Assignment 8 (MATH 214 B1)

1. Find the first-order partial derivatives of the given function.

√
(a) f (x, y) = 9 − x2 − y 2 , x2 + y 2 < 9.

Solution. We have

∂f −x ∂f −y
=√ and =√ .
∂x 9 − x2 − y 2 ∂y 9 − x2 − y 2

x
(b) g(x, y) = √ , (x, y) ̸= (0, 0).
x2 + y 2
Solution. We have

∂g ( 1) y2
= (x2 + y 2 )−1/2 + x − (x2 + y 2 )−3/2 (2x) = 2
∂x 2 (x + y 2 )3/2

and
∂g −xy
= 2 .
∂y (x + y 2 )3/2

2. Find the first-order partial derivatives of the given functions.

(a) f (x, y) = xy , x > 0.

Solution. We have

∂f ∂f
= yxy−1 and = xy ln x (x > 0).
∂x ∂y

(b) g(x, y) = x ln(x2 + y 2 ), (x, y) ̸= (0, 0).

Solution. We have
∂g 2x2
= ln(x2 + y 2 ) + 2
∂x x + y2
and
∂g 2xy
= 2 .
∂y x + y2

1
3. Use the Chain Rule to find the indicated derivative.
√
(a) Find dw/dt, if w = x/y + y/z, x = t, y = cos (2t), and z = e−3t .

Solution. We have

dw ∂w dx ∂w dy ∂w dz
= + +
dt ∂x dt ∂y dt ∂z dt
1 1 ( x )
1 ( ) ( y )( )
= √ + − 2+ −2 sin(2t) + − 2 −3e−3t
y 2 t y z z
( √ )
1 t
= √ + 2 sin(2t) 2
− e3t + 3 cos(2t)e3t .
2 t cos(2t) cos (2t)

(b) Find ∂z/∂s, if z = x2 sin y, x = s2 + t2 , and y = 2st.

Solution. We have

∂z ∂z ∂x ∂z ∂y
= +
∂s ∂x ∂s ∂y ∂s
= (2x sin y)(2s) + (x2 cos y)(2t)

= 4s(s2 + t2 ) sin(2st) + 2t(s2 + t2 )2 cos(2st).

(c) Find ∂z/∂t, if z = xey + ye−x , x = et , and y = st2 .

Solution. We have

∂z ∂z ∂x ∂z ∂y
= +
∂t ∂x ∂t ∂y ∂t
= (e − ye )e + (xey + e−x )(2st)
y −x t

= et (est − st2 e−e ) + 2st(et+st + e−e ).

2 t 2 t

4. Find the gradient of the given function at the point P .

(a) f (x, y) = x cos (y − x), P = (π, π/2)

Solution. We have

∂f ∂f
= cos(y − x) + x sin(y − x), = −x sin(y − x).
∂x ∂y

It follows that
∇f (2, 1) = −π i + π j.

2
 (b) f (x, y, z) = ex cos y − ey sin z, P = (0, π/2, π/3)

Solution. We have

∂f ∂f ∂f
= ex cos y, = −ex sin y − ey sin z, = −ey cos z.
∂x ∂y ∂z

It follows that
√
∂f ( π π ) ∂f ( π π ) π/2 3 ∂f ( π π ) 1
0, , = 0, 0, , = −1 − e , 0, , = − eπ/2 .
∂x 2 3 ∂y 2 3 2 ∂z 2 3 2

Consequently, √
( π π) ( 3 π/2 ) 1
∇f 0, , = −1 − e j − eπ/2 k.
2 3 2 2

5. Find the directional derivative of the given function at the given point in the direction
of the given vector.
√
(a) f (x, y) = x/(x + y), P = (1, 2), w = 3 i + j
√
Solution. We have u = w/|w| = ( 3 i + j)/2 and fx = y/(x + y)2 , fy = −x/(x + y)2 .
It follows that √ √
2 3 1 1 2 3−1
Du f (1, 2) = − = .
9 2 9 2 18

(b) f (x, y, z) = xy + xz + yz, P = (1, 2, 1), w = i + j − k

Solution. We have
w 1 1 1
u= = √ i + √ j − √ k.
|w| 3 3 3
Moreover,
fx = y + z, fy = x + z, fz = x + y.

Consequently,
1 1 1 2
Du f (1, 2, 1) = 3 · √ + 2 · √ − 3 · √ = √ .
3 3 3 3