1.

Find all points at which the tangent plane to z = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 is

parallel to the xy -plane. Discuss the graphical significance of each point.
I A tangent plane is parallel to the xy -plane if < 0, 0, 1 > is a normal
vector.

Math 236-Multi (Sklensky) Solutions - In-Class Work April 2, 2010 1/5

1. Find all points at which the tangent plane to z = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 is
parallel to the xy -plane. Discuss the graphical significance of each point.
I A tangent plane is parallel to the xy -plane if < 0, 0, 1 > is a normal
vector.
I We can find a normal vector for a tangent plane by thinking of the
surface as the level surface of the function g (x, y , z) = 0, where

g (x, y , z) = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 − z,

and computing the gradient of g .

∇g (x, y , z) =< 4x − 4y , −4x + 4y 3 , 1 > .

Math 236-Multi (Sklensky) Solutions - In-Class Work April 2, 2010 1/5

1. Find all points at which the tangent plane to z = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 is
parallel to the xy -plane. Discuss the graphical significance of each point.
I A tangent plane is parallel to the xy -plane if < 0, 0, 1 > is a normal
vector.
I We can find a normal vector for a tangent plane by thinking of the
surface as the level surface of the function g (x, y , z) = 0, where

g (x, y , z) = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 − z,

and computing the gradient of g .

∇g (x, y , z) =< 4x − 4y , −4x + 4y 3 , 1 > .

I Thus the tangent plane at (a, b, c) is parallel to the xy -plane if

∇g (a, b, c) = k < 0, 0, 1 > for some k.

Math 236-Multi (Sklensky) Solutions - In-Class Work April 2, 2010 1/5

Find all points at which the tangent plane to z = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 is
parallel to the xy -plane. Discuss the graphical significance of each point.
I The tangent plane at (a, b, c) is parallel to the xy -plane if
∇g (a, b, c) = k < 0, 0, 1 > for some k
I =⇒ the tangent plane at (a, b, c) is parallel to the xy -plane if
< 4a − 4b, −4a + 4b 3 , 1 > = k < 0, 0, 1 >
=⇒ k = 1

and < 4a − 4b, −4a + 4b 3 , 1 >=< 0, 0, 1 >

=⇒ 4a − 4b = 0 and −4a + 4b 3 = 0
=⇒ a = b and a = b3
=⇒ b = b 3 =⇒ b(b 2 − 1) = 0
=⇒ a = b = 0 or a = b = 1 or a = b = −1
=⇒ (a, b, c) = (0, 0, 0) or (1, 1, −1) or (−1, −1, −1)
Math 236-Multi (Sklensky) Solutions - In-Class Work April 2, 2010 2/5
Find all points at which the tangent plane to z = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 is
parallel to the xy -plane. Discuss the graphical significance of each point.

I The tangent plane to z = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 is parallel to the xy -plane

only at the points (0, 0, 0), (1, 1, −1), or (−1, −1, −1).

I These are thus (most of ) the only points where local extrema may
occur - they are (most of) the critical points.

I To figure out which, for now we just look at a graph of the surface
and/or a contour plot.

Math 236-Multi (Sklensky) Solutions - In-Class Work April 2, 2010 3/5

Find all points at which the tangent plane to z = 2x 2 − 4xy + y 4 is
parallel to the xy -plane. Discuss the graphical significance of each point.
Examine these points on a contour plot:

From the shape and the

coloring it appears that
(1, 1, −1) and (−1, −1, −1)
are minima, while (0, 0, 0)
appears to be a saddle point.

Math 236-Multi (Sklensky) Solutions - In-Class Work April 2, 2010 4/5