Chapter 3: Partial derivatives

Lecture 1
• Functions of Several Variables
• Limit and Continuity
• Partial Derivatives

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1. Functions of several variables
 Example 1: Ohm’s law: says that voltage drop
across resistor V=RI

 V is a function of two variables R and I

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Example 2
 The volume V of a circular cylinder depends
on its radius and its height . In fact, we know
that V=πr2h
 We say that V is a function of r and h, and we
write
2 r
 V(r,h)=πr h

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 Functions of Two Variables
Definition. A function f of two
variables is a rule that assigns to
each ordered pair of real numbers
(x,y) in a set D a unique real number
denoted by f(x,y).

D is the domain of f
range = {f(x,y) | (x,y) Є D}
We often write z=f(x,y)

Usually, domain is the set of all pairs (x,y) for which the expression
for f is well-defined
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Example 1
Find and sketch the domain of the function
f(x,y)=x ln(y2-x)
Solution

ln 𝑦 2 − 𝑥 is defined only when 𝑦 2 − 𝑥 > 0 or 𝑥 < 𝑦 2

So, domain of f is D={(x,y) | x< y2}
The curve x=y2 divides (x,y)-
plan into two parts, one is D
(-1,0) (1,0)

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Example 2

Solution

The range:

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 Graph of Function of two variables
Definition. If f is a function of two
variables with domain D, then the
graph S of f is the set
𝑆= 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 𝑧 = 𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 , (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐷}

Graph S of a function of two

variables is a surface with
equation z=f(x,y)
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 Graph f(x,y)=x2  Graph f(x,y)=4x2 +y2

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 Graph z=x2 -y2 z=(x2 +3y2 )exp(-x2 -y2 )

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Level Curves Methods for visualizing functions: Arrow
diagrams, graphs, and contour map
Contour map: points of constant elevation are joined to form contour
lines, or level curves
The curves in domain of f defined by A topographic map: level
f(x, y) = k are called the level curves curves are curves of constant
of f. elevation above sea level

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Example 3

Solution

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Functions of three variables
 A function of three variables, f , is a rule
that assigns to each ordered triple (x,y,z) in a
domain D of R3 a unique real number denoted
by w=f(x,y,z).
 For instance, the temperature at a point on the
surface of the Earth depends on the longitude x
and latitude y of the point and on the time t, so
we could write T=f(x,y,t).

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Example
 Find the domain of f if
f(x,y,z)=ln(z-y)+xy cos(x+2y)
 The expression for f(x,y,z) is defined as long as

z-y>0
so the domain of f is
D={(x,y,z) | z>y}

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Functions of n variables
Functions of any number of variables can be
considered. A function of n variables is a rule
that assigns a unique number
y=f(x1, x2, …, xn)
to each n-tuple (x1, x2, …, xn) of real numbers.
We denote by Rn the set of all such n-tuples.

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 2. LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

We study the concepts of Limits and

Continuity for Functions of several
variables

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 Limit of function of two variables
Definition: We say that the limit of f(x,y) as (x,y) approaches
(a,b) is L and we write
lim f ( x, y ) = L if for every   0, there exists   0
( x , y ) → ( a ,b )

such that if 0  ( x − a) 2 + ( y − b) 2   then f ( x, y ) − L  

That is, we can make f(x,y) as close to L as we like by

taking (x,y) sufficiently close to, but not equal to, (a,b).
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 Example 1

x+ y−4
Evaluate lim
( x , y ) →(2,2) ( x + y ) 2 − 16

x+ y−4 x+ y−4
lim = lim
( x , y ) →(2,2) ( x + y ) − 16
2 ( x , y ) →(2,2) ( x + y − 4)( x + y + 4)

1 1
= lim =
( x , y ) →(2,2) ( x + y + 4) 8

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 Example 2

xy − x
Evaluate lim
( x , y ) →(0,1) y −1

xy − x x( y − 1)( y + 1)
lim = lim
( x , y ) →(0,1) y − 1 ( x , y )→(0,1) ( y − 1)( y + 1)
x( y − 1)( y + 1)
= lim = lim x( y + 1) = 0
( x , y ) →(0,1) y −1 ( x , y ) →(0,1)

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How to prove limit does not exist?
• Limit must be the
same along every
path that “leads” to
(a,b)
• Otherwise, limit
does not exist

If f(x,y) → L1 as (x,y) → (a,b) along path C1,

f(x,y) → L2 as (x,y) → (a,b) along path C2,
L1 ≠ L2, then the limit of f(x,y) as (x,y) → (a,b) does not exist.

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 Example 3
Find the limit if it exists, or show that
x −y
2 2
limit does not exist: lim ( x , y )→(0,0)
x +y
2 2

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 x −y
2 2
Solution f ( x, y ) = 2
x + y2
 If we let (x,y)→ (0,0) along the straight line
x=y
➢ Then f(x,y)=0 y
➢ f(x,y)=0 → 0 along C: x=y
O x
 If we let (x,y)→ (0,0) along Ox,
➢ Then y=0 and therefore
➢ f(x,y)=1. Thus, f(x,y)=1→ 1 along

Ox
 Since 0 ≠1, the limit does not exist.

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 Example 4
2
xy
lim ( x , y )→(0,0)
x +y
2 4

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 2
xy
Solution lim ( x , y )→(0,0)
x +y
2 4

 If we let (x,y)→ (0,0)

along Oy, then x=0.
Thus, f(x,y)=0. So
➢ f(x,y)→ 0 along Oy
 If we let (x,y) → (0,0)
along x=y2 then
f(x,y)=1/2.
➢ So f(x,y)→ ½ along x=y2
 Thus, limit does not O
exist.

