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z = 1 - x - y
o
(1 , 0 , 0 )
y
(0 , 1 , 0 )
Function of n-variable
Def. : A n-variable function is a function such that its range is a subset of the real
number R and its domain is the subset of the n-dimensional vector space Rn. That is
to say f=f(x1,x2.....,xn)=f(v), where v=(x1,x2.....,xn) and f is a scalar.
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(ii)
(1)
(2)
z
p la n e y = y o
y
ta n g e n t lin e w ith s lo p e
x
surface. fx(x0,y0)=
( x, y ) ( x 0 , y 0 )
is
y is fixed at y=y0.
There is an infinitesimal
small change of x from x0
y
to
x0+x
and
the
corresponding change in
the function value is
x
f=f(x0+x, y0)-f(x0, y0).
(iii)
fx(x0, y0) is indeed the ratio
of (f/x).
Or graphically, the plane y=y0 is intersected with the surface z=f(x, y) to obtain the
cross section of the surface. The cross section of the surface is indeed functional
dependence of x while keeping y fixed at y0. fx(x0,y0) is indeed the slope of the
tangent of the curve appeared on the cross section at the point x=x0.
z = f (x , y)
(i)
(ii)
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z
x
ta n g e n t lin e w ith s lo p e
y
(x o , y o , z o)
p la n e x = x o
z = f (x , y)
(3)
Example :
(i) Calculate the three partial derivatives of the three variable function :
2
f ( x, y , z ) xz e y z
xy 2 z 3
2 f
f yy
x
2 f
y
;
x x
y y
(iii) differentiate with respect to x first and then with respect to y i.e. :
f xy
2 f
f
;
yx
y x
(iv) differentiate with respect to y first and then with respect to x, i.e.,
f yx
2 f
f
xy
x y
Example : Let z=f(x, y)=x3y2-xy5, find all the possible second derivatives.
Theorem 1.
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Suppose f is a function of two variables f(x,y). If f , fx, fy, fxy and fyx are continuous,
then fxy=fyx.
Note : (i) Most of the functions that appeared in the scope of this course are
continuous.
Theorem 2.
f is a three variable function f(x, y, z) If f, fx, fy, fz and all the mixed second order
derivatives are continuous, then :
fxy=fyx, fxz=fzx, fyz=fzy.
Example :
f(x, y, z)=xy3-zx5+x2yz.
(i) Find all the nine second partial derivatives and check the validity of Theorem 2.
(ii) Find fxxx, fxzy and fzxy.
4.4 Gradient and differentiability
Def. : Let f(x, y, z) be a function of three variables and the gradient of f, denoted by
f is defined as :
f
f
f
f
i
j
k
x
y
z
(4)
Differentiability
In the previous section, we have studied the partial derivative of a two
variable function f(x, y), which means by calculating the partial derivatives (i.e. fx or
fy), we can know the induced change in f (i.e. f) if there is a very small change in x
(i.e. x) or y (i.e. y) while the other variable is kept fixed. However, if there are
simultaneous small changes in both of the variables (x, y)(x+x, y+y), then the
change in the function value f=f(x, y)- f(x+x, y+y) is not identical to that in the
previous cases.
z
z=f(x0+x,y0+y)
z=f(x0+x,y0)
z=f(x0,y0)
z=f(x0,y0+y)
y
(x0,y0+y,0)
x
(x0+x,y0,0)
(x0+x,y0+y,0)
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where
lim
1 (x, y ) 0
lim
2 (x, y ) 0
( x, y ) ( x 0 , y 0 )
( x, y ) ( x 0 , y 0 )
f
f
x
y 1 (x, y ) x 2 (x, y ) y
x ( x , y )
y ( x , y )
0
0
0
0
Or an alternative definition:
Let f be a two variable function f(r), where r=(x,y). f is said to be differentiable at
r0=(x0,y0) iff for any infinitesimal small change in the vector from r0=(x0,y0) to
r0+r=(x0+x,y0+y), the induced function change f=f(r0+r)-f(r0) can be
expressed as :
f (r0 r ) f (r0 ) f (r0 ) r g (r )
g ( r )
Theorem 3
If f(r) and g(r) are two multivariable functions and is some constant scalar, then :
(i) f f
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(ii) ( f g ) f g
(5)
r
x
f
f
s
x
x
f
r
y
x
f
s
y
y
r
y
s
(6)
Example :
df
.
dt
f
f
and
.
(ii) f(x, y)=sin(xy2), x=r/s and y=er-s. Find
r
s
Therefore,
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As g'(t) is the tangent line of the curve C, we can say that F is perpendicular to the
tangent line at any point of the curve C. Because C is arbitrary constructed, we can
conclude:
F(x0, y0, z0) is perpendicular
to the tangent vectors at (x0, y0, z0) to
any curve passing through (x0, y0, z0)
and lying on the surface F(x,y,z)=0.
F(x o )
xo
(x o , y o , z o )
S u rfa c e
F (x , y, z)= 0
Example :
(i)
Find the equation of the tangent plane and the normal line to the surface
y2
x2
4
2
z
9
(ii) Find the tangent plane and the normal line to the surface z=x 3y5 at the point
(2,1,8).
4.7 Directional derivative and the gradient
Suppose f is a function of two variables f(x, y). We have already known that
the partial derivatives
f
f
and y are the ratio of the induced functional change f
x
to the infinitesimal change x and y respectively as the other variable is kept fixed.
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In some of the case, we are interested to know the functional change f if there is a
infinitesimal change of the variables in the u direction, i.e. from r0=(x0,y0)=x0i+y0j to
r0+r=(x0+x)i+(y0+y)j.
z
z = f (x , y )
f (x o + x , y o + y )
f (x o , y o)
o
x
y
(x o , y o)
(xo + x , yo + y )
(7)
Example : Find the following directional derivatives of f in the direction of the
specified vector:
(i) f(x, y)=xy2, v=2i+3j;
(ii) f(x, y, z)=xlny-exp(xz3), v=i-j+3k.
(8)
(9)
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Example: The radius of a cone is measured to be 15cm and the height of the cone is
measured to be 25cm. There is a maximum error of 0.02cm in the measurement of
the radius and 0.05cm in the measurement of the height.
(a) What is the approximate volume of the cone?
(b) What is the maximum error in the calculation of the volume?
4.9 Local maximum, local minimum and saddle point of two variable function.
Def. : Local maximum and minimum
Suppose f(x, y) is a two variable function defined in a neighbourhood of a point
r0=(x0, y0).
(i) r0 is said to be the local maximum of f iff f(r0) f(r) for any r in the neighbourhood
of r0.
(ii) r0 is said to be the local minimum of f iff f(r0)f(r) for any r in the neighbourhood
of r0.
r0 is called the extreme point iff it is a local maximum or minimum.
Def. : Critical Point
f(r) is a differentiable two variable function. r0 is a critical point iff
(i) f(r0)=0 or
(ii) f(r0) does not exist.
Theorem 6
Suppose f(r) is a two variable function. If r0 is a extreme point, then f(r0)=0.
Important : Notice that the reverse of Theorem 6 is not correct, i.e. f(r0)=0 does not
imply that r0 is a extreme point. It may be a saddle point.
Def. : Saddle point
r0 is said to be a saddle point if f(r0)=0 and r0 is not an extreme point.
z
Example :
z=y2-x2 at (0,0) is a saddle point because z(0,0)=0 but it is not a maximum nor
minimum.
Example : Find all the critical points and determine its nature.
(i) f(x, y)=1+x2+3y2.
(ii) f(x, y)=-x2+2x+4y+5
(iii) f(x, y)=2x3-24xy+16y3.
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