7.

3 Second Order Partial Derivatives

Compute the first and second order partial derivatives of

1. f ( x , y )=x 2+ y 3+ 4 x 2 y 3

First Order Partial Derivatives

f x =2 x +8 x y 3

f y =3 y 2 +4 x 2 ( 3 y 2 )=3 y 2 +12 x 2 y 2

Second Order Partial Derivatives

f xx =2+ 8 y 3

f xy =8 x ( 3 y 2 )

f yy=6 y +12 x 2 ( 2 y )

f yx=24 x y 2

2.
f ( x , y )=x y 3 +5 x y 2 +2 x+ 1

First Order Partial Derivatives

f x =1. y 3 +5. y2 +2 ; f y =x 3 y 2 +10 xy ;

Second Order Partial Derivatives

f xx =0 ;
f xy =3 y 2+10 y
f yy =6 xy +10 x
f yx=3 y 2 +10 y

2. f ( x , y )=e x y
 2 2 2

f x =e x y ( 2 xy ) ; f xx =e x y ( 2 y )+ 2 xy ( e x y 2 xy ) ;
2 2

f xy =e x y ( 2 x )+ 2 xy ( e x y x 2 )

2 2 2 2

f y =e x y ( x 2) ; f yy =x 2 e x y x 2 ; f yx =2 x . e x y + x 2 e x y ( 2 xy )
Some surfaces with relative maxima,relative minima and a saddle
point.

> f:=(x,y)->x^2 + y^2 ;

> plot3d(f(x,y),x=-90..90,y=-90..90);

> f:=(x,y)->12*x-x^3-4*y^2;

> plot3d(f(x,y),x=-90..90,y=-90..90);
> f:=(x,y)->-x^2 + y^2 ;

> plot3d(f(x,y),x=-90..90,y=-90..90);
> The surface above has a saddle point .

Critical points

A point (a,b) in the domain of f(x,y) for which the partial

derivatives f x ∧f y both exist is called a critical point of f if both
f x =0∧f y =0.

If the first order partial derivatives of f exist at all points then

relative extrema can only occur at critical points.
 The Second Partials Test

Let f(x,y) be a function of x and y whose partial derivatives

f x , f y , f xx , f yy ∧f xy all exist and let D(x,y) be the function

D=f xx f yy −( f xy )2

1. Find all critical points of f(x,y) such that

f x =0∧f y =0
2. Find D for each critical point found.
3. If D > 0, find f xx at the critical point .
i) If D>0∧f xx >0
f has a relative minimum at ( a , b )

ii) If D>0∧f xx <0

f has a relative maximum at (a , b)

iii) If D<0 there is a saddle point at (a , b)

If D = 0, the test is inconclusive and f may have either a relative

extremum or a saddle point at (a,b).

1. Find all critical points of f ( x , y )=x 2+ y 2 and classify each as a relative

maxima, relative minima or neither.

Solution:
Here f x =2 x∧f y =2 y
f x =0implies 2 x=0∧f y =0 implies 2 y=0 sp critical point is ( 0,0 )

f xx =2, f yy=2 , f xy =0 so

D xx =f xx f yy −f 2xy =4 >0

f xx =2 at the critical poiunt so

Since
If D>0∧f xx >0 f has a relative minimum at ( 0,0 )

2. Find all critical points of f ( x , y )=12 x −x3 −4 y 2 ∧¿classify each as a

relative maximum, relative minimum or a saddle point.

f x =12−3 x 2∧f y =−8 y

Solving −8 y=0implies y=0
Solving12−3 x2 =0 implies x=2 ,−2
The critical points are
( 2,0 ) ∧(−2,0 )

f xx =−6 x , f yy =−8∧f xy =0
D xx =f xx f yy −f 2xy =48 x

At (2,0) , D = 48x = 96>0 and

f xx =−6 x=−12<0
so f has a maximum point at (2,0).

At(-2,0) D = 48x <0 so f has a saddle point.

Ex: A store sells two brands of juice. Local brand costs 30 cents per can
and a foreign brand costs 40 cents per can. The grocer estimates that if
the local brand sells for x cents per can and the foreign brand for y
cents per can then approx. 70-5x+4y cans of the local brand will be sold
and 80+6x-7y cans of the foreign brand will be sold each day. How
should the grocer price each brand to maximize profits.

Total profit =
profit from sale of local brand +
profit from sale of foreign brand
f ( x , y )=( 70−5 x +4 y )( x−30 )+ ( 80+6 x−7 y ) ( y−40)
By the product rule;
f x =−5 ( x−30 )+ (70−5 x+ 4 y ) ( 1 ) +6( y −40)
By the product rule;

f y =¿4(x-30)+-7(y-40)+(80+6x-7y)(1)

f x =−10 x +10 y−20∧f y =10 x−14 y +240

On adding these we get
−4 y +220=0 so y=55 cents
On substituting y = 55 in the equations we get
−10 x+ 10 y −20=0;
−10 x+ 10 ( 55 )−20=0
10 x=530 so x =53 cents
On solving x = 53 and y = 55

f xx =−10 , f yy =−14∧f xy =10

D=−10 (−14 )−10 2> 0∧f x =−10<0so f(x,y) is a maximum at x = 53, y = 55.
Price of local brand=53 cents
Price of foreign brand = 55 cents