UNIT – 2 Partial derivatives and its applications

LECTURE-2
Partial Derivatives
 What is the difference between
Ordinary differentiation & Partial Differentiation?
If y  f ( x) If z  f ( x, y )

dependent independent dependent

independent
variable variable variable
variable
If  x be the increment in x and y is kept as a constant then increment
If  x be the increment in x , then  y be the increment in y ,
in z is  z , now new function is
since y is a function of x .
z   z  f ( x   x, y )
y   y  f ( x   x)
if change in x is very small so that  x  0 , rate of change of z w. r. t.
if change in x is very small so that x 0 ,
x, then y is kept as a constant is called partial derivative of z w. r. t. x
dy f ( x   x)  f ( x) z
 lim
dx  x0 x and denoted as x

z f ( x   x , y )  f ( x, y )
 lim
x  x 0 x
Ordinary Differentiation Similarly, Partial derivative of z w. r. t. y (when x is treated as
constant)

z f ( x, y   y )  f ( x, y )
 lim
y  y 0 y
Partial Differentiation
 Partial Derivatives
Definition of Partial Derivatives of a Function of Two Variables

If z = f(x,y), the the first partial derivatives of f with respect to x

and y are the functions fx and fy defined by

f  x  x, y   f ( x, y )
f x  x, y   x lim 0
x
f  x, y  y   f ( x, y )
f y  x, y   y lim 0
y
Provided the limits exist.
 Higher Order Partial Derivatives
Partial derivatives of higher order can be found by process of successive
differentiation.

If z  f ( x, y ) then 2nd second order partial derivatives may be denoted as

f f
 fx  p  fy  q
x y
  f  2 f
   f xx  r Differentiate twice with respect to x
x  x  x 2
  f  2 f  Differentiate first with respect to x and
   f xy  then with respect to y
y  x  yx 
 s
  f   f
 f yx 
2

   Differentiate first with respect to y and

x  y  xy  then with respect to x

  f  2 f
   f yy  t Differentiate twice with respect to y
y  y  y 2
Clairaut’s Theorem
If f is a function of x and y such that fxy and fyx are
continuous on an open disk R, then, for every (x,y) in R,
fxy(x,y)= fyx(x,y)
 Partial Derivatives
Definition of Partial Derivatives of a Function of several Variables

A partial derivative of a function of several variables is the ordinary derivative with

respect to one of the independent variable when all the remaining variables are
treated as constant.
Partial differentiation is the process of finding partial derivative.
If u  f ( x, y, z )
Now, keeping y , z constant and varying only x ,
The partial derivative of u with respect to x is denoted as u
and defined as x
, here  is read as del or swirly – d,
u f ( x   x, y , z )  f ( x, y , z )
 lim dou or der
x  x 0 x

Similarly partial derivatives of u with respect to y , z may be defined and denote

as u and u .
y z
Definition of Partial Derivatives of a Function of Three or More
Variables
If w = f(x,y,z), then there are three partial derivatives each of
which is formed by holding two of the variables

w f  x  x, y, z   f ( x, y, z )
 f x  x, y , z   x lim 0
x x
w f  x, y  y, z   f ( x, y, z )
 f y  x, y , z   y lim 0
y y
w f  x, y, z  z   f ( x, y, z )
 f z  x, y , z   z lim 0
z z
In general, if
w  f ( x1 , x2 ,...xn ) there are n partial derivatives
w
 f xk  x1 , x2 ,...xn  , k  1, 2,...n where all but the kth variable is
xk held constant
 Applications in Real World
 Simple Interest:
A  P(1  rt )
where A=Amount, P=Principal, r=Annual rate, t=time in years
 Intelligence Quotient
M
Q 100
C
where M=MA= Mental Age,
C=CA= Chronological Age
 Resistance for blood flow in a vessel (Poiseuille’s Law)
L
Rk
r4
where R= Resistance, L= length of vessel,
r= Radius of vessel, k=constant
 Applications in Real World
Most Important application of Partial derivatives is Maximum and minimum.

We use the derivative to determine the maximum and minimum values of
particular functions.

(e.g. cost, strength, amount of material used in a building, profit, loss, etc.).

Ex. Find the dimensions of the rectangular box of volume 256 cubic cm so
that least material is used for its construction.
 Applications in Engineering and Real World
Another Important application of Partial derivatives is
Partial Differential Equations

 Equation of Vibrating String (One Dimensional Wave Eq.)

2 y 2  y
2
c
t 2
x 2
 Equation of Vibrating membrane (Two Dimensional Wave
Eq.)  2u   2
u  2
u
 c 2
 2  2 
t 2  x y 

 Temperature distribution in a rod or bar (One-Dimensional

Heat Eq.)
u 2  u
2
c
t x 2
 Applications in Engineering and Real World

Image resizing:
Partial derivatives are key to target-aware image
resizing algorithms. Widely known as seam carving,
these algorithms require each pixel in an image to be
assigned a numerical 'energy‘ .
The formula established to determine a pixel's energy
(magnitude of gradient at a pixel) depends heavily on the
constructs of partial derivatives.
Examples on Partial Derivatives
EXAMPLE:
 To find the partial derivatives, hold one variable constant and
differentiate with respect to the other.

