Total Derivatives

Dt[f] total differential df

Dt[f,x]
total derivative
Dt[f,x,y,...]
multiple total derivative
Dt[f,x,Constants->{c1,c2,...}]
total derivative with ci constant (i.e., dci=0)
y/:Dt[y,x]=0
set
SetAttributes[c,Constant] define c to be a constant in all cases
Total differentiation operations.
When you find the derivative of some expression f with respect to x, you are effectively finding out how fast f changes as you vary x. Often f
will depend not only on x, but also on other variables, say y and z. The results that you get then depend on how you assume that y and z vary
as you change x.
There are two common cases. Either y and z are assumed to stay fixed when x changes, or they are allowed to vary with x. In a standard
partial derivative , all variables other than x are assumed fixed. On the other hand, in the total derivative , all variables are allowed to
change with x.
In Mathematica, D[f, x] gives a partial derivative, with all other variables assumed independent of x. Dt[f, x] gives a total derivative, in
which all variables are assumed to depend on x. In both cases, you can add an argument to give more information on dependencies.
This gives the partial derivative . y is assumed to be independent of x.
In[1]:=

Out[1]=
This gives the total derivative . Now y is assumed to depend on x.
In[2]:=

Out[2]=

You can make a replacement for .

In[3]:=

Out[3]=

You can also make an explicit definition for . You need to use y/: to make sure that the definition is associated with y.
In[4]:=

Out[4]=

With this definition made, Dt treats y as independent of x.

In[5]:=

Out[5]=

This removes your definition for the derivative of y.

In[6]:=

This takes the total derivative, with z held fixed.

In[7]:=
 Out[7]=

This specifies that c is a constant under differentiation.

In[8]:=

The variable c is taken as a constant.

In[9]:=

Out[9]=

The function c is also assumed to be a constant.

In[10]:=

Out[10]=

This gives the total differential d (x2+cy2).

In[11]:=

Out[11]=

You can make replacements and assignments for total differentials.

In[12]:=

Out[12]=
RELATED TUTORIALS
Calculus
 Interpretations of Partial Derivatives
This is a fairly short section and is here so we can acknowledge that the two main interpretations of derivatives of functions of a single variable still hold
account of the fact that we now have more than one variable.

The first interpretation we’ve already seen and is the more important of the two. As with functions of single variables partial derivatives represent the rat
saw in the previous section, represents the rate of change of the function

represents the rate of change of

Example 1 Determine if is increasing or decreasing at

(a) if we allow x to vary and hold y fixed.
(b) if we allow y to vary and hold x fixed.

Solution
(a) If we allow x to vary and hold y fixed.

In this case we will first need and its value at the point.

So, the partial derivative with respect to x is positive and so if we hold y fixed the function is increasing at as we vary

(b) If we allow y to vary and hold x fixed.

 [Contact Me] [Links] [Privacy Statement] [Site Map] [Terms of Use] [Menus by Milonic]
© 2003 - 2010 Paul Dawkins
 Higher Order Partial Derivatives
Just as we had higher order derivatives with functions of one variable we will also have higher order derivatives of functions of more than one variable.
since we do have more than one variable..

Consider the case of a function of two variables, since both of the first order partial derivatives are also fu
each with respect to x or y. This means that for the case of a function of two variables there will be a total of four possible second order derivatives. H
denote them.

The second and third second order partial derivatives are often called mixed partial derivatives since we are taking derivatives with respect to more than
take the derivatives in is given by the notation for each these. If we are using the subscripting notation, e.g. , then we will differe

case, we will differentiate first with respect to x and then with respect to y. With the fractional notation, e.g. , it is the o
along the denominator from right to left. So, again, in this case we differentiate with respect to x first and the
 [Contact Me] [Links] [Privacy Statement] [Site Map] [Terms of Use] [Menus by Milonic]
© 2003 - 2010 Paul Dawkins
 Differential
This is a very short section and is here simply to acknowledge that just like we had differentials for functions of one variable we also have them for fun
work pretty much the same, but there are

Given the function

There is a natural extension to functions of three or more variables. For instance, given the function

Let’s do a couple of quick

Example 1 Compute the differentials for each of the following functions.

(a)

(b)

Solution

(a)

There really isn’t a whole lot to these outside of some quick differentiation. Here is the differential for the function.
 [Contact Me] [Links] [Privacy Statement] [Site Map
© 2003 - 2010 Paul Dawkins