Chapter 2 Partial Derivatives

2.1 First order partial derivatives

Definition:
The partial derivative f x ( x, y ) of f ( x, y) with
respect to x is obtained by holding y constant
and differentiating with respect to x. The
partial derivative f y ( x, y ) with respect to y is
obtained by holding x constant and
differentiating with respect to y.

f ( x + δx, y ) − f ( x, y )
f x ( x, y ) = lim
δx → 0 δx

f ( x , y + δy ) − f ( x , y )
f y ( x, y ) = lim
δy → 0 δy
∂f ∂f
Notations: f x = , f y = ∂y
∂x

1
The values of the partial derivatives at the
point (a, b) are denoted by
∂f
= f x (a, b) and
∂x (a,b)
∂f
= f y ( a, b)
∂y (a,b)

Note
• The stylized “d” symbol in the notation is
called roundback d, curly d or del d.
• It is not the usual derivative d (dee) or δ
(delta d).

2
Example:

If f ( x, y ) = x y + x y , find
3 2 2

(a) 𝑓𝑥 (b) 𝑓𝑦 (c) 𝑓𝑦 (1, −2)

For a function f ( x, y, z ) of three variables,

there are three partial derivatives:
f x , f y and f z
The partial derivative f x is calculated by
holding y and z constant. Likewise, for f y
and f z .

Example:

Let f ( x , y , z ) = x 2
+ 2 xy 2
+ yz 3
, find:
(a) f x (b) f y (c) f z

3
The rules for differentiating functions of a
single variable holds in calculating partial
derivatives.

Example:
Determine the partial derivatives of the
following functions with respect to each of
the independent variables:
(a) f ( x, y ) = ln( x + y ) .

(b) z = ( x + 3 y )
2 5

(c) z = x sin( 2 x 2 + 5 y )
2y
(d) f ( x, y ) =
y + cos x

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Example: (implicit)
∂z
Find if the equation
∂x
yz − ln z = x + y
defines z as a function of two independent
variables x and y.

Example (implicit)
If
cos( x + 2 z ) + 3 y 2 + 2 xyz = 0
defines z as a function of two independent
variables x and y. Determine expressions for
∂z and ∂z in terms of x, y and z.
∂x ∂y

5
2.2 Higher order Partial Derivatives

The partial derivative of a function is a

function, so it is possible to take the partial
derivative of a partial derivative.
If z is a function of two independent
variables, x and y, the possible partial
derivatives of the second order are:
♦ second partial derivative – taking two
consecutive partial derivatives with
respect to the same variable

♦ mixed partial derivative - taking partial

derivatives with respect to one variable,
and then take another partial derivative
with respect to a different variable

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Notations:
∂ ∂  ∂f  ∂ 2 f
f x = f xx =   = 2
∂x ∂x  ∂x  ∂x

∂ ∂  ∂f  ∂ 2 f
f x = f xy =   =
∂y ∂y  ∂x  ∂y∂x

∂ ∂  ∂f  ∂ 2 f
f y = f yx =   =
∂x ∂x  ∂y  ∂x∂y

∂ ∂  ∂f  ∂ 2 f
f y = f yy =   = 2
∂y ∂y  ∂y  ∂y

If z = f ( x, y ) , then

∂2 ∂2z
f ( x, y ) = f xx ( x, y ) = = z xx
∂x 2
∂x 2

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Example:
f , f , f , f
Find xx xy yx yy of f ( x , y ) = x 2 y
ye

Theorem (Euler Theorem)

If f , f x , f y , f xy and f yx are continuous
and defined in an open space that contains a
point (a, b) , then
f xy (a, b) = f yx (a, b) .

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2.3 Chain rules

Theorem If z = f (u , v) , u = g ( x, y ) and
v = h( x, y ) and the partial derivatives of f, g,
and h exist, then

∂z ∂z ∂u ∂z ∂v
= +
∂x ∂u ∂x ∂v ∂x

∂z ∂z ∂u ∂z ∂v
= +
∂y ∂u ∂y ∂v ∂y

Example:
∂z ∂z
find and if z = u 2 + v 2 with u = x 2 y and
∂x ∂y
v = x 2 cos y .

