PARTIAL DERIVATIVE

Introduction: When a function of more than one independent variable changes

because of changes in one or more of the variables, it is important to calculate the
change in the function itself. This can be investigated by holding all but one of the
variables constant and finding the rate of change of the function with respect to the
one remaining variable. This process is called partial differentiation. In this topic we
show how to carry out the process.

Definition: Let z = f ( x, y ) be a function of two variables x and y. The derivative of

z with respect to x, treating y constant, is called Partial derivative of z with respect to x
z z f  x  x, y   f  x, y 
and denoted by . Thus  lim .
x x x 0 x
Similarly, the derivative of z with respect to y, treating x constant, is
z
called Partial derivative of z with respect to y and denoted by .
y
z f  x, y  y   f  x, y 
Thus  lim .
y y 0 y

Second order partial derivatives:

Again, let z = f ( x, y ) be a function of x and y.

2z
 means the second derivative with respect to x holding y constant
x 2

2z
 means the second derivative with respect to y holding x constant
2
y

2z
 means differentiate first with respect to y and then with respect to x.
x y

2z
 means differentiate first with respect to x and then with respect to y.
y x
 2z 2z
Note: 1) It is a general result that = i.e. you get the same answer
x y y x
whichever order the differentiation is done.

2z 2z 2z 2z

2) zxx means , zyy means , zxy means , zyx means .
x 2 y 2 x y y x

PRACTICE PROBLEMS
z z
Example 1: Calculate and when z = x2 + 3xy + y – 1.
x y
z z
Ans:  2 x  3 y and  3x  1.
x y
z z
Example 2: Calculate and when z = ln(x2 − y).
x y
z 2x z 1
Ans:  and  .
x x 2  y y x 2  y

z z
Example 3: Calculate and when z = y sin xy.
x y
z z
Ans:  y(y cos xy) = y2 cos xy and  yx cos xy + sin xy.
x y

SOLVED EXAMPLES

2z 2z
Example 1: If z  f  x  at     x  at  then prove that  a2 .
2 2
t x
Ans: Given z  f  x  at     x  at . ---------------(1)

z 2z
Then,  a f ` x  at   a  ` x  at  and  a 2 f `` x  at   a 2  `` x  at .
t t 2

2z
i.e.,  a 2  f `` x  at    `` x  at . ------------------(2)
2
t

z 2z
Also,  f ` x  at    ` x  at  and  f `` x  at    `` x  at . -------------(3)
x x 2
 2z 2
2 z
From equation ( 2 ) and ( 3 ), a .
2 2
t x

z z
Example 2: If z  e ax by f ax  by then prove that b  a  2abz.
x y

Ans: Given z  eax by f ax  by ---------------(1)

z
Then,  e ax by f `ax  by. a  e ax by .a f ax  by.
x
z
 eax by f `ax  by.  b  eax by .b f ax  by.
y

Thus,
b
z
x
z

 a  b e ax  by f `ax  by . a  e ax  by .a f ax  by 
y


 a e ax  by f `ax  by .  b   e ax  by .b f ax  by  . 
z z
 b  a  ab eax by  f `ax  by  f ax  by  f `ax  by.  f ax  by.
x y
z z z z
 b  a  ab eax by  2 f ax  by.  b  a  2abz.
x y x y


Example 3: If u  1  2 xy  y 2

1
2 then prove that x u  y u  y 2u 3.
x y


Ans: Given u  1  2 xy  y 2 12 
 u  2  1  2 xy  y 2  ---------------(1)

u u
Then differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. x we get,  2u 3  2 y.   y u 3.
x x
u u
Differentiating equation (1) w. r. t. y we get,  2u 3  2 x  2 y    x  y  u 3.
y y

Thus x
u
x
y
u
y
  
 x yu 3  y x  y u 3   x
u
x
y
u
y
 y 2u 3.
 3u
Example 4: If u  e x y z then find .
x y z

Ans: Given u  e x y z ---------------(1).

u
Then differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. z we get,  x y ex y z.
z

Further differentiating w. r. t. y we get,

  u  
 
y  z  y

x y ex y z . 

