TECHNIQUES OF DIFFERENTIATION: INVERSE FUNCTION
Consider the function defined by the equation
𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
This equation may be solved for 𝑥, giving
𝑥 = 𝑔(𝑦)
The functions 𝑓 and 𝑔 are said to be inverse functions. To distinguish between functions
𝑓 and 𝑔, let us call 𝑓 the direct function and 𝑔 the inverse function.
Now the problem is, if we are given a function written in the form 𝑥 = 𝑔(𝑦), how can we
𝑑𝑦
be able to find the derivative of 𝑦 with respect to 𝑥 or 𝑑𝑥 ?
This is accomplished by what we call the inverse function rule which is stated as follows:
INVERSE FUNCTION RULE
If 𝑦 is a differentiable function of 𝑥 defined by 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥), then its inverse function
defined by 𝑥 = 𝑔(𝑦) is a differentiable function of 𝑦 and
𝑑𝑦 1
D1: 𝑑𝑥
= 𝑑𝑥⁄
𝑑𝑦
This definition clearly shows that the derivative of the inverse function is equal to
the reciprocal of the derivative of the direct function. The proof of D1 is shown below.
Proof of D1
Let 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑥 = 𝑔(𝑦) be inverse functions. Therefore, 𝑦 is a function
of 𝑥 and 𝑥 is a function of 𝑦. By Chain Rule,
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥
= ·
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥
1= ·
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
Rearranging, = 𝑑𝑥⁄
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
Hence, if the given function is in the form 𝑥 = 𝑔(𝑦), it is needed to evaluate first
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦
before finding 𝑑𝑥 .
PREPARED BY: ENGR. KATHLEEN MARJORIE S. CINCO 1
EXAMPLES
𝑑𝑦
Find using the Inverse Function Rule.
𝑑𝑥
1.) 𝑥 = 𝑦 3 − 4𝑦 2
Solution:
𝑑𝑥
= 3𝑦 2 − 8𝑦
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥⁄
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
= 2
𝑑𝑥 3𝑦 − 8𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
= 𝑦(3𝑦−8) [Note: Final answer should always be in simplest (factored) form]
𝑑𝑥
2.) 𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑦 3
Solution:
𝑑𝑥
= 1 + 2𝑦 + 3𝑦 2
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥⁄
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
= Rearranging the degree of the variables (highest to lowest)
𝑑𝑥 1+2𝑦+3𝑦 2
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 3𝑦 2 + 2𝑦 + 1
3.) 𝑥 = √𝑦 + 3√𝑦
Solution:
𝑑𝑥 1 1 1 2
= 𝑦 −2 + 𝑦 −3
𝑑𝑦 2 3
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 1 −12 1 −23
2𝑦 +3𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 1 −6 1 −46
3
2𝑦 +3𝑦
PREPARED BY: ENGR. KATHLEEN MARJORIE S. CINCO 2
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 1 1
6
+ 6
2√𝑦 3 3√𝑦 4
𝑑𝑦 1
= 6
𝑑𝑥 3 √𝑦 + 2
6 4
6√𝑦
6 4
𝑑𝑦 6√𝑦
= 6
𝑑𝑥 3 √𝑦 + 2
3 2
𝑑𝑦 6√𝑦
= 6
𝑑𝑥 3 √𝑦 + 2
3
4.) 𝑥 = (4 − 3𝑦)2
Solution:
𝑑𝑥 3 1
= (4 − 3𝑦)2 (−3)
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑑𝑥 9 1
= − (4 − 3𝑦)2
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑑𝑥
=− 1 [Rationalizing]
9(4−3𝑦) 2
1
𝑑𝑦 2 (4 − 3𝑦)2
=− 1· 1
𝑑𝑥
9(4 − 3𝑦)2 (4 − 3𝑦)2
1
𝑑𝑦 2 (4 − 3𝑦)2
=−
𝑑𝑥 9(4 − 3𝑦)
1
𝑑𝑦 2 (4 − 3𝑦)2
=
𝑑𝑥 9(3𝑦 − 4)
5.) 𝑥 = 2(4𝑦 + 1)3
Solution:
𝑑𝑥
= 2(3)(4𝑦 + 1)2 (4)
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= 24(4𝑦 + 1)2
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 24(4𝑦 + 1)2
PREPARED BY: ENGR. KATHLEEN MARJORIE S. CINCO 3
6
6.) 𝑥 = (3𝑦+1)2
Solution:
𝑑𝑥
To easily evaluate 𝑑𝑦
, we can rewrite the equation into:
𝑥 = 6(3𝑦 + 1)−2 so that
𝑑𝑥
= 6(−2)(3𝑦 + 1)−3 (3)
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= −36(3𝑦 + 1)−3
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 −36(3𝑦+1)−3
𝑑𝑦 (3𝑦+1)3
= −
𝑑𝑥 36
7.) 𝑥 = √1 + √1 + √𝑦
Solution:
1
− 1
𝑑𝑥 1 2 1 − 1 1
= (1 + √1 + √𝑦) [ (1 + √𝑦) 2 ] ( 𝑦 −2 )
𝑑𝑦 2 2 2
𝑑𝑥 1
= 1
𝑑𝑦 2 1 1
8 (1 + √1 + √𝑦) (1 + √𝑦)2 (𝑦 2 )
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 1
1
2 1 1
2
8 (1 + √1 + √𝑦) (1 + √𝑦) (𝑦 2 )
1
1
𝑑𝑦 2 1
= 8 (1 + √1 + √𝑦) (1 + √𝑦)2 (𝑦 2 )
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦
= 8√𝑦 (√√√𝑦 + 1 + 1) (√√𝑦 + 1)
𝑑𝑥
PREPARED BY: ENGR. KATHLEEN MARJORIE S. CINCO 4
2𝑦+1 4
8.) 𝑥 = (3𝑦−1)
Solution:
𝑑𝑥 2𝑦 + 1 3 (3𝑦 − 1)(2) − (2𝑦 + 1)(3)
= 4( ) [ ]
𝑑𝑦 3𝑦 − 1 (3𝑦 − 1)2
𝑑𝑥 2𝑦 + 1 3 6𝑦 − 2 − (6𝑦 + 3)
= 4( ) [ ]
𝑑𝑦 3𝑦 − 1 (3𝑦 − 1)2
𝑑𝑥 4(2𝑦 + 1)3 (−5)
=
𝑑𝑦 (3𝑦 − 1)5
𝑑𝑥 20(2𝑦 + 1)3
=−
𝑑𝑦 (3𝑦 − 1)5
𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 20(2𝑦 + 1)3
−
(3𝑦 − 1)5
𝑑𝑦 (3𝑦 − 1)5
=−
𝑑𝑥 20(2𝑦 + 1)3
PREPARED BY: ENGR. KATHLEEN MARJORIE S. CINCO 5
