Question:medium

If \( x \cos(p + y) + \cos p \sin(p + y) = 0 \), prove that \( \cos p \frac{dy}{dx} = -\cos^2(p + y) \), where \( p \) is a constant.

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Use the chain rule effectively and simplify by factoring common terms to isolate \( \frac{dy}{dx} \).
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Given the equation: \[x \cos(p + y) + \cos p \sin(p + y) = 0.\] 1. Rearrange to isolate the term with \( \sin(p+y) \): \[\cos p \sin(p + y) = -x \cos(p + y).\] 2. Differentiate both sides with respect to \( x \), treating \( p \) as a constant: \[\cos p \frac{d}{dx} \big[\sin(p + y)\big] = -\frac{d}{dx} \big[x \cos(p + y)\big].\] 3. Apply the chain rule on the left side and the product rule on the right side: \[\cos p \cos(p + y) \frac{dy}{dx} = -\big[1 \cdot \cos(p + y) + x(-\sin(p + y))\frac{dy}{dx}\big].\] 4. Simplify the equation: \[\cos p \cos(p + y) \frac{dy}{dx} = -\cos(p + y) + x \sin(p + y) \frac{dy}{dx}.\] 5. Group the \( \frac{dy}{dx} \) terms on one side: \[\frac{dy}{dx} \big[\cos p \cos(p + y) - x \sin(p + y)\big] = -\cos(p + y).\] 6. Solve for \( \frac{dy}{dx} \): \[\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{-\cos(p + y)}{\cos p \cos(p + y) - x \sin(p + y)}.\] Alternatively, if \( \cos(p+y) eq 0 \), we can simplify the original rearranged equation in step 1 and differentiate. From step 1, \( \cos p \sin(p + y) = -x \cos(p + y) \). If \( \cos(p+y) eq 0 \), divide by \( \cos(p+y) \): \[\cos p \tan(p+y) = -x.\] Differentiate both sides with respect to \( x \): \[\cos p \sec^2(p+y) \frac{dy}{dx} = -1.\] Solve for \( \frac{dy}{dx} \): \[\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{-1}{\cos p \sec^2(p+y)} = \frac{-\cos p}{\sec^2(p+y)}.\] Using \( \sec^2(p+y) = \frac{1}{\cos^2(p+y)} \): \[\frac{dy}{dx} = -\cos p \cos^2(p+y).\] Let's verify this with the result from step 6. From step 6: \[\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{-\cos(p + y)}{\cos p \cos(p + y) - x \sin(p + y)}.\] From the original equation, \( x \cos(p + y) = -\cos p \sin(p + y) \). Substitute \( x = \frac{-\cos p \sin(p + y)}{\cos(p+y)} \) into the denominator: \[\cos p \cos(p + y) - \left(\frac{-\cos p \sin(p + y)}{\cos(p+y)}\right) \sin(p + y)\] \[= \cos p \cos(p + y) + \frac{\cos p \sin^2(p + y)}{\cos(p+y)}\] \[= \frac{\cos p \cos^2(p + y) + \cos p \sin^2(p + y)}{\cos(p+y)}\] \[= \frac{\cos p (\cos^2(p + y) + \sin^2(p + y))}{\cos(p+y)}\] \[= \frac{\cos p}{\cos(p+y)}.\] So, \[\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{-\cos(p + y)}{\frac{\cos p}{\cos(p+y)}} = \frac{-\cos^2(p + y)}{\cos p}.\] This matches the simplified result. Proved.
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