SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

MULTIVARIABLE FUNCTIONS
NOTATION

Many familiar formulas

For instance:
area of a triangle
A = 12 (length, l )(height, h )
-

volume of a rectangular box

V = (length, l )(width, w )(height, h )

Thus we say
A : function of 2 variables
V : function of 3 variables

Notation for 2 variables is similar to that used for function of one variable
z = f ( x, y )
Means:
z - function of x and y.
-

dependent variable z is determined by specifying values for the

independent variables x and y.

NUMERICAL EXAMPLE
Quantity of beef bought

Household income per

year (RM1000)

20
40
60

6.00
2.65
4.14
5.11

Price of beef (RM/kg)

7.00
8.00
2.59
2.51
4.05
3.94
5.00
4.97

ALGEBRAIC EXAMPLE
A cylinder with closed ends has a radius r and a height h.

V = area of base x height

= r 2h
= f ( r , h)
A = 2 (area of base + area of side)
= 2 r 2 + 2 rh

= g ( r , h)

9.00
2.42
3.88
4.84

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

DOMAIN AND RANGE

A function of 2 real variables x and y, is a rule that assigns a unique real number f (x, y)
to each point (x, y) in some set D of the xy-plane.
The set D in this definition is the domain of the function
It is the set of points at which the function is defined.
If a function f is specified by a formula, so the domain of f is not stated explicitly,
Then it is understood that domain consist of all points at which the formula has no division
by zero and produces only real number;
This is called the natural domain of the function.

Common restrictions for some functions

Functions

Example

Restriction

Remarks

root

f , where
n = 2, 4, 6, K

f 0

If f < 0 , the function will

become complex number

reciprocal

1
f

f 0

Any number divided by 0

is undefined

sin
or
cos

sin( f )
or
cos( f )

no restriction

f can be any real numbers

log
or
ln

log f
or
ln f

f >0

log (or ln) for 0 or negative

number is undefined

exponent

ef

no restriction

f can be any real numbers

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

Example 1
Let f ( x, y ) = 3x 2 y 1 . Find f (1, 4), f (0, 9), f ( t 2 , t), f (ab, 9ab), the natural domain and
range of f.
Solution
By substitution

f (1, 4) = 3(1) 2 4 1 = 5
f (0, 9) = 3(0) 2 9 1 = 1
f (t 2 , t ) = 3(t 2 ) 2 t 1 = 3t 3 t 1
f (ab, 9ab) = 3(ab) 2 9ab 1 = 9a 2 b 2 ab 1

Because of the

y , y 0 to avoid imaginary value for f (x, y).

D = {( x, y ) : y 0, x , y }

y and x 2 are positive , then

R = { f ( x, y ) : 1 f ( x, y ) < }

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 2

Sketch the natural domain of the function f ( x, y ) = ln( x 2 y ) .

Solution

ln( x 2 y ) is defined only when x 2 y > 0 or y < x 2

Then the natural domain of f consists of all points in the region y < x 2
D = {( x, y ) : y < x 2 , x , y }

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

Example 3

Let f ( x, y ) = 1 x 2 y 2 . Find f ( 12 , 12 ) and the natural domain of f.

Solution

By substitution,

f ( 12 , 12 ) = 1 ( 12 ) 2 ( 12 ) 2
=

1
2

Because of the square root sign, 1 x 2 y 2 0

So,
1 x2 y2 0
x2 + y2 1
Therefore, D = {( x, y ) : x 2 + y 2 1, x , y }

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 4

Let f ( x, y , z ) = 9 x 2 y 2 z 2 . Find the natural domain of f.

Solution

Because of the square root sign, so f (x, y, z) is defined only for 9 x 2 y 2 z 2 0

So,
9 x2 y2 z 2 0
x2 + y2 + z 2 9
Therefore,
D = {( x, y, z ) : x 2 + y 2 + z 2 9, x , y , z }

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

GRAPH OF FUNCTIONS OF TWO VARIABLES

Definition 1

The set of all points (x, y, f(x, y)) in space, for (x, y) in the domain of f, is called the
graph of f. The graph of f is also called the surface z = f (x, y).

Definition 2

For a function of one variable, the graph of f (x) in the xy-plane was defined to be
graph of the equation y = f (x).

Definition 3

For a function of two variables, the graph of f (x, y) in the xyz-space was defined
to be graph of the equation z = f (x, y). In general, such a graph will be a surface in
3-space.

