecture method will be used in this lesson. Assign a student to get the
first derivative, another student for the second derivative and so on. This
encourages students’ participation. Presenting the students’ solution on the
whiteboard may do this strategy.

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:

In order to assess the students’ comprehension of the lesson, give a short

quiz in obtaining the higher derivative and a short quiz for implicit differentiation.

DISCUSSION OF THE TOPICS

dy
If the function y  f  x  is differentiated then its derivative is
dx
dy
sometimes called the first derivative of y with respect to x. If the function is
dx
dy
differentiable then the derivative of is called the second derivative of y with
dx

respect to x denoted by
d 2y
dx 2
or
y" . Similarly, the third derivative of y  f  x 

d 2y d 3y
is defined as the derivative of with respect to x, denoted by , and so
dx 2 dx 3
on.
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The nth derivative of the function y  f  x  where n is a positive integer, is the

derivative of the (n-1)th derivative of y  f  x  . We denote the nth derivative
of y  f  x  by y n .

Some notations for higher derivatives are the following:

dy d
first derivative: , y ' , f ' x , f  x  , Dx f  x 
dx dx

second derivative:
d 2y
dx 2
,
y ",
f "
 x ,
d2
dx 2
f  x ,

D2xf  x

d ny dn
nth derivative: , y n , f n  x , f  x , Dn xf  x
dx n dx n

dy d 2y d ny
The symbols: , , are called Leibniz notations.
dx dx 2 dx n

Example 13.1. Find all the derivatives of the function

y  6 x 5  5x 4  2 x 3  3x 2  10 x  5

Solution:
4
y '  30 x 
3
y "  120 x 
' ' ' 2
y  360 x
y  4   720 x
y  5   720
y  6   0
 108

Example 13.2. If n is a positive integer, show that

dn
dx n
 x   n!
n

Proof:
d
dx
 
x n  n.x n 1

d2
2
 x   n. n  1 x
n n 2
dx

d3
 x   n. n  1 n  2 x
n n 3
dx 3

d n 1
dx n 1
 x   n. n  1 n  2 n  3........ 2x
n

dn
 x   n. n  1 n  2 n  3........2.1  n!
n
dx n

Example 13.3. Find the second derivative of y  x 4  5  x 2  4 x 4 when x 1

.

Solution:

3 3 5
y '  4x  2x  16 x
2 4 6
y "  12 x  6x  80 x
when x  1

121 61
2 4
y "   
 12  6  80
y "  98
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d 2y x
Example 13.4. Find of y 
dx 2 1 x

Solution:

dy 1  x 1  x   1 1  x  x 1
  
dx 1  x  2
1  x  2
1  x  2

d 2y 1 21  x  2
  21  x   1  
dx 2
1  x  4
1  x  4
1  x  3

An equation such as y  f  x  is defined explicitly as a function of x for

some domain R. However not all functions are defined in such an explicit way.
Consider an equation in x and y such as x 3  2 xy  y 2  3 . In this equation, y in
terms of x is not easily solved. Now, if a function f  x  exists such that
x 3  2 xf  x   f 2  x   3 , then y  f  x  is said to be defined implicitly. Since we
define y as at least one differentiable function of x, the derivative of y with respect
to x can be found by implicit differentiation.

Steps in Implicit Differentiation

1. Differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to x.

dy
2. Collect all the terms with on one side of the equation.
dx
dy
3. Factor out .
dx
dy
4. Solve for .
dx
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Example 13.5. Find y ' and y" of x 2  4 y 2  4 by implicit differentiation.

Solution:

x 2  4y 2  4
Take the derivative of each term implicitly,
2 x  8yy '  0
8yy '  2 x
Solve for y ' ,
2x
y'
8y
x
y'
4y

Now, find y”

1 y  xy '
y "  2
4 y
x
replace y’ by 4 y

x
y  x
4
y " 
2
4 y
2
4 y 
4 y
y " 
2
4 y
2
 ( x 
y " 
16 y
2
but x  4 y
 4
y "  3
16 y
 1
y "  3
4 y

Example 13.6. Show that if xy  1 , then y "  x "  4

Solution:

First, differentiate the given equation twice by holding x as constant, to get

d 2y
, that is,
dx 2
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dy
x y 0
dx
dy
x  y
dx
dy  y

dx x

Differentiate again with respect to x,

  dy 
2 x y
d y  dx 

dx 2 x2

y
x   y
x
  2
x
2y
 2
x

dx
Now find dy in the given equation by holding y as a constant,
dx
y x0
dy
dx
y  x
dy
dx x

dy y
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Differentiate once more,

dx x
2 y ( ) x y    x
d x dy y 2x
    
dy 2 y2 y 2
y2

2y 2x
y "x "  
2
x y2
4

xy
4 since xy  1
 113

EXERCISES:

I. For the following functions, find the indicated derivative.

1. y  10 x 5  21x 4  13x 3  6 x 2  5 x  1000 ; y (6)

2. y  3 1  2 x  5 ;y"
x2
3. y  ; y  4
x
4
4. f  x   2
; y  3
x
5. x  1  y  2  3y  1 ;y"
x  t

6.  1
y  2
;y"
 1 t
dy
II. Find by implicit differentiation.
dx

1. 2 x 2  2 y 2  17
2. x 3 y  xy 3  a 3 b 3
1 1
3. x  y  1
4. x  y  xy
5. 2 x 3  4 x 2  6 xy 2  2y 3  11
III. Find the indicated derivative of the following.

1. x 2  4y 2  5 , y "
2. y 3  y  x 4 , y"
3.  x  y  1 2   x  y  1 2  a , y ' ' '
4.  x  y  2  2ax , y ' ' '