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Chain rule can be extended to function with
any multiple variables.

If w = f (u , v, r ) , u = g ( x, y, z ), v = h( x, y, z ) and
r = s ( x, y, z ) then

∂w ∂w ∂u ∂w ∂v ∂w ∂r
= + +
∂x ∂u ∂x ∂v ∂x ∂r ∂x

∂w ∂w ∂u ∂w ∂v ∂w ∂r
= + +
∂y ∂u ∂y ∂v ∂y ∂r ∂y

∂w ∂w ∂u ∂w ∂v ∂w ∂r
= + +
∂z ∂u ∂z ∂v ∂z ∂r ∂z

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Example:

∂w ∂w ∂w
,
Find ∂x ∂y and if 𝑤 = 𝑟 2 + 𝑠 + 2𝑡,
∂z
r = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 , s = xyz and t = yz 2 .

Example:
dw
Find dt by using the chain rule if w = xyz
with x = t 3 , y = t 2 and z = t 4 .

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Implicit Function
Let F ( x, y ) = 0 with y = f (x) is defined
implicitly. We define F as:
w = F (u , y ) with u = x, y = f ( x)
u x
w
y x

Using the fact that u and y are functions with

one variable, we obtain
dw ∂w du ∂w dy
= + .
dx ∂u dx ∂y dx
But, w = F ( x, y ) = F ( x, f ( x)) = 0 for all x, then
dw
= 0.
dx

Since u = x and y = f (x) , then

du dy
=1 and = f ' ( x)
dx dx

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 dw ∂w du ∂w dy
Therefore, from dx = ∂u dx + ∂y dx , we get

∂w ∂w
0 = (1) + f ' ( x)
∂u ∂y

dy ∂w / ∂u ∂w / ∂x F ( x, y )
= f ' ( x) = − =− =− x
dx ∂w / ∂y ∂w / ∂y Fy ( x, y )

Theorem
If F ( x, y) = 0 defines an implicit function with
𝑓(𝑥), then

dy F ( x, y )
=− x
dx Fy ( x, y )

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Example:
dy
Find dx , if y = f (x) is defined as
𝑦 4 + 3𝑦 − 4𝑥 3 = 5𝑥 + 1

Theorem
If F ( x, y, z ) = 0 implicitly defines a
differentiable function z as a function of two
variables x and y , then

∂z Fx ( x, y, z ) ∂z Fy ( x, y, z )
=− , =−
∂x Fz ( x, y, z ) ∂y Fz ( x, y, z )

Example:
∂z ∂z
Find and ∂y if z as a function of two
∂x
variable x and y is implicitly defined as
𝑥𝑦 2 + 𝑧𝑦 = −𝑥 sin 𝑧

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2.4 Increments and Differential

Let z = f ( x, y ) . If x increases by δx and y

increases by δy , then z will increase by δz ,
where
δz = f ( x + δx , y + δy ) − f ( x , y ) .

f ( x + δx , y ) − f ( x , y )
We know that fx ≈
δx
f ( x , y + δy ) − f ( x , y )
and f y ≈ δy
,

which implies
𝑓(𝑥 + 𝛿𝑥, 𝑦) − 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) ≈ 𝑓𝑥 (𝑥, 𝑦)𝛿𝑥

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦 + 𝛿𝑦) − 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) ≈ 𝑓𝑦 (𝑥, 𝑦)𝛿𝑦

If we take
δz = [ f ( x + δx, y ) − f ( x, y )] + [ f ( x, y + δy ) − f ( x, y )]
then,
δz ≈ f x ( x, y )δx + f y ( x, y )δy .

