HIGHER ORDER PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

Given: f (x, y)

f
D1 f
, fx
, f1
or dx : first partial derivative of f
with respect to
x

Recall:
D 1 f ( x , y )= lim
x 0 [ f ( x + x , y )f ( x , y )
x ]
f
D2 f
, fy
, f2
or dy : first partial derivative of f
with respect to
y

D 2 f ( x , y )= lim
y 0 [ f ( x , y + y )f ( x , y )
y ]
There are four second partial derivatives of a function f
of two
variables: f 12 , f 11 , f 21 , f 22

These are the partial derivatives of the first partial derivatives of f

1. f 12
: Second partial derivative of f
obtained by first partial
differentiating f
with respect to x
then partial differentiating
with respect to y
2 f
Other notations: D2 ( D 1 f )
, D 12 f
, f xy
or dydx
f 1 ( x , y + y ) f 1 ( x , y )
f 12 ( x , y )= lim
y 0 y
2. f 11
: Second partial derivative of f
obtained by partial
differentiating twice with respect to x
:
2
f
D (D f )
1
, D f
1
, f
or d x 11 xx 2

f 1 ( x+ x , y )f 1 ( x , y )
f 11 ( x , y )= lim
x 0 x

3. f 22
: Second partial derivative of f
obtained by partial
differentiating twice with respect to y
:
2
f
D (D f )
2
, D f
2
, f
or d y 22 yy 2

f 2 ( x , y + y ) f 2 ( x , y )
f 22 ( x , y )= lim
y 0 y

4. f 21
: Second partial derivative of f
obtained by first partial
differentiating f
with respect to y
then partial differentiating
with respect to x
 2
f
Other notations: D1 ( D 2 f )
, D 21 f
, f yx
or dxdy
f 2 ( x + x , y ) f 2 ( x , y )
f 21 ( x , y )= lim
x 0 x

Notes:
1. In the subscript notation, the order of partial differentiation is
from left to right.
D f
or f partial derivative with respect to
12 12 y
of the
partial derivative of f
with respect to x
: D2 ( D 1 f )
2. In the fraction notation, the order is from right to left.
2
f
partial derivative with respect to y of the partial
xdy

derivative of f
with respect to x
: D2 ( D 1 f )

Example.
A. Given f ( x , y ) =e sin y + ln xy . Find the following:
x

1. D f (x , y)
11

2. D f (x , y)
12

3. D f (x , y)
21

4. D f (x , y)
22

3
f
5. x y 2

B. Given: f ( x , y , z )=sin ( xy +2 z )
. Find D132 f
Note:

Higher order partial derivatives of a function of n

variables have
definitions that are analogous to the definitions of higher-order
partial derivatives of a function of two variables.

If f
is a function of n
variables, there may be n2
second partial
derivatives of f
at a particular point.
Theorem

Suppose that f
is a function of two variables x
and y
defined on
B [ ( x0 , y 0 ) ; r ]
an open disk and f x , f y , f xy
and f yx
are also defined on
B [ ( x0 , y 0 ) ; r ]
. Furthermore, suppose that f xy
and f yx
are continuous on
B [ ( x0 , y 0 ) ; r ]
. Then

f xy ( x 0 , y 0 ) =f yx ( x 0 , y 0 )
Exercise. Given: f ( x , y ) =x3 3 x y 2
. Find the following:

2
f
1. yx

2 f
2. x y

3 f
3. x y x