Practice Problems on Module 1 (Differential Calculus)

Definitions of function of two or more variables, Region in a plane, Level curves, Level
surfaces

1. Find and sketch the domain for each function:

(i) f ( x, y ) = y − x − 2
(
(ii) f ( x, y ) = ln x 2 + y 2 − 4 )
Ans: (i) Domain: all points (x, y) on or above line y = x+2.
(ii) Domain: x 2 + y 2  4 .

2. Find and sketch the level curves f ( x, y ) = c on the same set of coordinate axes for the given
values of c .
(i) f ( x, y ) = x + y − 1, c = −3, − 2, − 1, 0,1, 2,3
(ii) f ( x, y ) = x + y , c = 0,1, 4,9,16, 25
2 2

3. (a) Find the function’s domain, (b) find the function’s range, (c) describe the function’s level
curves, (d) find the boundary of the function’s domain, (e) determine if the domain is an
open region, a closed region, or neither, and (f) decide if the domain is bounded or
unbounded.
(i) f ( x, y) = y − x
(ii) f ( x, y ) = y − x
(iii) f ( x, y ) = 4 x 2 + 9 y 2
Ans: (i) (a) All points in the xy-plane (b) All reals (c) The lines y - x = c (d) No boundary
points (e) Both open and closed (f) Unbounded
(ii) (a) All points which satisfy the relation y  x (b) [0, ) (c) y − x = c (d) y = x
(e) open region (e) Unbounded
(iii) (a) All points in the xy-plane (b) z  0 (c) For f ( x, y ) = 0 , the origin; for
f ( x, y )  0 , ellipse with the center (0, 0), and major and minor axes along the x-
and y-axes respectively (d) No boundary points (e) both open and closed (f)
Unbounded

4. Find an equation for and sketch the graph of the level curve of the function f ( x, y ) that
passes through the given point.
(
(i) f ( x, y ) = 16 − x 2 − y 2 , 2 2, 2 )
(ii) f ( x, y ) = x 2 − 1, (1, 0)
Ans: (i) x 2 + y 2 = 10
(ii) x2 −1 = 0

5. Sketch a typical level surface for the following function:

(i) f ( x, y, z ) = x 2 + y 2 + z 2
 (
(ii) f ( x, y, z ) = ln x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )
Limit
1. Find the limit of the following:
(i) lim e x − y
( x , y ) →(0,ln 2)

e y sin x
(ii) lim
( x , y ) →(0,0) x
(iii) lim 3 cos 3 xy
( x , y ) →(1/27, )

x3 + y 3
(iv) lim
( x , y ) →(1, −1) x + y

y 2 − x2
(v) lim
( x , y ) →(0,0) y 2 + x 2

Ans: (i) 1/2 (ii) 1 (iii) 1/2 (iv) 3 (v) Limit does not exist

2. By considering different paths of approach, show that the following functions have no limit
as ( x, y) → (0, 0) :
x
(i) f ( x, y ) = −
x + y2
2

x4 − y 2
(ii) f ( x, y ) =
x4 + y 2

3. Show that the following limits does not exists:

xy 2 − 1
(i) lim
( x , y ) →(1,1) y − 1

xy + 1
(ii) lim
( x , y ) → (1, −1) x 2 − y 2

Continuity
1. Check the continuity of the following functions:
 x 2 + xy + x + y
 , ( x, y )  (2, −2)
(i) f ( x, y ) =  x+ y at the point (2, -2)
 , ( x, y ) = (2, −2)
 4
 x2 − y 2
 , ( x, y )  (0, 0)
(ii) f ( x, y ) =  x 2 + y 2 at the point (0, 0)
 4 , ( x, y ) = (0, 0)

 x3 − y 3
 , ( x, y )  (0, 0)
(iii) f ( x, y ) =  x 2 + y 2 at the point (0, 0)
 0 , ( x, y ) = (0, 0)

  x
 2 , ( x, y )  (0, 0)
(iv) f ( x, y ) =  x + y 2 at the point (0, 0)
 2 , ( x, y ) = (0, 0)

Ans: (i) Discontinuous at (2, -2) (ii) Discontinuous at (0, 0) (iii) Continuous at (0, 0)
(iv) Discontinuous at (0, 0).

2. Show that the function

 2 x 2 + y, ( x, y )  (1, 2)
f ( x, y ) = 
 0 , ( x, y ) = (1, 2)
is discontinuous at the point (1, 2).

