Final answer:
Implicit differentiation is a technique used to find the derivative of an implicitly defined function. It involves differentiating both sides of the equation and applying the chain rule. Let me walk you through the steps.
Step-by-step explanation:
Implicit differentiation is a technique used to find the derivative of an implicitly defined function. It is often used when it is difficult or not possible to express the function explicitly in terms of the independent variable. To find the derivative implicitly, you differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to the independent variable and apply the chain rule. Let me walk you through the steps:
- Identify the dependent variable and the independent variable in the equation.
- Differentiate both sides of the equation with respect to the independent variable, treating the dependent variable as a function of the independent variable.
- Use the chain rule to differentiate any composite functions that appear in the equation.
- Simplify the resulting equation and solve for the derivative.
For example, let's say we have the equation x^2 + y^2 = 25 and we want to find dy/dx. Using implicit differentiation, we differentiate both sides with respect to x: 2x + 2yy' = 0. Then, we solve for y': y' = -x/y.