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Definition: (2 variables)
Suppose 𝑧 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦), and 𝑓𝑥 and 𝑓𝑦 exist. If
𝛿𝑥 and 𝛿𝑦 are increments of x and y
respectively, then an approximate
increment 𝜹𝒛 of z is given by

δz ≈ f x ( x, y )δx + f y ( x, y )δy

Definition: (3 variables)
Suppose 𝑤 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧), and 𝑓𝑥 ,𝑓𝑦 and
𝑓𝑧 exist. If 𝛿𝑥, 𝛿𝑦 and 𝛿𝑧 are increments of
x, y and z respectively, then an approximate
increment 𝛿𝑤 of w is given by

δw ≈ f x ( x, y, z )δx + f y ( x, y, z )δy + f z ( x, y, z )δz

Note: 𝛿𝑥 is also denoted as ∆x.

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If δx → 0 and δy → 0 , then the increment in δx
is denote as dx, increment in δy as dy, and
increment in δz as df. The df is known as the
differential of f.

Hence, the differential df of f is given by

𝑑𝑓 = 𝑓𝑥 (𝑥, 𝑦)𝑑𝑥 + 𝑓𝑦 (𝑥, 𝑦)𝑑𝑦

Therefore
δz ≈ dz .

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Example:
(i) If z = f ( x, y ) = 3x 2 − xy , approximate the
change in f ( x, y ) as ( x, y) varies from the
point (1,2) to the point (1.01,1.98)

(ii) Let the measurements of a cuboid vary

from 9 cm, 6 cm and 4 cm to 9.02, 5.97
and 4.01 cm. Approximate the change in
the volume.

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We can use differential to estimate change
and estimating error

Let 𝑧 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦), then

𝛿𝑧 ≈ 𝑓𝑥 (𝑥, 𝑦)𝛿𝑥 + 𝑓𝑦 (𝑥, 𝑦)𝛿𝑦

• 𝛿𝑧 is the error in calculating z

𝛿𝑧
• is the relative error
𝑧

𝛿𝑧
• × 100% is the percentage error
𝑧

• |𝛿𝑧| is the maximum error

𝛿𝑧
• � � × 100% maximum percentage error
𝑧

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Example: (continue from previous example)

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2.5 Local Extrema
Extrema refers to either maximum or
minimum.

maximum

minimum
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Point (a,b,f(a,b)) is a saddle point

*Saddle point: The name derives from the fact that the
prototypical example in two dimensions is a surface that
curves up in one direction, and curves down in a different
direction, resembling a saddle or a mountain pass.
(source: wikipedia)

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Definition
Suppose 𝑧 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a function of two
variables defined in a domain D, and that
(𝑎, 𝑏) is in D.

(i) is a local maximum of the

f ( a, b)
function f, if there exist region 𝑅 ⊂ 𝐷
, such that (𝑎, 𝑏) in R and 𝑓(𝑎, 𝑏) ≥
𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) for every (𝑥, 𝑦) in R.

(ii) f ( a, b) is a local minimum of the

function function f, if there exist
region 𝑅 ⊂ 𝐷 , such that (𝑎, 𝑏) in R
and 𝑓(𝑎, 𝑏) ≤ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) for every
(𝑥, 𝑦) in R.

Theorem Suppose f (a, b) is a local

maximum or local minimum of 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦). If
f x and f y exist at (a, b) , then
f x (a, b) = 0 and f y (a, b) = 0

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note: The reverse statement of the theorem
is not necessarily true.

Theorem Second Derivatives Test

A pair (𝑎, 𝑏) such that 𝑓𝑥 (𝑎, 𝑏) = 0 and

𝑓𝑦 (𝑎, 𝑏) = 0 is called a critical point or
stationary point.

Suppose that 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a function of two

variables that has continuous second
partial derivatives on a region R and (𝑎, 𝑏)
is a critical point in R.

