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Re: Implicit differentiation


  • To: mathgroup@smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg11457] Re: Implicit differentiation
  • From: Paul Abbott <paul@physics.uwa.edu.au>
  • Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 01:34:10 -0500
  • Organization: University of Western Australia
  • References: <6dqqlo$rkc@smc.vnet.net>

MAvalosJr wrote:

> Any ideas how I can plug into mathematica to find the 2nd or third
> derivative of an implicit function? The first derivative is okay. I'm
> using( Example): in:eq= x^3 + y^3 ==2
>                                in: step1= Dt[eq,x]
>                                in: step2=Solve[step1, Dt[y,x] (* This
> gives me the first derivative*). 

In[1]:= eqn = x^3 + y^3 == 2;

Solve for Dt[y,x]:

In[2]:= Dt[y,x]^=Dt[y,x]/. Solve[Dt[eqn,x], Dt[y,x]]//First

           2
          x
Out[2]= -(--)
           2
          y

Using ^= attaches the value of Dt[y,x] to x (not to Dt which is
protected).  

Now we can use NestList to compute higher derivatives:

In[3]:= NestList[Dt[#, x] & , Dt[y, x], 2]

            2       4             6       3
           x    -2 x    2 x  -10 x    12 x    2 Out[3]= {-(--), ----- -
---, ------ - ----- - --}
            2     5      2      8       5      2
           y     y      y      y       y      y

Cheers,
	Paul 

____________________________________________________________________ 
Paul Abbott                                   Phone: +61-8-9380-2734
Department of Physics                           Fax: +61-8-9380-1014
The University of Western Australia            Nedlands WA  6907       
mailto:paul@physics.uwa.edu.au  AUSTRALIA                            
http://www.pd.uwa.edu.au/~paul

            God IS a weakly left-handed dice player
____________________________________________________________________



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