Nanyang Technological University

School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Division of Mathematical Sciences

MH1811 Mathematics 2 Tutorial 2

Know and apply the definition, notation and meaning of partial derivatives; Know how to evaluate partial
derivatives via rules of differentiation, perform Chain Rule for Functions of several variables. Implicit
Differentiation. Take this chance to revise derivatives of basic functions and performing differentiation.
p
1. Let f (x, y) = x2 + x y 2 + 3. Use the definition of partial derivatives to find

∂f
(a)
∂x
(b) fy (2, −1).

2. Consider the function f defined as follows


1
 x sin , (x, y) 6= (0, 0)
f (x, y) = x + y2
2
 0 (x, y) = (0, 0)

(a) Find fx (x, y) where (x, y) 6= (0, 0).

(b) Use the definition of partial derivative to determine whether fx (0, 0) exists. If it exists, what
is its value?
(c) Does fxy (0, 0) exist? If it does, what is its value?

3. Find the partial derivatives of the functions given.

p
(a) Let f (x, y) = x + y − x2 + y 2 , find fx (3, 4).

x cos y − y cos x ∂z 
(b) Suppose z = . Find .
1 + sin x + sin y ∂x (0,0)
√ √
∂z
(c) Suppose z = ln x + y + y . Find
∂x
Z y
∂f ∂f
(d) Suppose f (x, y) = g(t) dt, where g(t) is continuous at every t. Find and .
x ∂x ∂y
∂f ∂f ∂f
(e) Let f (x, y, z) = (x + y)yz + z tan x. Find , and .
∂x ∂y ∂z
   
x ∂z 1 ∂z
4. Let z = xy . Find + .
y ∂x ln x ∂y
5. Let f (x, y) = 4x2 − 8xy 4 + 7y 5 − 3. Find fxx , fxy , fyx and fyy .
x
6. Verify that the function f (x, y) = tan−1 satisfies the differential equation
y

∂2f ∂2f
2
+ 2 = 0.
∂x ∂y
The above equation is known as the two-dimensional Laplace equation.

1
 7. Find the gradient vector ∇f of f (x, y, z) = ex+y cos z + (y + 1) sin−1 x at (0, 0, π/6).
2 −st
8. Let x = tes .

(a) Find gradient vector ∇x(s, t) = (xs (s, t), xt (s, t)).
(b) Find (s∗ , t∗ ) such that ∇x(s∗ , t∗ ) = (0, 0).

9. Let u and v be differentiable functions of x and y. Prove the product rule for the operation of taking
gradient vector of a function:
∇(uv) = v∇u + u∇v.

dz
10. If z = ex−2y where x = sin t and y = t2 , use Chain Rule to find .
dt
dw
11. If w = z − sin xy where x = t, y = ln t and z = et−1 , use Chain Rule to find
at t = 1.
dt
√ √ √ √ ∂W √ ∂W
12. If W = x2 y 2 where x = s + t, y = st, use Chain Rule to find s − t .
∂s ∂t
13. The length x of a side of a triangle is increasing at a rate of 6 cm/s, the length y of another side is
decreasing at a rate of 4 cm/s, and the contained angle θ is decreasing at a rate of 0.05 radian/s.
How fast is the area of the triangle changing when x = 80 cm, y = 100 cm and θ = π/6? Is it
increasing or decreasing? Leave your answer up to 2 decimal places.

14. Let z = f (x, y), where x = r cos θ and y = r sin θ.

∂z 1 ∂z
(a) Show that = fx cos θ + fy sin θ and = −fx sin θ + fy cos θ.
∂r r ∂θ
(b) Show that
 2  2  2  2
∂z ∂z ∂z 1 ∂z
+ = + 2 .
∂x ∂y ∂r r ∂θ
∂z ∂z ∂2z ∂2z ∂2z
(c) At the point (r, θ) = (2, π/2), suppose = = = = 1. Find the value of .
∂x ∂y ∂x2 ∂y 2 ∂θ2
∂z ∂z
15. Use implicit differentiation to find and if z is a function of x and y satisfying the following
∂x ∂y
equation
1
xyz + = 1.
x+z

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