The positive horizontal coordinate is . By implicit differentiation,
At the selected point this gives .
Differentiate the defining function with the other coordinates independent. Put for brevity. Then
The implicit differentiation ratios therefore give
Each expression applies on the implicit surface wherever its own denominator is nonzero. The hyperbolic cosine appears because the derivative of with respect to either or is .
By implicit differentiation of the ellipse equation,
The tangent line through is therefore
Its normal vector is , parallel to the gradient of at that point.
Apply implicit differentiation, remembering that depends on :
Since , division is always legitimate. Therefore
Put . Apply implicit differentiation with respect to and , using the chain rule:
Consequently
At a point where the assumed differentiable function exists, the first equation forces . Combining the equations therefore gives
The assertion is understood on such differentiable branches of the implicit function; arbitrary parameter choices need not produce one everywhere.
Regard the refraction angle as a function of the angle of incidence, . Implicit differentiation of Snell's law gives . Differentiating the deviation angle gives . An interior stationary point therefore satisfies
The stationary deviation of a primary rainbow ray is a minimum: differentiating again and using Snell's law gives . At the stationary point, , and hence for a positive interior refraction angle. This minimum is responsible for the concentration of emerging light rays near the primary rainbow direction.