Characteristics of 3D Graph

Category

Equation

xy-plane,
(x, y, 0)

Plane

xz-plane,
(x, 0, z)

yz-plane,
(0, y, z)

Graph

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

Category

Plane

Equation

x y z
+ + =1
a b c

x2 + y2 = a2 ,
z = 0, z = b

Cylinder

x2 + z 2 = a2 ,
y = b, y = b

y2 + z2 = a2 ,
0 xb

Sphere

x2 + y 2 + z 2 = a2

Graph

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

Category

Equation

z = a2 x2 y2

Sphere

z = a2 x2 y2

z = x2 + y2

Cone

z = x2 + y2

z = a x2 + y2

Graph

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

Category

Equation

Graph

y = x2 + z 2

Cone

x=

y2 + z2

z = x2 + y2

Paraboloid

z = ( x 2 + y 2 )

z = a2 x2 y2

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

Category

Equation

Graph

y = x2 + z 2

Paraboloid

x = y2 + z2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 1

Describe the graph of the function f ( x, y ) = 1 x 12 y in xyz-space.

Solution

By definition

z = 1 x 12 y

or x + 12 y + z = 1

By plotting the x-, y- and z- intercepts where

(1, 0, 0), (0, 2, 0), (0, 0, 1),
respectively and joining them with line segment, we will sketch a triangular portion of the
plane.

z
(0, 0, 1)

y
(0, 2, 0)

(1, 0, 0)

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

10

Example 2

Sketch the graph of the following function in xyz-space.

f ( x, y ) = 4 x 2 y 2

Solution

By definition, the graph of the given function is the graph of the function
z = 4 x2 y2

By squaring both sides

x2 + y2 + z 2 = 4
which represents a sphere of radius 2, centered at the origin.
Since square root, ( z 0) , then 4 x 2 y 2 0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 3

Sketch the graph of the following function in xyz-space.

f ( x, y ) = 2 x 2 + y 2

Solution

The graph of the given function is the graph of the function

z = 2 x2 + y2

Since x 2 + y 2 ,

Therefore, f ( x, y ) = 2 x 2 + y 2

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

11

Example 4

Sketch the graph of the following function in xyz-space.

z 2 = 5 x 2 y 2 + 4x
Solution

The graph of the given function is the graph of the function

x2 4x + y2 + z 2 = 5
By completing the square
( x 2) 2 2 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 5

y
2

( x 2) 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 9
( x 2) + y + z = 3
2

x
2

which represents a sphere of radius 3, centered at the (2, 0, 0).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------LEVEL CURVES AND CONTOUR LINES

Definition
The set of points in the plane where a function f(x, y) has a constant value
f (x, y) = c is called a level curve of f .

In general, the vertical projection of the contour curve into the xy-plane is the
level curve.
Level curves give a two-dimensional way of representing a three-dimensional
surface z = f (x, y).
The set of level curves is known as contour map.

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

12

Example 1

Graph f ( x, y ) = 100 x 2 y 2 and plot the level curves f ( x, y ) = 0 , f ( x, y ) = 51, and

f ( x, y ) = 75 in the domain of f in the plane.
Solution

Domain : entire xy-plane

Range : set of real numbers 100
The graph is the paraboloid z = 100 x 2 y 2

Similarly, the level curves are the circles :

f ( x, y ) = 100 x 2 y 2 = 51 or x 2 + y 2 = 49
f ( x, y ) = 100 x 2 y 2 = 75 or x 2 + y 2 = 25
The level curve f ( x, y ) = 100 consists of the origin alone. (It is a level curve)
z
100
f(x, y) = 51
f(x, y) = 75
y

10
x

10

f(x, y) = 0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 2

Shows some typical contour curves on the paraboloid z = 25 x 2 y 2 .

Solution
y

z
z = 25
z = 21

z = 21

x 2 + y 2= 0

z = 16

z = 16

x 2 + y 2= 9
x

z=9
z=0
x

z=9

x 2 + y 2 = 16

z=0

x 2 + y 2 = 25

SRI / Calculus / Multivariable Functions

13

LEVEL SURFACE

The concept of a level curve for a function of two variables can be extended to functions
of three variables.
If k is a constant, then an equation of the form
f ( x, y , z ) = k
will, in general, represent a surface in 3-dimensional space (e.g., x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 1
represents a sphere).
The graph of this surface is called the level surface with constant k for the function f.
z