Directional derivatives and

the gradient
Lecturer
Rahila batool
Background
The partial derivatives of a function tell us the instantaneous rate at
which the function changes as we hold all but one independent
variable constant and allow the remaining independent variable to
change.
It is natural to wonder how we can measure the rate at which a
function changes in directions other than parallel to a coordinate axes.
In what follows, we investigate this question, and see how the rate of
change in any given direction is connected to the rates of change given
by the standard partial derivatives.
Directional derivative
Given a function z=f(x,y)
the partial derivative fx(x0,y0)measures the instantaneous rate of
change of f as only the x variable changes; likewise, fy(x0,y0) measures
the rate of change of f at (x0,y0) as only y changes.
Note particularly that fx(x0,y0) is measured in “units of f per unit of
change in x,” and that the units on fy (x0,y0) are similar.
Definition of Directional derivative
Let f=f(x,y) be given. The derivative of f at the point (x,y) in the direction
of the unit vector u=⟨u1,u2⟩ is denoted Duf(x,y) and is given by

𝑓 𝑥+u1ℎ,𝑦+u2ℎ −𝑓(𝑥,𝑦)
Duf(x,y)=lim ℎ
ℎ→0
for those values of x and y for which the limit exists.
Definition of Directional derivative (cont.d)
The quantity Duf(x,y) is called a directional derivative. When we
evaluate the directional derivative Duf(x,y) at a point (x0,y0), the
result Duf (x0,y0) tells us the instantaneous rate at which f changes
at (x0,y0) per unit increase in the direction of the vector u. In addition,
the quantity Duf( (x0,y0) tells us the slope of the line tangent to the
surface in the direction of u at the point (x0,y0,f (x0,y0)).
Computing the Directional Derivative
Suppose we consider the situation where we are interested in the
instantaneous rate of change of ff at a point (x0,y0) in the
direction u=⟨u1,u2⟩, where u is a unit vector. The variables x and y are
therefore changing according to the parameterization
x=x0+u1t and y=y0+u2t.
Observe that dx/dt=u1 and dy/dt=u2 for all values of t. Since u is a unit
vector, it follows that a point moving along this line moves one unit of
distance per one unit of time; that is, each single unit of time
corresponds to movement of a single unit of distance in that direction.
Computing the Directional Derivative (cont.d)
This observation allows us to use the Chain Rule to calculate the
directional derivative, which measures the instantaneous rate of
change of f with respect to change in the direction u.
In particular, by the Chain Rule, it follows that
Calculating a directional derivative
Given a differentiable function f=f(x,y) and a unit vector u=⟨ u1,u2⟩,
we may compute Duf(x,y) by

Duf(x,y)=fx(x,y)u1+fy(x,y)u2
The gradient
we have seen that for a given function f=f(x,y), its instantaneous rate of
change in the direction of a unit vector u=⟨ u1,u2⟩ is given by

Duf(x0, y0)=fx(x0, y0)u1+fy(x0, y0)u2

Recalling that the dot product of two vectors v=⟨v1,v2⟩ and u=⟨ u1,u2⟩ is
computed by

v⋅u=v1u1 + v1u2
The gradient
we have seen that for a given function f=f(x,y), its instantaneous rate of
change in the direction of a unit vector u=⟨ u1,u2⟩ is given by

Duf(x0, y0)=fx(x0, y0)u1+fy(x0, y0)u2

Recalling that the dot product of two vectors v=⟨v1,v2⟩ and u=⟨ u1,u2⟩ is
computed by

v⋅u=v1u1 + v1u2
The gradient (cont.d)
𝛻𝑓 = ⟨fx(x0, y0), fy(x0, y0) ⟩

We read ∇f as “the gradient of f,” “grad f” or “del f”. Notice

that ∇f varies from point to point, and also provides an alternate
formulation of the directional derivative.
The directional derivative and the gradient.
Given a differentiable function f=f(x,y) and a unit vector u=⟨ u1,u2⟩, we
may compute Duf (x,y) by

Duf(x,y)=∇f(x,y)⋅u
Practice question
• 14.5
Questions 1-14