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 Let

2
𝐺 (𝑎, 𝑏) = 𝑓𝑥𝑥 (𝑎, 𝑏)𝑓𝑦𝑦 (𝑎, 𝑏) − �𝑓𝑥𝑦 (𝑎, 𝑏)�

𝑓𝑥𝑥 (𝑎, 𝑏) 𝑓𝑥𝑦 (𝑎, 𝑏)

𝐺(𝑎, 𝑏) = � �
𝑓𝑦𝑥 (𝑎, 𝑏) 𝑓𝑦𝑦 (𝑎, 𝑏)

Then

(a) 𝑓(𝑎, 𝑏) is a local maximum if

𝐺 (𝑎, 𝑏) > 0 and 𝑓𝑥𝑥 (𝑎, 𝑏) < 0.

(b) 𝑓(𝑎, 𝑏) is a local minimum if

𝐺 (𝑎, 𝑏) > 0 and 𝑓𝑥𝑥 (𝑎, 𝑏) > 0.

(c) (𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑓(𝑎, 𝑏)) is a saddle point if

𝐺 (𝑎, 𝑏) < 0.

(d) No conclusion can be made if

𝐺 (𝑎, 𝑏) = 0.

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Examples: Find the critical point(s) of the
following functions and determine the
nature of those points.
.
(i) 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 2𝑦 3 − 6𝑥𝑦 − 𝑥 2
𝑦3
(ii) 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = − 𝑥 2 − 𝑦
3
(iii) 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 4 + 16𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 4

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2.6 Absolute Extrema

Definition The absolute extremum for a

function is the extremum values of the
function on any given region.

Theorem 2.8 (Extreme Value Theorem)

If a function is continuous on a region that is
closed and bounded, then it has both
absolute maximum and absolute minimum
in the region. Further, the absolute extrema
must occur either at a critical point in the
region, or on the boundary of the region.

A region R is bounded if there are positive

real numbers a and b such that
𝑅 = {(𝑥, 𝑦)| |𝑥| < 𝑎, |𝑦| < 𝑏}
The exact shape of R may not be
rectangular, but as long as the region is
inside it then the region is bounded.

27
If the above rectangular shape is the actual
shape of the region, then the region is not
closed since a closed region is a region that
includes its boundary. R is closed and
bounded if
𝑅 = {(𝑥, 𝑦)| |𝑥 | ≤ 𝑎, |𝑦| ≤ 𝑏}.

Steps to find the absolute extrema of a

function on a closed and bounded region.
1. Find the critical points of the function in
the region, and compute the values of 𝑓
at the critical points.
2. Find the extremum values of 𝑓 on the
boundary.
3. Compare the values of 𝑓at the critical
points with the maximum and the
minimum values of 𝑓 on the boundary of
the region. The highest value of 𝑓 is the
absolute maximum and the lowest value
of 𝑓 is the absolute minimum.

28
Note: in this case, no need to use the second
derivatives test

Open and unbounded Region

Theorem Suppose f(x,y)is continuous in a

region R.
(i) If f(x,y) assumes only a local maximum
and there is no local minimum and no
saddle point in the region, then the
local maximum is the absolute
maximum in the region.
(ii) If f(x,y) assumes only a local minimum
and there is no local maximum and no
saddle point in the region, then the
local minimum is the absolute minimum
in the region.

29
Example:
Find the absolute extrema of the function
f ( x, y ) = x 2 + y 2 over the disk x 2 + y 2 ≤ 1 .

Solution:
Step 1:
x y
fx = fy =
x +y ,
2 2
x2 + y2

⇒(0, 0) is the only critical point of f and

it is inside the region.
Step 2: Examine the values of f on the
boundary curve x + y = 1. Because
2 2

y = 1 − x on the boundary curve, we

2 2

find that
f ( x, y ) = x 2 + (1 − x 2 ) = 1

30
That is, for every point on the boundary
circle, the value of f is 1.
Step 3: Evaluating the value of f at each
of the points we have found:
Critical point: f(0, 0) = 0
Boundary points: f ( x, y ) = 1
We conclude that the absolute minimum
value of f on R is 0 and the absolute
maximum value is 1.

Example:
If an open rectangular box is to have a fixed
volume of 500m3, what relative dimensions
will make the surface area minimum?

31