 

Example 8: Find the partial derivatives of z  x 4 sin xy 3 with respect to x and y.

Solution:
z  x 4 sin( xy 3 )
z  4
  x sin( xy 3 ) 
x x
 
 x 4 sin( xy 3 )   sin( xy 3 ) ( x 4 )
x x
 x cos( xy ) y  sin( xy ) 4 x3
4 3 3 3

z
 x 4 y 3 cos( xy 3 )  4 x3 sin( xy 3 )
x

z  4
  x sin( xy 3 ) 
y y
 
 x 4 sin( xy 3 )   sin( xy 3 ) ( x 4 )
y y
 x 4 cos( xy 3 ) 3xy 2  sin( xy 3 ).0
 3x 5 y 2 cos( xy 3 )
Example 9: Find the partial derivatives of z  cos ( x 5 y 4 ) with respect to x and y.
Solution:
z = cos(x5 y4)
z 
  sin( x 5 y 4 ) ( x 5 y 4 )
x x
 5 x 4 y 4 sin( x 5 y 4 )
z 
  sin( x 5 y 4 ) ( x5 y 4 )
y y
 4 x y sin( x5 y 4 )
5 3

Example 10: Find the partial derivatives of w  x 2  3 y 2  4 z 2  x y z with respect to x, y and z.

Solution:
w = x2 +3y2+4z2-xyz
w
= 2x – yz
x
w
= 6y - xz
dy
dw
= 8z - xy
dz
 LECTURE No.7

GEOMETRIC MEANING OF PARTIAL DERIVATIVE

Geometric meaning of partial derivative

z = f(x, y)
z f
Partial derivative of f with respect to x is denoted by or f x or .
x x
z f
Partial derivative of f with respect to y is denoted by or f y or .
y y
Partial Derivatives
Let z = f(x, y) be a function of two variables x and y defined on a certain domain D.
For a given change ∆x in x, keeping y as constant, the change ∆z in z, is given by
z  f ( x  x, y )  f ( x, y )
z f ( x  x, y )  f ( x, y )
If the ratio  approaches to a finite limit as ∆x →0, then this limit is
x x
called Partial derivative of f with respect to x.
Similarly for a given change ∆y in y, keeping x as constant, the change ∆z in z, is given by
z  f ( x, y  y )  f ( x, y )
z f ( x, y  y )  f ( x, y )
If the ratio  approaches to a finite limit as ∆y →0, then this limit is
y y
called Partial derivative of f with respect to y.

Geometric Meaning of Partial Derivatives

Suppose z = f(x, y) is a function of two variables x and y. The graph of f is a surface. Let P be a
point on the graph with the coordinates ( x0 , y0 , f ( x 0 , y0 )) .

If a point starting from P, changes its position on the surface such that y is constant, then the
locus of this point is the curve of intersection of z = f(x, y) and y = constant. On this curve,
z
is a derivative of z = f(x, y) with respect to x with y constant.
x
 z z
Thus, = slope of the tangent to this curve at P. Similarly, is the gradient of the tangent at
x y
P to this curve of intersection of z = f(x, y) and x = constant. As shown in the figure below
(left). Also together these tangent lines are shown in figure below (right).

Partial Derivatives of Higher Orders

The partial derivatives f x and f y of a function f of two variables x and y, being functions of x and
y, may possess derivatives. In such cases, the second order partial derivatives are defined as
below:
  f   2 f 
    f x    f x  x  f xx  f x2
x  x  x 2 x
  f   2 f 
    f x    f x  y  f xy
y  x  yx y
  f   2 f 
    f y    f y  x  f yx
x  y  xy x
  f   2 f 
    f y    f y  y  f yy  f y 2
y  y  y 2 y
Thus there are four second order partial derivatives for a function z = f(x, y). The partial
derivatives f xy and f yx are called Mixed Second partials and are not equal in general. Partial
derivatives of order more than two can be defined in a similar manner.
2 z 2 z x
Example 1: Find and for z  arc sin  
xy y x  y
x
Solution : z  arc sin  
 y
z    x  1  x y 1 1
  arc sin       2 2  
x x   y   x  x  y 
2
y x  y y  x2
2

