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Parametric
Differentiation

11.6
Introduction
Sometimes the equation of a curve is not be given in Cartesian form y = f(x) but in parametric form:
x = h(t), y = g(t). In this Section we see how to calculate the derivative
dy
dx
from a knowledge of
the so-called parametric derivatives
dx
dt
and
dy
dt
. We then extend this to the determination of the
second derivative
d
2
y
dx
2
.
Parametric functions arise often in particle dynamics in which the parameter t represents the time
and (x(t), y(t)) then represents the position of a particle as it varies with time.

Prerequisites
Before starting this Section you should . . .
be able to dierentiate standard functions
be able to plot a curve given in parametric
form

Learning Outcomes
On completion you should be able to . . .
nd rst and second derivatives when the
equation of a curve is given in parametric
form.
44 HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation
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1. Parametric differentiation
In this subsection we consider the parametric approach to describing a curve:
x = h(t) y = g(t)
. .
t
0
t t
1
. .
/ \
parametric equations parametric range
As various values of t are chosen within the parameter range the corresponding values of x, y are
calculated from the parametric equations. When these points are plotted on an xy plane they trace
out a curve. The Cartesian equation of this curve is obtained by eliminating the parameter t from
the parametric equations. For example, consider the curve:
x = 2 cos t y = 2 sin t 0 t 2.
We can eliminate the t variable in an obvious way - square each parametric equation and then add:
x
2
+ y
2
= 4 cos
2
t + 4 sin
2
t = 4 x
2
+ y
2
= 4
which we recognise as the standard equation of a circle with centre at (0, 0) with radius 2.
In a similar fashion the parametric equations
x = 2t y = 4t
2
< t <
describes a parabola. This follows since, eliminating the parameter t:
t =
x
2
y = 4
_
x
2
4
_
so y = x
2
which we recognise as the standard equation of a parabola.
The question we wish to address in this Section is how do we obtain the derivative
dy
dx
if a curve is
given in parametric form? To answer this we note the key result in this area:
Key Point 12
Parametric Dierentiation
If x = h(t) and y = g(t) then
dy
dx
=
dy
dt

dx
dt
We note that this result allows the determination of
dy
dx
without the need to nd y as an explicit
function of x.
HELM (2005):
Section 11.6: Parametric Dierentiation
45
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Example 13
Determine the equation of the tangent line to the semicircle with parametric equa-
tions
x = cos t y = sin t 0 t
at t = /4.
Solution
The semicircle is drawn in Figure 9. We have also drawn the tangent line at t = /4 (or, equivalently,
at x = cos

4
=
1

2
, y = sin

4
=
1

2
.)
1/

2
/4
x
y
P
1/

2
Figure 9
Now
dy
dx
=
dy
dt

dx
dt
=
cos t
sin t
= cot t.
Thus at t =

4
we have
dy
dx
= cot
_

4
_
= 1.
The equation of the tangent line is
y = mx + c
where m is the gradient of the line and c is a constant.
Clearly m = 1 (since, at the point P the line and the circle have the same gradient).
To nd c we note that the line passes through the point P with coordinates
_
1

2
,
1

2
_
. Hence
1

2
= (1)
1

2
+ c c =
2

2
Finally,
y = x +
2

2
is the equation of the tangent line at the point in question.
46 HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation
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We should note, before proceeding, that a derivative with respect to the parameter t is often denoted
by a dot. Thus
dx
dt
= x,
dy
dt
= y,
d
2
x
dt
2
= x etc.
Task
Find the value of
dy
dx
if x = 3t, y = t
2
4t + 1.
Check your result by nding
dy
dx
in the normal way.
First nd
dx
dt
,
dy
dt
:
Your solution
Answer
dx
dt
= 3,
dy
dt
= 2t 4
Now obtain
dy
dx
:
Your solution
Answer
dy
dx
=
dy
dt

dx
dt
=
2t 4
3
=
2
3
t
4
3
,
or, using the dot notation
dy
dx
=
y
x
=
2t 4
3
=
2
3
t
4
3
Now nd y explicitly as a function of x by eliminating t, and so nd
dy
dx
directly:
Your solution
Answer
t =
x
3
y =
x
2
9