Partial derivatives
f f
1. Find and of the following functions:
x y
(i) ( x 2 − 1)( y + 2)
( x + y)
(ii)
xy − 1
(iii) e xy ln y
(iv) x y
f f
Ans: (i) = 2 x( y + 2), = x2 −1
x y
f 1+ y2 f ( x 2 + 1)
(ii) =− , = −
x ( xy − 1) 2 y ( xy − 1) 2
f f e xy
(iii) = ye xy ln y, = xe xy ln y +
x y y
f f
(iv) = yx y −1 , = x y log x
x y

2. Find f x , f y , and f z of the following functions:

(i) f ( x, y, z ) = ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )−1/2
(ii) sin −1 ( xyz )
(iii) yz ln( xy )
Ans: (i) f x = − x( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )−3/2 , f y = − y ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )−3/2
yz xz
(ii) f x = , fy =
1 − x2 y 2 z 2 1 − x2 y 2 z 2
y2 z
(iii) f x = , f y = z , f z = y log( xy )
x

3. Find all the second-order partial derivatives of the following functions:

(i) r ( x, y ) = ln( x + y )
 (ii) w = ye x − y
2

(iii) s ( x, y ) = tan −1 ( y / x)
1 1 1
Ans: (i) rxx = − , ryy = − , rxy = ryx = −
( x + y) 2
( x + y) 2
( x + y)2
2 2 2
(ii) wxx = 4 x 2 ye x + 2 ye x , wyy = 0, wxy = wyx = 2 xe x
2 xy 3x 2 + y 2 y 2 − x2
(iii) sxx = , s = , s = s =
( x 2 + y 2 )2
yy xy yx
( x 2 + y 2 )2 ( x 2 + y 2 )2

4. Verify that wxy = wyx for the following functions:

(i) w = ln(2 x + 3 y )
(ii) w = x sin y + y sin x + xy

f f
5. Use the limit definition of partial derivative to compute the partial derivatives and
x y
of the function f ( x, y ) = 1 − x + y − 3x 2 y at the point (1, 2).
f f
Ans: (1, 2) = −13 , (1, 2) = −2 .
x y

6. Let f ( x, y) = 2 x + 3 y − 4 . Find the slope of the line tangent to this surface at the point (2,-1)
and lying in the plane: (i) x = 2 and (ii) y = −1 .
f
Ans: (i) (2, y ) = 3
y
f
(ii) ( x, −1) = 2
x
 x2 − y 2
 xy , if ( x, y )  0
7. Let f ( x, y ) =  x 2 + y 2
 , if ( x, y) = 0
 0
f f
(i) Show that ( x, 0) = x for all x , and (0, y) = − y for all y .
y x
2 f 2 f
(ii) Show that (0, 0)  (0, 0) .
yx xy

Chain Rule

dw
1. Express as a function of t , both by using the chain rule and by expressing w in terms
dt
dw
of t and differentiating directly with respect to t . Then, evaluate at the given value of
dt
t.
(i) w = x 2 + y 2 , x = cos t , y = sin t ; t = 
x y
(ii) w = + , x = cos 2 t , y = sin 2 t , z = 1/ t; t = 3
z z
 (iii) w = ln( x2 + y 2 + z 2 ), x = cos t , y = sin t , z = 4 t ; t = 3
16 16
Ans: (i) 0, 0 (ii) 1, 1 (iii) ,
1 + 16t 49
dz dz
2. (a) Express and as a function of u and v both by using the chain rule and by
du dv
expressing z directly in terms of u and v before differentiating. Then (b) evaluate
dz dz
and at the given point (u, v) .
du dv
(i) z = 4e x ln y, x = ln(u cos v), y = u sin v; (u , v) = (2,  / 4)
(ii) z = tan −1 ( x / y ), x = u cos v, y = u sin v; (u , v) = (1.3,  / 6)
z z 4u cos 2 v
Ans: (i) (a) = 4 cos v ln(u sin v) + 4 cos v , = −4u sin v ln(u sin v) +
u v sin v
z z
(b) (2,  / 4) = 2(ln 2 + 2), (2,  / 4) = −2 2(ln 2 − 2)
u v
z z z z
(ii) (a) = 0, = −1 (b) (1.2,  / 3) = 0, (1.3,  / 3) = −1
u v u v
dw
3. Find when r = 1, s = −1 , if w = ( x + y + z ) 2 , x = r − s, y = cos(r + s), z = sin(r + s) .
dr
Ans: 12

w
4. Find when u = −1, v = 2 if w = xy + ln z, x = v 2 / u, y = u + v, z = cos u .
v
Ans: -8

w w
5. Assume that w = f (s3 + t 2 ) and f '( x) = e x . Find and .
t s
w w
= 2te( s +t ) , = 3s 2e( s +t )
3 2 3 2
Ans:
t s
f f w w
6. Assume that w = f (ts 2 , s / t ), ( x, y ) = xy, and ( x, y ) = x 2 / 2 . Find and .
x y t s
w 2 5 w t 3 s 4
Ans: =t s , =
t s 2

