Nanyang Technological University

School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Division of Mathematical Sciences

MH1811 Mathematics 2 Tutorial 3

Orthogonality of the gradient vector to the level set;

Equation of plane to a level surface F (x, y, z) = C;
Equation of a tangent plane to a graph z = f (x, y) and use it for in linear approximation and total differential.
Directional Derivative: rate of change in a direction; Maximum or minimum rate of change.
√ 
−1 x
1. Find the gradient vector ∇f of f (x, y) = tan at P0 (4, 2) and sketch the level curve that passes
y
through P0 , the direction of the gradient vector, and the tangent line to the level curve at P0 .

2. On the surface defined by

cos(πx) − x2 y + exz + yz = 4,
verify that P (0, 1, 2) lies on it and find equations of the tangent plane and the normal line at P .

3. Consider the sphere S : x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 8x − 6y − 8z + 24 = 0.

(a) Find the center and the radius of the sphere S.

(b) Show that sphere S and the ellipsoid 3x2 + 2y 2 + z 2 = 9 are tangent to each other at the point
P (1, 1, 2).
√
4. Find an equation for the plane that is tangent to the surface z = y − x at (1, 2, 1).
p
5. Find the linear approximation of the function f (x, y) = 20 − x2 − 7y 2 at (2, 1) and use it to approximate
f (1.95, 1.08). (Answer: 2.8467)
1
6. Use linear approximation to estimate .
3.952 + 3.12
7. Determine the “total differential” (dz) and the “increment” (∆z) of the following functions
y
(a) z = at x = 2, y = 1, dx = 0.1, dy = 0.2.
x
xy
(b) z = 2 at x = 2, y = 1, dx = 0.01, dy = −0.03.
x + y2
8. Consider a closed rectangular box with a square base of side 3 unit, and height 5 unit. If the side is
measured with an error at most 0.02 unit and the height is measured with an error at most 0.01 unit, use
differentials to estimate the maximum possible error in computing the volume of the box.

1
 9. Let f (s, t) = s2 et . Find the directional derivative of f at the point (2, 0) in the direction of the vector
v = i + j.
10. Suppose f (x, y) = sin (xy).
−→
(a) What is the rate of change of in f at P (1, 0) in the direction P R where R is the point R (2, 3)? Is
it increasing or decreasing?
(b) Find the maximum rate of change of f at P (1, 0) and the direction in which it occurs.
(c) Find the minimum rate of change of f at Q (π, 1) and the direction in which it occurs.
 
x−y 1 3
11. Let f (x, y) = . Find the direction u and the values of Du f − , for which
x+y 2 2
   
1 3 1 3
(a) Du f − , = −1. Indicate the vector u and ∇f − , on the same xy-plane.
2 2 2 2
 
1 3
(b) Du f − , = 0.
2 2
12. The temperature T in a metal ball is inversely proportional to the distance from the center of the ball
which we take to be the origin. The temperature at the point (1, 2, 2) is 120◦ C.

(a) Find the

√ rate of change of T at (1, 2, 2) in the direction toward the point (2, 1, 3). (Answer:
−40/(3 3).)
(b) Show that at any point in the ball the direction of greatest rate of increase in temperature is given
by a vector that points toward the origin.

13. Let f be a function of two variables that has continuous partial derivatives and consider the points A(1, 3),
−−→
B(3, 3, ), C(1, 7) and D(6, 15). The directional directive of f at A in the direction of the vector AB is
−→
3 and the directional directive of f at A in the direction of the vector AC is 26. Find the directional
−−→
derivative of f at A in the direction of the vector AD. (Answer: 32713 )

14. Find all points at which the direction of maximum rate of change of the function f (x, y) = x2 +y 2 −2x−4y
is i + j. (Answer : All points on the line y = x + 1, where x > 1.)
15. John is climbing a hill whose shape is given by the equation z = 1000 − 0.01x2 − 0.02y 2 , where x, y and
z are measured in meters. John is standing at a point with coordinates (50, 80, 847). The positive x-axis
points east and the positive y-axis points north.

(a) If John walks northwest, will he start to ascend or descend? At what rate?
(b) In which direction is the slope largest? What is the rate of ascent in that direction?
√
16. Let f (x, y) = 3 xy.
(i) Use the definition of partial derivatives to find fx (0, 0) and fy (0, 0).
(ii) Use the definition of directional derivative to show that Du f (0, 0) does not exist in other direction
u = (a, b) where ab 6= 0.
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