Chapter 2: Multivariable Calculus: Lecture 2: Partial Derivatives

Chapter 2: Multivariable Calculus
Lecture 2: Partial Derivatives

by
Assoc.Prof. Mai Duc
Thanh
Rate of change of a function f(x,y)
depends on the direction
Begin by measuring the rate of change if
we move parallel to the x or y axes
These are called the partial derivatives of
the function
Partial Derivatives
Definitions

Partial derivative with respect to x :
f
x
( x, y) =
c
cx
f ( x, y) = lim
h0
f ( x + h, y) f ( x, y)
h
Partial derivative with respect to y :
f
y
( x, y) =
c
cy
f ( x, y) = lim
h0
f ( x, y + h) f ( x, y)
h
f(x,y) = 4 - 2x
2
- y
2

Cut the surface with
planes:
x = 1 and y = -1

All meet at (1, -1, 1)
The intersection of the graph of f(x,y) with the plane
y = b is the graph of
g(x) = f(x,b)
Then:

Is the slope of the tangent line at x = a.
Partial with respect to x

f
x
(a,b) =
d
dx
f (x,b)
x=a
= ' g (a)
g(x) = f (x,-1) = 3 - 2x
2

g(x) = -4x

f
x
(1, -1) = g(1) = -4
- 1.0 - 0.5 0.5 1.0
x
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
z
The intersection of the graph of f(x,y) with the
plane x = a is the graph of
h(y) = f(a,y)
Then:

Is the slope of the tangent line at y = b.

Partial with respect to y

f
y
(a,b) =
d
dy
f (a, y)
y= b
= ' h (b)

h(y) = f (1, y) = 2 - y
2

h(y) = -2y

f
y
(1, -1) = h(-1)
= 2
- 1.5 - 1.0 - 0.5 0.5 1.0 1.5
y
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
z
The partial derivatives
are the slopes of the
tangent lines parallel
to the xz-plane and
the yz-plane.
(lines shown in red)
To compute f
x
, treat y as a constant.

To compute f
y
, treat x as a constant.
Computing partial derivatives
Find partial derivatives of the function

Solution.
To find f
x
, treat y as a constant. So

Similarly, to find f
y
, treat x as a constant. So

Example
2
( , ) sin( ) f x y xy x y = +
( , ) cos( ) 2
x
f x y y xy xy = +
2
( , ) cos( )
y
f x y x xy x = +
Find partial derivatives of the function

Solution.
Note that f
x
, and f
y
are functions of two variables x
and y

Example
2
( , ) sin( ) f x y xy x y = +
( , ) cos( ) 2 ( , )
x
f x y y xy xy g x y = + =
2
( , ) cos( ) ( , )
y
f x y x xy x h x y = + =
The second derivative of a function of one
variable is very useful in determining
relative maxima and minima
Second-order partial derivatives (partial
derivatives of a partial derivative) are used
in a similar way for functions of two or
more variables
Higher Derivatives

Second-order partial Derivatives
2
2
2
2
2
2
For a function ( , ) :
( , )
( , )
( , )
( , )
xx xx
yy yy
xy xy
yx yx
z f x y
z z
f x y z
x x x
z z
f x y z
y y y
z z
f x y z
y x y x
z z
f x y z
x y x y
=
c c c
| |
= = =
|
c c c
\ .
| | c c c
= = =
|
c c c
\ .
c c c
| |
= = =
|
c c c c
\ .
| | c c c
= = =
|
c c c c
\ .
Example

f ( x, y) = 3x
2
y +2sin( xy) y
3
f
x
( x, y) = 6xy +2cos( xy) y
f
y
( x, y) = 3x
2
+2cos( xy) x 3y
2
f
xx
( x, y) = 6y 2sin( xy) y
2
f
xy
( x, y) =
c
cy
f
x
( x, y) = 6x 2sin( xy) xy +2cos( xy)
f
yx
( x, y) =
c
cx
f
y
( x, y) = 6x 2sin( xy) xy +2cos( xy)
f
yy
( x, y) = 2sin( xy) x
2
6y
Clairauts Theorem
If (a, b) is in a disk D
and are continuous on D
then : ( , ) ( , )
xy yx
xy yx
f f
f a b f a b =
Functions of three variables

f ( x, y,z) = 3x
2
yz + z
3
y
c
cx
f ( x, y,z) = f
x
( x, y,z) = 6xyz
c
cy
f ( x, y,z) = f
y
( x, y,z) = 3x
2
z + z
3
c
cz
f ( x, y,z) = f
z
( x, y,z) = 3x
2
y + 3z
2
y
Find all the first and the second partial
derivatives of the function

Exercise
( , )
y
f x y x =
2
( , ) cos( )
x
y
g x y t dt =
}

Recall
( ) ( )
x
a
d
f t dt f x
dx
=
}
Example 1: The temperature of water at some point in a
river where a nuclear power plant discharges its hot
water is approximated by

x = temperature of river water before it reaches the plant
y= number of megawatts (in hundreds) of electricity
produced by the plant
a) Find and interprets
b) Find and interprets

Partial Derivatives as Rates of
changes
( , ) 2 5 40 T x y x y xy = + +
(9, 5)
x
T
(9, 5)
y
T
a) We have

Interpretation: This means that if x changes 1
degree from 9 to 9+1=10, then T approximately
changes 7 degrees, while y remains constant=5
b)
Interpretation: This means that if y changes 1 unit
from 5 to 5+1=6, then T approximately changes
14 degrees, while x remains constant=9

Solution
( , ) 2 5 40
( , ) 2 , (9, 5) 7
x x
T x y x y xy
T x y y T
= + +
= + =
( , ) 5 , (9, 5) 14
y y
T x y x T = + =
A company that manufactures computers has
determined that its production function is
given by

x=size of labor force (work-hours/week)
y=amount of capital (units of $1000)
Find the marginal productivity of labor and
capital when x=50 and y=20, and interpret
the results
Example 2
4
2 3
( , ) 500 800 3
4
y
P x y x y x y x = + + +
The marginal productivity of labor is given by

Interpretation: This means that if x change 1 unit from 50 to
51, then the production approximately changes 14000 units,
while y remains constant at 20
The marginal productivity of capital is given by

Interpretation: This means that if y changes 1 unit from 20 to
21, then the production approximately changes 300 units,
while x remains constant at 50

Solution
4
2 3
( , ) 500 800 3
4
y
P x y x y x y x = + + +
2
2
( , ) 500 6 3
(50, 20) 500 6(50)(20) 3(50 ) 14000
x
x
P x y xy x
P
= + +
= + + =
2 3
2 3
( , ) 800 3
(50, 20) 800 3(50 ) 20 300
y
y
P x y x y
P
= +
= + =

Chapter 2: Multivariable Calculus: Lecture 2: Partial Derivatives

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Lecture 2: Partial Derivatives

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