Example : Find the partial derivatives fx and fy for the function

f ( x, y)  5x4  x2 y2  2x3 y
 To find the partial derivatives, hold one variable constant and
differentiate with respect to the other.

Example : Find the partial derivatives fx and fy for the function

f ( x, y)  5x4  x2 y2  2x3 y

Solution:

f ( x, y )  5 x 4  x 2 y 2  2 x 3 y
f x ( x, y )  20 x3  2 y 2 x  6 yx 2
f y ( x, y )  2 x 2 y  2 x3
Notation for First Partial Derivative
For z = f(x,y), the partial derivatives fx and fy are denoted
by
 z
f ( x, y )  f x  x, y   z x 
x x
and
 z
f ( x , y )  f y  x, y   z y 
y y

The first partials evaluated at the point (a,b) are denoted by

z z
( a ,b )  f x  a, b  and ( a ,b )  f y  a, b 
x y
Example : Find the partials fx and fy and evaluate them at the
indicated point for the function
xy
f ( x, y )  at (2, 2)
x y
Example : Find the partials fx and fy and evaluate them at the
indicated point for the function
xy
f ( x, y )  at (2, 2)
Solution: x y
xy
f ( x, y )  at (2, 2)
x y

f x  x, y  
 x  y  y  xy xy  y 2  xy
 
 y2
( x  y )2 ( x  y )2 ( x  y )2
  2 
2
4 1
f x  2, 2    
(2   2 ) 2 16 4
 x  y  x  xy x 2  xy  xy x2
f y  x, y    
( x  y) 2
( x  y) 2
( x  y )2
x2 4 1
f y  2, 2    
( x  y)2 16 4
More Examples
Example 3:
Find all of the second partial derivatives of f ( x, y)  3xy2  2 y  5 x2 y

f ( x, y)  3 xy2  2 y  5 x2 y
f x ( x, y)  3 y 2  10 xy
f xx ( x, y)  10 y

f ( x, y)  3 xy2  2 y  5 x2 y
f y ( x, y)  6 xy  2  5 x2
f yy ( x, y)  6 x

f ( x, y)  3 xy2  2 y  5 x2 y
f x ( x, y)  3 y 2  10 xy
f xy ( x, y)  6 y  10 x
Notice that fxy = fyx
f ( x, y)  3 xy2  2 y  5 x2 y
f y ( x, y)  6 xy  2  5 x2
f yx ( x, y)  6 y  10 x
Example 4: Find the following partial derivatives for the
function
f ( x, y, z)  ye  x ln z
x

a. f xz

b. f zx

c. f xzz

d. f zxz

e. f zzx

Work it out then go to the next slide.

Example 4: Find the following partial derivatives for the
function
f ( x, y, z)  ye  x ln z
x

a. f xz f ( x, y, z)  ye x  x ln z
f x ( x, y, z)  ye x  ln z
1
f xz ( x, y, z)  Again, notice that the 2nd
z partials fxz = fzx

b. f zx f ( x, y, z )  ye x  x ln z
x
f z ( x, y, z ) 
z
1
f zx ( x, y, z ) 
z
c. f xzz f ( x, y, z )  ye x  x ln z
f x ( x, y, z )  ye x  ln z
1 f ( x, y, z )  ye x  x ln z
f xz ( x, y, z )  e. f zzx
z
x
1 f z ( x, y, z ) 
f xzz ( x, y, z )  2 z
z
x
f zz ( x, y, z )  2
z
Notice 1
All f zzx ( x, y, z )  2
z
Are Equal

d. f zxz f ( x, y, z )  ye x  x ln z
x
f z ( x, y, z ) 
z
1
f zx ( x, y, z ) 
z
1
f zxz ( x, y, z )  2
z
 Geometrical Meaning of Partial Derivatives

If z  f ( x, y ) represents the equation of a surface in xyz-coordinate system.

Let APB be the curve which a plane through any point P on the surface
parallel to the xz-plane, cuts. As point P moves along this curve APB, its
coordinates x and z vary, while y remains constant.
z
Thus  tan  
x
slope of the curve APB at the point P
Similarly
z
 tan  
y
slope of the curve APB at the point P
Surface f(x,y)
Curve cut by a plane y=y0
f(x, y0) here x is variable y=y0
Curve cut by a plane x=x0

f(x0, y) here y is variable x=x0

The slide which follows shows the geometric interpretation of the
partial derivative.
For a fixed x, z = f(x0,y) represents the curve formed by intersecting
the surface z = f(x,y) with the plane x = x0.

f x  x0 , y0  represents the slope of this curve at the point (x0,y0,f(x0,y0))

Thanks to http://astro.temple.edu/~dhill001/partial-demo/
For the animation.
Exercise