Implicit Differentiation
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Mathematics/Calculus
Theorem 1Theorem 1. Suppose that $F(x, y)$ is differentiable and that the equation $F(x, y) = 0$ defines $y$ as a differentiable function of $x$. Then at any point where $\partial_y F \neq 0,$ $$\frac{dy}{dx} = - \frac{\partial_x F}{\partial_y F}.$$Proof. Since $F(x, y) = 0$, the derivative $\frac{dF}{dx}$ must be zero. By the Chain Rule, we find $$0 = \frac{dF}{dx} = \frac{\partial F}{\partial ..