1  
 y
 z    x   x
1 y  x  x
  arc sin       2 2  2 
y y   y   x  y  y 
2
y  x  y  y y 2  x2
1  
 y
2 z   z  1 2 2  23  2 2 1 y
  
yx y  x  2
 y x 
y
 y x   3
2y  3
2 y  x 
2 2 2
y x 
2 2 2

 
2 z   z  1 x 1 2 x   y2  x2  x2 y
     3 
 
xy x  y  y y  x y 2 2 2 2 3 3

     
2 2
 y  x  y y 2
 x 2 2
y 2
 x 2 2
 
 z
2
 z
2
Here, you can see that 
yx xy
2 f 2 f 2 f 2 f
Example 2: Find , , and for f ( x, y )  x cos y  y e x .
x 2  y 2  y  x xy
f 
Solution :
x

x
 
x cos y  y e x  cos y  y e x

f 
y

y
 
x cos y  y e x   x sin y  e x

2 f   f  
     cos y  y e   0  y e  y e
x x x

x 2
x  x  x
2 f   f  
     cos y  y e x    sin y  e x
yx y  x  y
2 f   f  
      x sin y  e x    sin y  e x
xy x  y  x
 2 f   f  
      x sin y  e x    x cos y
y 2
y  y  y

Laplace’s Equation
For a function w  f ( x, y, z ) , the equation
2 f 2 f 2 f
  0
x 2 y 2 z 2
is called Laplace’s equation.
Example 3: Show that the function f ( x, y )  e x sin y  e y cos x satisfies the Laplace’s equation.
Solution: f ( x, y )  e x sin y  e y cos x
f 
  e x sin y  e y cos x   e x sin y  e y sin x
x x
f 
  e x sin y  e y cos x   e x cos y  e y cos x
y y
2 f   f   x
     e sin y  e sin x   e sin y  e cos x
y x y

x 2
x  x  x
2 f   f   x
     e cos y  e cos x    e sin y  e cos x
y x y

y 2
y  y  y
Adding both partial second order derivatives, we have
2 f 2 f
 2   e x sin y  e y cos x    e x sin y  e y cos x   0
x 2
y
Euler’s Theorem
The Mixed Derivative Theorem
If f(x, y) and its partial derivatives f x , f y , f xy and f yx are defined throughout an open region
containing a point (a, b) and are all continuous at (a, b), then
f xy ( a, b)  f yx ( a, b )
Advantage of Euler’s theorem
ey
w  xy 
y2 1
2w
The symbol tells us to differentiate first with respect to y and then with respect to x.
x y
However, if we postpone the differentiation with respect to y and differentiate first with respect
to x, we get the answer more quickly.
w   ey 
  xy  2   y  0  y
x x  y 1 
 2 w   w  
and      y  1
yx y  x  y

Overview of lecture# 7
Chapter # 16 Partial derivatives
Page # 790 Article # 16.3
 LECTURE No. 8

MORE ABOUT EULER THEOREM, CHAIN RULE

In general, the order of differentiation in an nth order partial derivative can be changed
without affecting the final result whenever the function and all of its partial derivatives of
order less than n are continuous.

For example, if f and its partial derivatives of the first, second and third orders are
continuous on an open set, then at each point of the set,
f xyy  f yxy  f yyx
3 f 3 f 3 f
or in another notation,  
y 2 x yxy xy 2
Order of Differentiation

For a function f ( x, y )  y 2 x 4 e x  2
5 f
If we are interested to find , that is, differentiating in the order firstly w.r.t. x
y 3x 2
and then w.r.t. y , then the calculation will involve many steps making the job difficult.
But if we differentiate this function with respect to y first, and then with respect to x
secondly then the value of this fifth order derivative can be calculated in a few steps.
f   
y

y
 y 2 x 4e x  2   x 4e x  y 2   2  x 4e x  2 y   0  2 yx 4e x
y y
2 f   f   
y 2  

y  y  y
 y

2 yx 4e x  2 x 4e x  y   2 x 4e x 1  2 x 4e x

3 f   2 f   4 f   3 f  
y 3
   
y  y 2  y
2 x 4 x
e  0,   
xy 3 x  y 3  x
  0  0
5 f   4 f  
   0  0
x 2y 3 x  xy 3  x

