Analyzing the Setup
The path is defined by the implicit equation:
Our objective is to determine the slope of the tangent line, denoted as y′, at the specific location where x=0.
Finding the Coordinates
Before calculating the slope, we must identify the corresponding y-coordinate at x=0. Substituting x=0 into the original equation yields:
This simplifies to log(y)=0. Applying the definition of the natural logarithm, we find:
Thus, our point of interest is (0,1).
The Art of Differentiation
To find the slope, we differentiate the entire equation with respect to x using the chain rule and the product rule. Applying the operator dxd to both sides:
dxd[log(x+y)]−dxd[2xy]=0
Applying the chain rule to the first term and the product rule to the second term, we obtain:
This expression represents the general relationship between the coordinates and the slope y′ at any point on the curve.
The Elegant Substitution
Rather than isolating y′ algebraically, we substitute the known coordinates (x,y)=(0,1) directly into the differentiated equation:
Simplifying the arithmetic, we get:
Solving for y′, we arrive at:
Geometric Truth
We have determined that at the point (0,1), the slope of the tangent line is 1.
This indicates that the tangent line makes a perfect 45-degree angle with the x-axis. By breaking the problem into finding the point, applying differentiation rules, and substituting early, we successfully navigated the implicit curve.