Partial Derivatives: Find \frac{\partial y}{\partial x}

In summary, to find the partial derivative of y with respect to x for the given equation, we take the partials w.r.t. x of both sides, resulting in an equation with factors of partial y w.r.t. x. By solving for this partial, we get the desired answer.
  • #1
cse63146
452
0
Find [tex]\frac{\partial y}{\partial x}[/tex] of [tex]3sin (x^2 + y^2) = 5cos(x^2 - y^2)[/tex]


[tex]\partial y = 6ycos(x^2 + y^2) - 10ysin(x^2 - y^2)[/tex]
[tex]\partial x = 6xcos(x^2 + y^2) + 10xsin(x^2 - y^2)[/tex]

so I thought [tex]\frac{\partial y}{\partial x} = \frac{6ycos(x^2 + y^2) - 10ysin(x^2 - y^2)}{6xcos(x^2 + y^2) + 10xsin(x^2 - y^2)}[/tex]

but instead, the answer is supposed to be:

[tex]\frac{\partial y}{\partial x} = - \frac{6xcos(x^2 + y^2) + 10xsin(x^2 - y^2)}{6ycos(x^2 + y^2) - 10ysin(x^2 - y^2)}[/tex]
 
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  • #2
cse63146 said:
Find [tex]\frac{\partial y}{\partial x}[/tex] of [tex]3sin (x^2 + y^2) = 5cos(x^2 - y^2)[/tex]


[tex]\partial y = 6ycos(x^2 + y^2) - 10ysin(x^2 - y^2)[/tex]
[tex]\partial x = 6xcos(x^2 + y^2) + 10xsin(x^2 - y^2)[/tex]
I don't see how you went from an equation to two partial differentials. What happened to the '=' in your first equation?

Instead, take the partial with respect to x of both sides, keeping in mind that the partial of x with respect to x is 1. You'll have an equation that involves x, y, and partial of y w.r.t. x, and you should be able to solve for this partial by using algebra.

cse63146 said:
so I thought [tex]\frac{\partial y}{\partial x} = \frac{6ycos(x^2 + y^2) - 10ysin(x^2 - y^2)}{6xcos(x^2 + y^2) + 10xsin(x^2 - y^2)}[/tex]

but instead, the answer is supposed to be:

[tex]\frac{\partial y}{\partial x} = - \frac{6xcos(x^2 + y^2) + 10xsin(x^2 - y^2)}{6ycos(x^2 + y^2) - 10ysin(x^2 - y^2)}[/tex]
 
  • #3
isnt [tex]3sin (x^2 + y^2) = 5cos(x^2 - y^2) \Rightarrow 3sin (x^2 + y^2) - 5cos(x^2 - y^2) = 0[/tex]
 
  • #4
Yes, the first equation implies the second. In your post, you skipped a lot of steps between where you started and the next line.

If you take the partial w.r.t x of 3 sin(x^2 + y^2) - 5 cos(x^2 - y^2), you're going to have factors of partial wrt x of (x^2 + y^2) and of (x^2 - y^2). For the first, you should get
2x + 2y*partial y w.r.t x. (Sorry I'm not able to use Tex, the database seems very slow and cranky today.) The other factor is similar, but with - between the two terms.
To summarize, after you take partials w.r.t. x of both sides of the equation, you should get this:
3 cos(x^2 + y^2)*(2x + 2y*partial y w.r.t. x) + 5 sin(x^2 - y^2) * (2x + 2y*partial y w.r.t. x) = 0.

You should be able to solve algebraically for partial y w.r.t. x.

An important point is that if you start with an equation, and apply an operator to both sides, you end up with an equation.
 

What is a partial derivative?

A partial derivative is a mathematical concept that allows us to calculate the rate of change of a function with respect to one of its variables, while holding all other variables constant. It is denoted by ∂y/∂x and is often used in multivariable calculus and optimization problems.

How do you find the partial derivative of a function?

To find the partial derivative of a function, we use the following formula: ∂y/∂x = limΔx→0 (f(x+Δx, y) - f(x,y))/Δx. This means we take the limit as the change in x approaches 0 and calculate the slope of the function at that point.

What is the significance of partial derivatives?

Partial derivatives are important in many areas of mathematics and science, including physics, economics, and engineering. They allow us to analyze how changing one variable affects the overall behavior of a function, and are crucial in optimization problems where we want to find the minimum or maximum value of a function.

Can you give an example of finding a partial derivative?

Sure! Let's say we have the function f(x,y) = 3x^2 + 2xy + y^2. To find ∂f/∂x, we hold y constant and take the derivative of 3x^2, which is 6x. To find ∂f/∂y, we hold x constant and take the derivative of 2xy + y^2, which is 2x + 2y.

Are partial derivatives the same as ordinary derivatives?

No, partial derivatives only consider the change in one variable while holding all others constant, while ordinary derivatives consider the change in one variable without considering any other variables. In other words, partial derivatives are a special case of ordinary derivatives in multivariable functions.

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