x y
EXAMPLE 1 : Let f ( x, y )  . Find f x and f y .
x y
 
   x y  x  y  x  y   x  y  x  y 2 y
Solution : f x  f  x x
  
x x  x  y   x  y  x  y
2 2

 
   x y
 x  y  x  y   x  y  x  y
y y 2x
fy  f    
y y  x  y   x  y  x  y
2 2
EXAMPLE 2: If f ( x, y )  x 3 e  y  y 3 sec x , then find the partial derivatives of f(x, y)
with respect to x and y.
Solution:
f ( x, y )  x 3 e  y  y 3 sec x
  
fx  f  e  y  3 x 2   y 3 sec x tan x   x
x  x 
 1 
 3 x 2 e  y  y 3 sec x tan x  
2 x

fy  f  x 3  e  y   sec x   3 y 2    x3e y  3 y 2 sec x
y
EXAMPLE 3: If f ( x, y )  x 2 y e xy , then find the partial derivatives of f(x, y) with
respect to x and y at (1, 1).
Solution : f ( x, y )  x 2 y e xy
      
f x ( x, y )  f  y   x 2  e xy  x 2  e xy    y  2 x e xy  x 2 e xy  xy  
x  x x   x 
f x ( x, y )  xye  2  xy 
xy

f x (1,1)  11 e11  2  11   3e

   
f y ( x, y )  f ( x, y )  x 2   y  e xy  y  e xy  
y  y y 
  
f y ( x, y )   x 2 1 e xy  y e xy  xy    x 2 e xy 1  xy 
 y 
f y (1,1)  1 e11 1  11   2e
2

Example 4: If f ( x, y )  x 2Cos  xy  , then find the partial derivatives of f(x, y) with

1
respect to x and y at ( ,  ) .
2
Solution : f ( x, y )  x 2Cos  xy 
 2 
f x ( x, y ) 
x
 x   Cos  xy   x 2 Cos  xy   2 x Cos  xy   x 2 y Sin  xy 
x

2
1 1 1  1 1  1
f x ( ,  )  2   Cos         Sin      0     1  
2 2 2  2 2  4 4
  
Now f y ( x, y )   x 2Cos  xy    x 2 Cos  xy   x 2   Sin  xy    xy    x 3 Sin  xy 
y x y
1  
3
1 1 1  1
f y ( ,  )     Sin         Sin    
2 2 2  8  2  8
 4w
EXAMPLE 5: Let w   4 x  3 y  2 z  .Find
5
.
z 2 yx
w   4x  3 y  2z 
5
Solution :
w 4 
 5 4x  3y  2z   4 x  3 y  2 z   20  4 x  3 y  2 z 
4

x x
 w   w  
 
2
   20  4 x  3 y  2 z 
4

yx y  x  y
3 
 20  4  4 x  3 y  2 z   4 x  3 y  2 z    240  4 x  3 y  2 z 
3

y
3w
 
  2w  
zyx z  yx  z
 
240  4 x  3 y  2 z 
3

2 
  240  3  4 x  3 y  2 z   4 x  3 y  2 z    1440  4 x  3 y  2 z 
2

z
 w   w  
 
4 3
   1440  4 x  3 y  2 z 
2

z yx z  zyx  z
2


  1440  2  4 x  3 y  2 z   4 x  3 y  2 z    5760  4 x  3 y  2 z 
z
Chain Rule
I - Chain Rule in function of One Variable
The function f ( x) depends on one variable x , and x depends on single variable t .
dw
Given that w  f  x  and x  g  t  , we find as follows:
dt
dw dx
From w  f  x  , we get , From x  g  t  , we get
dx dt
dw dw dx
Then 
dt dx dt
dw
Example 6: Let w  x  4, x  Sin t . Find , using the chain rule.
dt
Solution : w  x  4, x  Sin t
dw d dx d
  x  4   1  0  1,   Sin t   cos t
dx dx dt dx
dw dw dx
By Chain Rule,   1  cos t   cos t
dt dx dt