7. If f (u, v, w) is differentiable and u = x − y, v = y − z, and w = z − x , show that

f f f
+ + = 0.
x y z

Directional Derivatives and Gradient Vectors

1. Find the gradient of the following functions at the given point. Then sketch the gradient
together with the level curve that passes through the point:
(i) f ( x, y) = y − x, (2,1)
(ii) f ( x, y) = ln( x 2 + y 2 ), (1,1)
[Note:- At every point ( x0 , y0 ) in the domain of a differentiable function f ( x, y) , the
 gradient of f is normal to the level curve through ( x0 , y0 ) .]
Ans: (i) f = −iˆ + ˆj (ii) f = 2 xiˆ + 2 y ˆj

2. Find the directional derivatives of the following functions at P0 in the direction of u :

(i) f ( x, y) = 2 xy − 3 y 2 , P0 (5,5), u = 4i + 3 j
(ii) f ( x, y, z ) = xy + yz + zx, P0 (1, −1, 2), u = 3i + 6 j − 2k
(iii) f ( x, y, z ) = cos xy + e yz + ln zx, P0 (1, 0,1/ 2), u = i + 2 j + 2k
Ans: (i) -4 (ii) 3 (iii) 2

3. Find the directions in which the following functions increase and decrease most rapidly at
P0 . Then, also find the derivatives of the functions in these directions:
(i) f ( x, y) = x 2 + xy + y 2 , P0 (−1,1)
(ii) f ( x, y, z ) = xe y + z 2 , P0 (1, ln 2, 1/ 2)
1 ˆ 1 ˆ 1 ˆ 1 ˆ
Ans: (i) uˆ = − i+ j , −uˆ = i− j ; ( Du f ) P0 = 2, ( D−u f ) P0 = − 2
2 2 2 2
1 1
(ii) uˆ = (2iˆ + 2 ˆj + kˆ), − uˆ = − (2iˆ + 2 ˆj + kˆ) ; ( Du f ) P0 = 3, ( D−u f ) P0 = −3
3 3

4. In what directions, the derivative of f ( x, y) = xy + y 2 at P(3, 2) is equal to zero?

7 ˆ 2 ˆ 7 ˆ 2 ˆ
Ans: uˆ = i− j , − uˆ = − i+ j
53 53 53 53

Normal Lines and Tangent Planes

1. Find equations for the tangent plane and normal line at the point P0 on the given surface:
(i) x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 3, P0 (1,1,1)
(ii) x 2 + y 2 − z 2 = 18, P0 (3,5, −4)
Ans: (i) Tangent plane: x + y + z = 3 ; Normal line: x = 1 + 2t , y = 1 + 2t , z = 1 + 2t
(ii) Tangent plane: 3x + 5 y + 4 z = 18 ; Normal line: x = 3 + 6t , y = 5 + 10t , z = −4 + 8t

2. Find an equation for the plane that is tangent to the given surface at the given point:
(i) z = ln( x2 + y 2 ), (1,0,0)
(ii) z = y − x , (1, 2,1)
Ans: (i) 2 x − z − 2 = 0 (ii) x − y + 2 z = 0

Extreme Values and Saddle Points

1. Find all the local maxima, local minima, and saddle points of the following functions:
(i) f ( x, y) = x2 + xy + y 2 + 3x − 3 y + 4
(ii) f ( x, y) = 2 xy − 5x2 − 2 y 2 + 4 x + 4 y − 4
(iii) f ( x, y) = e2 x cos y
 1 1
(iv) f ( x, y ) =+ xy +
x y
Ans: (i) Local minima f (−3,3) = −5
(ii) Local minima f (15, −8) = −63
(iii) No extrema and no saddle points
(iv) Local minima f (1,1) = 3

2. Find the maxima, minima, and saddle points of f ( x, y) , if any, given that
f x = 2 x − 4 y and f y = 2 y − 4 x
Ans: f (0, 0) , Saddle point

3. Find the point on the plane 3x + 2 y + z = 6 that is nearest the origin.

Ans: (9 / 7, 6 / 7, 3 / 7)

4. Find the dimensions of the rectangular box of maximum volume that can be inscribed inside
the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4 .
4 4 4
Ans:  
3 3 3

Lagrange Multipliers

1. Find the point on the plane x + 2 y + 3z = 13 closest to the point (1, 1, 1).
Ans: (3 / 2, 2, 5 / 2)

2. Find the point on the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4 farthest from the point (1, -1, 1).
Ans: (−2 / 3, 2 / 3, − 2 / 3)

3. Find the maximum and minimum values of f ( x, y, z ) = x − 2 y + 5 z on the sphere

x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 30 .
Ans: f (1, −2,5) = 30 is maximum value, f (−1, 2, −5) = −30 is minimum value

4. Find the points on the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 25 , where f ( x, y, z ) = x + 2 y + 3z has its

maximum and minimum values.
 5 10 15 
Ans: f  , ,  = 5 14 is maximum value,
 14 14 14 
 5 10 15 
f − ,− ,−  = −5 14 is minimum value
 14 14 14 