Question #26ad5

1 Answer
Feb 23, 2017

# (d^2y)/(dx^2) =-8/y- (64x^2)/y^3 #

Explanation:

When we differentiate #y# wrt #x# we get #dy/dx#.

However, we cannot differentiate a non implicit function of #y# wrt #x#. But if we apply the chain rule we can differentiate a function of #y# wrt #y# but we must also multiply the result by #dy/dx#.

When this is done in situ it is known as implicit differentiation.

We have:

# 8x^2 + y^2=2 #

Differentiate wrt #x#:

# 16x + 2ydy/dx = 0 #
# :. 8x + ydy/dx = 0 #

Differentiate wrt #x# a second time (applying product rule):

# 8 + (y)((d^2y)/(dx^2)) + (dy/dx)(dy/dx) = 0 #
# :. 8 + y (d^2y)/(dx^2) + (dy/dx)^2 = 0 #

and from the earlier equation:

# ydy/dx = -8x => dy/dx = (-8x)/y#

Substituting gives us:

# 8 + y (d^2y)/(dx^2) + ((-8x)/y)^2 = 0 #
# :. 8 + y (d^2y)/(dx^2) + (64x^2)/y^2 = 0 #
# :. y (d^2y)/(dx^2) =-8- (64x^2)/y^2 #
# :. (d^2y)/(dx^2) =-8/y- (64x^2)/y^3 #