4x
3
+ 1. Finally:
dy
dx
=
2x
9

4
3
=
2t
3

4
3
.
HELM (2005):
Section 11.6: Parametric Dierentiation
47
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Task
Find the value of
dy
dx
at t = 2 if x = 3t 4 sin t, y = t
2
+t cos t, 0 t 4
First nd
dx
dt
,
dy
dt
:
Your solution
Answer
dx
dt
= 3 4 cos t
dy
dt
= 2t + cos t t sin t
Now obtain
dy
dx
:
Your solution
Answer
dy
dx
=
dy
dt

dx
dt
=
2t + cos t t sin t
3 4 cos t
or, using the dot notation,
dy
dx
=
y
x
=
2t + cos t t sin t
3 4 cos t
Finally, substitute t = 2 to nd
dy
dx
at this value of t.
Your solution
Answer
dy
dx

t=2
=
4 + 1
3 4
=
5
3 4
= 0.523
48 HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation
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2. Higher derivatives
Having found the rst derivative
dy
dx
using parametric dierentiation we now ask how we might
determine the second derivative
d
2
y
dx
2
.
By denition:
d
2
y
dx
2
=
d
dx
_
dy
dx
_
But
dy
dx
=
y
x
and so
d
2
y
dx
2
=
d
dx
_
y
x
_
Now
y
x
is a function of t so we can change the derivative with respect to x into a derivative with
respect to t since
d
dx
_
dy
dx
_
=
_
d
dt
_
dy
dx
__
dt
dx
from the function of a function rule (Key Point 11 in Section 11.5).
But, dierentiating the quotient y/ x, we have
d
dt
_
y
x
_
=
x y y x
x
2
and
dt
dx
=
1
_
dx
dt
_ =
1
x
so nally:
d
2
y
dx
2
=
x y y x
x
3
Key Point 13
If x = h(t), y = g(t) then the rst and second derivatives of y with respect to x are:
dy
dx
=
y
x
and
d
2
y
dx
2
=
x y y x
x
3
HELM (2005):
Section 11.6: Parametric Dierentiation
49
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Example 14
If the equations of a curve are x = 2t, y = t
2
3, determine
dy
dx
and
d
2
y
dx
2
.
Solution
Here x = 2, y = 2t
dy
dx
=
y
x
=
2t
2
= t.
Also x = 0, y = 2
d
2
y
dx
2
=
2(2) 2t(0)
(2)
3
=
1
2
.
These results can easily be checked since t =
x
2
and y = t
2
3 which imply y =
x
2
4
3. Therefore
the derivatives can be obtained directly:
dy
dx
=
2x
4
=
x
2
and
d
2
y
dx
2
=
1
2
.
Exercises
1. For the following sets of parametric equations nd
dy
dx
and
d
2
y
dx
2
(a) x = 3t
2
y = 4t
3
(b) x = 4 t
2
y = t
2
+ 4t (c) x = t
2
e
t
y = t
2. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve
x = 1 + 3 sin t y = 2 5 cos t at t =

6
Answers
1. (a)
dy
dx
= 2t,
d
2
y
dx
2
=
1
3t
. (b)
dy
dx
= 1
2
t
,
d
2
y
dx
2
=
1
t
3
(c)
dy
dx
=
e
t
2t + t
2
,
d
2
y
dx
2
=
e
2t
(t
2
+ 4t + 2)
(t + 2)
3
t
3
2. x = 3 cos t y = +5 sin t

dy
dx
=
5
3
tan t
dy
dx

t=/6
=
5
3
tan

6
=
5
3
1

3
=
5

3
9
The equation of the tangent line is y = mx + c where m =
5

3
9
.
The line passes through the point x = 1 + 3 sin

6
= 1 +
3
2
, y = 2 5

3
2
and so
2 5

3
2
=
5

3
9
(1 +
3
2
) + c c = 2
35

3
9
50 HELM (2005):
Workbook 11: Dierentiation
www.ebookcraze.blogspot.com