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Continuity
Definition: f(x,y) is continuous at (a,b) if
lim f ( x, y ) = f ( a , b )
( x , y ) → ( a ,b )

If f(x,y) is not continuous at (a,b), we say that it is discontinuous

at (a,b). The point (a,b) is then called the point of discontinuity

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 Functions of three or more variables

We say that the limit of f(x,y,z) as (x,y,z) approaches (a,b,c) is

L and we write
lim f ( x, y, z ) = L if for every   0, there exists   0
( x , y , z ) → ( a ,b , c )

such that if 0  ( x − a) 2 + ( y − b) 2 + ( z − c) 2   then f ( x, y, z ) − L  

The function f(x,y,z) is continuous at (a,b,c) if
lim f ( x, y, z ) = f (a, b, c)
( x , y , z ) →( a ,b , c )

The function f(x) is continuous at a if

25 lim f (x) = f (a)
x →a
3. Partial
Derivatives

 Rate of change of a function f(x,y) depends on the

direction
 Begin by measuring the rate of change if we move
parallel to the x or y axes
 These are called the partial derivatives of the
function
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 Definitions
Partial derivative of f ( x, y ) with respect to x:
f ( x + h, y ) − f ( x, y )
f x ( x, y ) = lim
h →0 h

Partial derivative of f ( x, y ) with respect to y:

f ( x, y + h ) − f ( x, y )
f y ( x, y ) = lim
h →0 h
Partial derivatives can also be interpreted as rates of change
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Interpretation of Partial Derivatives

C1: graph z=f(x,y) intersects y=b

C2: graph z=f(x,y) intersects x=a

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Computing partial derivatives
 To compute fx(x, y), treat y as a constant, and
calculate the derivative of the function f with
respect to x
 To compute fy(x, y), treat x as a constant, and
calculate the derivative of the function f with
respect to y.
 Notations:
f ( x, y ) f ( x, y )
f x ( x, y ) = , f y ( x, y ) =
x y
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Example
Find partial derivatives of the function

f ( x, y ) = 2 x y + y
2 3

Solution.
f x ( x, y ) = 4 xy + 0 = 4 xy

f y ( x, y ) = 2 x + 3 y
2 2

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 Functions of more than two variables

We have similar definitions of partial derivatives for

functions of more than two variables.

Function of three variables:

f ( x, y, z ) f ( x + h, y, z ) − f ( x, y, z )
f x ( x, y , z ) = = lim
x h →0 h
Function of n variables:
f ( x1 , , xk + h, , xn ) − f ( x1 , , xk , , xn )
f xk ( x1 , , xk , , xn ) = lim
h →0 h
f ( x1 , , xk , , xn )
=
31 xk
Example f ( x, y, z ) = 3x yz + z y
2 3

To find partial derivative of

f(x,y,z) with respect to x, we  f ( x, y , z )
= f x ( x, y, z ) = 6 xyz
treat y and z as constants x

To find partial derivative of

f(x,y,z) with respect to y, we  f ( x, y , z )
= f y ( x, y , z ) = 3 x 2 z + z 3
treat x and z as constants y

To find partial derivative of

f(x,y,z) with respect to z, we  f ( x, y , z )
= f z ( x, y , z ) = 3 x 2 y + 3 z 2 y
treat x and y as constants z
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Higher Derivatives
 If f is a function of two variables, then its
partial derivatives fx and fy are also functions
of two variables.
 So we can consider their partial derivatives

( fx )x , ( fx ) y , ( f y )x , ( f y ) y
which are called second partial derivatives of
the function f(x,y)

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 If z=f(x,y), we use notations
  f   2 f  2 z
( f x )x = f xx =   = 2 = 2
x  x  x x
  f   2 f 2 z
( f x ) y = f xy =   = =
y  x  yx yx
  f   2 f 2 z
( f y ) x = f yx = x  y  = xy = xy
 

  f   2 f 2 z
(f )
y y
= f yy =  =
y  y  y 2
= 2
y

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Example
 Find all second partial derivatives of the
function
f ( x, y ) = 2 x y + y
2 3

 Solution. We have
f x ( x, y ) = 4 xy, f y ( x, y ) = 2 x + 3 y
2 2

 So
f xx ( x, y ) = 4 y, f xy ( x, y ) = 4 x

f yx ( x, y ) = 4 x, f yy ( x, y ) = 6 y
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Clairaut’s Theorem
If (a,b) is in a disk D, and fxy and fyx are both
continuous on D, then:
f xy (a, b) = f yx (a, b)

So the order of partial derivatives usually doesn’t matter.

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Homework Chapter 3
1. Function of several variables: 13, 14, 18, 35, 43, 44
2. Limits and Continuity: 14, 15, 18, 22, 25, 36
3. Partial derivatives: 21, 32, 36, 42, 55, 66, 68
4. Tangent Plane and Linear approximations: 5, 6, 19, 20
5. The chain rule: 6, 10, 12, 21, 22, 27
6. Directional Derivatives and Gradient Vectors : 8, 12, 15, 21,
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7. Maximum and Minimum Values: 9, 15, 18, 32, 35, 44, 45
8. Lagrange Multipliers: 8, 11, 17, 20

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