 2u
y z
  
 x e x y z  x y e x y z .x z .  e x y z x  x 2 yz 
Differentiating w. r. t. x we get,
 

x  y z  x

   2u   x y z
e 
x  x 2 yz 

3u
x y z
  
 e x y z x  x 2 yz . yz  e xyz 1  2 xyz   e xyz xyz  x 2 y 2 z 2  1  2 xyz 

3u
x y z

 e xyz x 2 y 2 z 2  1  3xyz 

2
 z z   z z 
Example 5: If z x  y   x  y then prove that     4 1   
2 2
 x y   x y 

x2  y2
Ans: Given z x  y   x  y 2 2
 z ---------------(1).
x y
Differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. x we get,


 

z  x  y  2 x  x 2  y 2 2 x 2  2 xy  x 2  y 2 x 2  2 xy  y 2

x x  y 2 x  y 2 x  y 2
Similarly, Differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. y we get,


 

z  x  y  2 y  x 2  y 2 2 xy  2 y 2  x 2  y 2 y 2  2 xy  x 2

y x  y 2
x  y 2
x  y 2
 z z 
2  2 2 2 2 2  2 2 2  x  y x  y  
2
x  2 xy  y y  2 xy  x 2 x  2 y
          4 
   2   
   x  y  x  y    x  y    x  y 
2 2 2
 x y  
2 2
 z z  x y
    4  ---------------(2).
 x y  x y 
2
 z z    x 2  2 xy  y 2   y 2  2 xy  x 2  
41     4 1    
    
 x y    x  y    x  y 
2 2

2
 z z    x  y 2   x 2  2 xy  y 2   y 2  2 xy  x 2  
41     4     
      
 x y    x  y    x  y    x  y 
2 2 2


 z z   
  x  y 2  x 2  2 xy  y 2  y 2  2 xy  x 2
41     4 
2
 x y   x  y 2 
 

 z z    
 x 2  2 xy  y 2  x 2  2 xy  y 2  y 2  2 xy  x 2
41     4 
2
 x y   x  y 2 
 
2 2
 z z   x2  y 2   x  y x  y    x  y 
2
41     4   4  4
 x  y  ---------------(3).
 x y     2    2 
 
 x y   x y 
2
 z z   z z 
From equation ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) we get,     4 1    .
 x y   x y 

 x2  u u
Example 6: If u  f   then prove that x  2y  0.
 y  x y
 
 x2 
Ans: Given u  f   ---------------(1).
 y 
 

u  x2  2x
Differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. x we get,  f ` .
x  y  y
 

u  x2  x2
Differentiating equation ( 2 ) w. r. t. y we get,  f ` . 
y  y  y2
 
 u u   x2  2x    x2  x 2 
Consider, x  2 y 
 x f` .   2 y f ` . 
x y   y  y    y  y 2 
      

u u 2 x 2  x 2  2 x 2  x 2 
x  2y  f`  f` 0
x y y  y  y  y 
   

2 1 y  2 1 x  2z x2  y2

Example 7: If z  x tan    y tan   then prove that  .
 x  y xy x 2  y2

 y  x
Ans: Given z  x 2 tan 1   y 2 tan 1  ---------------(1).
 x  y
Differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. y we get,
 
 
z     
 x2
1 1
.   y2
1
. 
x   tan 1 .2 y 
x
y 2 2  2   y 
 y x  x  y    
1   1   
 x   y 

z 1 x  x3 xy 2  x
 2 y tan 1 
x x
   2 y tan    
y x2  y2 y2  x2  y x2  y 2 x2  y 2  y
x2 y2

z


x x2  y 2  x  x
 2 y tan 1   x  2 y tan 1 
y x2  y2  y  y

  z     x 
Again differentiating equation w. r. t. x we get,     x  2 y tan 1  .
x  y  x   y 

2z 1 1 2 2 y2 y 2  x2  2 y 2 x2  y 2
1 2y . 1 1  
x y x
2 y
y 2
 x 2
y 2
 x 2
y 2
 x 2
x2  y 2
1   
 y y2

 
Example 8: If u  log x3  y 3  z 3  3xyz then prove that
2
   9
    u  .
 x y z  x  y  z 2
 
Ans: Given u  log x3  y 3  z 3  3xyz  ---------------(1).

Differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. x we get,

u

1
x x  y  z  3xyz
3 3 3

. 3x 2  3 yz 
Differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. y we get,
u

1
y x  y  z  3xyz
3 3 3

. 3 y 2  3xz 
Differentiating equation ( 1 ) w. r. t. z we get,
u

1
z x3  y3  z 3  3xyz

. 3z 2  3xy 
Adding above three equations we get,

u u u 3x 2  3 yz 3 y 2  3 xz 3z 2  3xy
     .
x y z x3  y 3  z 3  3xyz x3  y 3  z 3  3xyz x3  y 3  z 3  3 xyz

u u u 3x 2  3 yz  3 y 2  3xz  3 z 2  3xy
    .
x y z x3  y 3  z 3  3 xyz

  

u u u 3 x 2  y 2  z 2  xy  yz  xz 
x y z x3  y 3  z 3  3xyz


3 x 2  y 2  z 2  xy  yz  xz 
x  y  z  x 
 .
2 2 2
 y  z  xy  yz  xz


[ As a3  b3  c3  3xyz  a  b  c  a 2  b2  c 2  ab  bc  ac . ] 
u u u 3
     w. ---------------(2).
x y z x  y  z 
2
         
Consider,     u        u.
 x y z   x y z  x y z 
     u u u       w w w
            w    .
 x y z  x y z   x y z  x y z
(From equation ( 2) )
By differentiation equation (2) w. r. t. x, y and z, we get,
2
   3 3 3 9
    u    
 x y z  x  y  z 2 x  y  z 2 x  y  z 2 x  y  z 2 .
 x y z 2z 1
Example 9: If x y z  c then show that at x = y = z,  .
xy x log ex

Ans: Given x x y y z z  c . Taking log to both sides.

log x x y y z z  log c  log x x  log y y  log z z  log c

 x log x  y log y  z log z  log c -------------------(1)

Differentiating equation (1) partially w. r. t. x ,
1 1 z z z z
x  log x  z  log z  0  1  log x   log z  0
x z x x x x
z
 1  log x   1  log z   0
x

Thus,
z

1  log x  . ---------------(2). Similarly, z   1  log y  ----------(3)
x 1  log z  y 1  log z 
Differentiating equation (3) partially w. r. t. x ,

2
 z
1  log z   1  log y   1  log y   1  log z 
 x x .
xy 1  log z 2

1  log y  1 z 1  log y  1  1  log x 

2z z x z  1  log z  
   . ( from equation (2) )
xy 1  log z 2 1  log z  2

1  log x  1  1  log x 

2
 z x  1  log x  2z 1
at x = y = z,  . Thus,  .
xy 1  log x 2 xy x log ex

x2

2 2
e 4a t u 2 u
Example 10: If u  then show that,  a .
t t x 2

x2

2
e 4a t
Ans: Given u  . Taking log to both sides.
t
 x2
 x2
2 
e 4a t 2
log u  log  log u  log e 4a t  log t
t

x2 1
 log u    log t -------------------(1)
2
4a t 2
Differentiating equation (1) partially w. r. t. x ,
1 u  2 x u  xu
   -------------------(2)
u x 4a 2t x 2a 2t

 2u  1  u 
Again differentiating equation (2) partially w. r. t. x ,   x  u 
x 2 2a 2t  x

 2u  1    xu  
  x   u (from equation (2)).
x 2 2a 2t   2a 2t  

 2u  x2 1   2u  x2 1
  u    a2  u   -------------------(3)
x 2 4 2
 4a t 2a 2t  x 2 2 2 2t
 4a t 

Differentiating equation (1) partially w. r. t. t ,

1 u x2 1 u  x2 1
    u   -------------------(4)
u t 4a t
2 2 2t t 2 2 2t
 4a t 
2
u 2 u
From equation (3) and (4), a .
t x 2