TOTAL DERIVATIVES AND APPLICATION

OF PARTIAL AND TOTAL DERIVATIVES

Lyster Rey Cabardo

Instructor

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

College of Science and Mathematics
Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology

February 13, 2022

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 4 The Total Differential

Definition 4.1
Let f be a function of x and y . Suppose f is differentiable at
(x, y ). We define the total differential of f , denoted by df , the
function given by

∂f (x, y ) ∂f (x, y )
df = df (x, y , dx, dy ) = dx + dy .
∂x ∂y

We can extend this definition to a function of n variables.

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 4 The Total Differential

Example 4.1
Find the total differential dw if w = y tan x 2 − 2xy .

Solution:

wx = 2xy sec2 x 2 − 2y ,
wy = tan x 2 − 2x.
Hence,

dw = wx dx + wy dy = (2xy sec2 x 2 − 2y )dx + (tan x 2 − 2x)dy .

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 4 The Total Differential
Example 4.2
x+y +z
Find the total differential dw if w = xyz .

Solution:

xyz · 1 − (x + y + z)(yz) xyz − xyz − y 2 z − yz 2

wx = =
(xyz)2 x 2y 2z 2
−yz(y + z) y +z
= 2 2 2
=− 2 ,
x y z x yz

xyz · 1 − (x + y + z)(xz) xyz − x 2 z − xyz − xz 2

wy = =
(xyz)2 x 2y 2z 2
−xz(x + z) x +z
= 2 2 2
=− 2 ,
x y z xy z
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 4 The Total Differential

Example 4.2 (Continuation)

x+y +z
Find the total differential dw if w = xyz .

Solution:

xyz · 1 − (x + y + z)(xy ) xyz − x 2 y − xy 2 − xyz

wz = =
(xyz)2 x 2y 2z 2
−xy (x + y ) x +y
= 2 2 2
=− .
x y z xyz 2

Hence,
y +z x +z x +y
dw = − 2
dx − 2
dy − dz.
x yz xy z xyz 2

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 4 The Total Differential
Example 4.3
Use the total differential to find approximately the greatest error
in calculating the area of a right triangle from the lengths of the
legs if they are measured to be 6cm and 8cm, respectively, with
a possible error of 0.1cm for each measurement.

Solution:
Let L1 and L2 be the legs of the right triangle. We know from
geometry that the area A of a triangle is one-half the product of
its base and height. But in a right triangle, the base and the
height corresponds to its legs. And so,

L1 L2
A= .
2

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 4 The Total Differential
Solution: (Continuation)
Now, we are asked to find the greatest error of A, which is dA,
with a possible error for the measurements of L1 and L2 to be
0.1cm, that is, dL1 = dL2 = 0.1cm.

∂A ∂A
dA = dL1 + dL2
∂L1 ∂L2
∂A 1 ∂A 1
= L2 and = L1
∂L1 2 ∂L2 2
Hence,
1 1
dA = L2 dL1 + L1 dL2 .
2 2
Given L1 = 6cm and L2 = 8cm. We have,
1 1
dA = (6cm)(0.1cm)+ (8cm)(0.1cm) = 0.3cm2 +0.4cm2 = 0.7cm2 .
2 2
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 5 Chain Rule for Partial Derivative

Definition 5.1
Let u = f (x, y ) be a differentiable function of x and y , where
∂x ∂y ∂y
x = F (r , s) and y = G(r , s). Suppose ∂x ∂r , ∂s , ∂r , and ∂s all
exist. Then u is a function of r and s and
     
∂u ∂u ∂x ∂u ∂y
= +
∂r ∂x ∂r ∂y ∂r

and      
∂u ∂u ∂x ∂u ∂y
= + .
∂s ∂x ∂s ∂y ∂s

We can generalize this definition to a function in n variables.

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 5 Chain Rule for Partial Derivative
Example 5.1
Find ∂w ∂w ∂w
∂r , ∂s , and ∂t using chain rule given w = xy + yz + xz;
x = r + s + t; y = rst; and z = r 2 + s2 + t 2 .

Solution:

        
∂w ∂w ∂x ∂w ∂y ∂w ∂z
= + + ,
∂r ∂x ∂r ∂y ∂r ∂z ∂r
        
∂w ∂w ∂x ∂w ∂y ∂w ∂z
= + + ,
∂s ∂x ∂s ∂y ∂s ∂z ∂s
        
∂w ∂w ∂x ∂w ∂y ∂w ∂z
= + + .
∂t ∂x ∂t ∂y ∂t ∂z ∂t

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 5 Chain Rule for Partial Derivative
Solution: (Continuation)

∂w ∂w ∂w
= y + z, = x + z, =x +y
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂x ∂x ∂x
= 1, = 1, =1
∂r ∂s ∂t
∂y ∂y ∂y
= st, = rt, = rs
∂r ∂s ∂t
∂z ∂z ∂z
= 2r , = 2s, = 2t
∂r ∂s ∂t
∂w
= (y + z)(1) + (x + z)(st) + (x + y )(2r ),
∂r
∂w
= (y + z)(1) + (x + z)(rt) + (x + y )(2s),
∂s
∂w
= (y + z)(1) + (x + z)(rs) + (x + y )(2t).
∂t
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 6 Related rates

Definition 6.1
If w is a differentiable function of the two variables x and y ,
both x and y are differentiable functions of the variable t. Then
by Chain Rule, w is a function of t and instead of partial
derivative we have the ordinary derivative,
     
dw ∂w dx ∂w dy
= + .
dt ∂x dt ∂y dt
dw
We call dt the total derivative of w with respect to t.

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 6 Related rates
Example 6.1
Find the total derivative dw
dt using Chain Rule given
w = xy + yz + xz; x = t sin t; y = t 2 cos t; and z = t 2 .
2

Solution:

∂w ∂w ∂w
= y + z, = x + z, =x +y
∂x ∂y ∂z
dx dy dz
= t 2 cos t + 2t sin t, = −t 2 sin t + 2t cos t, = 2t
dt dt dt
Now,
        
dw ∂w dx ∂w dy ∂w dz
= + +
dt ∂x dt ∂y dt ∂z dt
= (y + z)(t 2 cos t + 2t sin t) + (x + z)(−t 2 sin t + 2t cos t) + (x + y )
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 6 Related rates
Example 6.2
The height of a circular cone is increasing at the rate of
40cm/min and the radius is decreasing at the rate of
15cm/min. Find the rate of change of the volume at the instant
when the height is 200cm and the radius is 60cm.
Solution: The volume V of a cone whose height is h and base
radius r is given by V = 31 πr 2 h. Then
dV ∂V dr ∂V dh 2 dr 1 dh
= · + · = πrh · + πr 2 · .
dt ∂r dt ∂h dt 3 dt 3 dt
Hence, taking r = 60, h = 200, dr dh
dt = −15 and dt = 40,
dV 2 1
= π(60)(200)(−15) + π(60)2 (40) = −72000π.
dt 3 3
Therefore, the volume V is decreasing at the rate of
72000πcm3 /min.
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