1402: Example Sheet 2

The problems marked with a * will be graded and are due for the lecture on
Monday, 6 March, 2017. Although only this subset of problems will
count towards your coursework grade, I encourage you to work through all
of the problems.

1. The Chain Rule:

√
a. Let f (x, y) = ln(x2 + y 2 ), x = 1t , y(t) =
t. Define the
dw
composite function w(t) := f (x(t), y(t)). Find directly and
dt
using the chain rule. Check that the result is the same. Check
that the result is the same.
b. Let f (x, y) = sin(x/y), x(t) = 2t, y(t) = 1 − t2 . Define the
dw
composite function w(t) := f (x(t), y(t)). Find directly and
dt
using the chain rule.
2
*c. Let f (x, y) = ex+x y , x(t) = t cos(t), y(t) = sin(t). Define the
dw π
composite function w(t) := f (x(t), y(t)). Find ( ) using the
dt 2
chain rule. (Your answer should be a numerical value).

2. (A bit more challenging) A function f (x, y) is homogeneous of degree

p if f (tx, ty) = tp f (x, y) for all t > 0. Show that any differentiable,
homogeneous function of degree p satisfies Euler’s theorem:
Theorem For all points (x, y),

∂f ∂f
x (x, y) + y (x, y) = pf (x, y).
∂x ∂y

[Hint: Fix (x, y) and define g(t) := f (tx, ty). Then compute g 0 (1) in
two ways.]

*3. Compute the second order Taylor polynomial at p(0, 0, 0) of the

function f : R3 7→ R defined by f (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = 1 + x21 + x22 + x33 .

4. Compute the Hessian matrix of the following functions and determine

the eigenvalues of the Hessian evaluated at the given point x0

a. f (x, y) = (y − 1)ex + (x − 1)ey , (x0 , y0 ) = (0, 0);

 *b. f (x, y, z) = 41 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )(x + y + z), (x0 , y0 , z0 ) = (1, 1, 1);
c. f (x, y) = sin(x) cos(y), (x0 , y0 ) = (π/4, 3π/4).

5. Find and classify the critical points of the function

1 2 1
f (x, y) = x4 + x3 + y 2 − xy.
4 3 6

*6. You are asked to design a box (without top) of a given volume V
using as little material as possible. That is find the dimensions x1 , x2
and x3 of a box minimising the surface area

S(x1 , x2 , x3 ) = x1 x2 + 2x1 x3 + 2x2 x3

for fixed volume V = x1 x2 x3 .