Econ 415/615 Mathematics for Economists Lau

Problem Set II Fall 2021

Multi-variable calculus

1) Find the first and second partial derivatives of the following functions:
a) y = f ( x, z) = x2 z 3 − ln( x + 1) − e3z
b) y= f ( x, z) = ( x + 5)a ( z − b)c
c) y= f ( x, z) = ln( x + z) − ( xz)2
d) y= f ( x, z) = z a xb − 3xz
e) y= f ( x, z) = az ln x + bx ln z
f) y= f ( x, w, z) = xa wb z c − 2x − 3w − 4z 2

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Econ 415/615 Mathematics for Economists Lau
Problem Set II: Solution

1a) y = f ( x, z) = x2 z 3 − ln( x + 1) − e3z

f ( x, z ) 1 f ( x, z )
f x ( x, z ) = = 2 xz 3 − f z ( x, z ) = = 3 x 2 z 2 − 3e3 z
x x +1 z
 f ( x, z )
2
1
f xx ( x, z ) = = 2 z 3 − (−1)( x + 1) −2 = 2 z 3 +
x 2
( x + 1) 2
 2 f ( x, z )  2 f ( x, z )  2 f ( x, z )
f zz ( x, z ) = = 6 x 2 z − 9e3 z f xz ( x, z ) = = 6 xz 2 = = f zx ( x, z )
z 2 xz zx

1b) y = f ( x, z) = ( x + 5)a ( z − b)c

f ( x, z ) f ( x, z )
f x ( x, z ) = = a ( x + 5) a −1 ( z − b)c f z ( x, z ) = = c( x + 5) a ( z − b )c −1
x z
 f ( x, z )
2
 f ( x, z )
2
f xx ( x, z ) = = a (a − 1)( x + 5) a − 2 ( z − b)c f zz ( x, z ) = = c(c − 1)( x + 5) a ( z − b) c − 2
x 2 z 2
f xz ( x, z ) = ac ( x + 5) a −1 ( z − b)c −1 = f zx ( x, z )

1c) y = f ( x, z) = ln( x + z) − ( xz)2

f ( x, z ) 1 f ( x, z ) 1
f x ( x, z ) = = − 2 xz 2 f z ( x, z ) = = − 2x2 z
x x+z z x+z
 f ( x, z )
2
1
f xx ( x, z ) = = (−1)( x + z ) −2 − 2 z 2 = − − 2z2
x 2
( x + z )2
 2 f ( x, z ) 1
f zz ( x, z ) = = (−1)( x + z ) −2 − 2 x 2 = − − 2x2
z 2
( x + z )2
 2 f ( x, z ) 1  2 f ( x, z )
f xz ( x, z ) = =− − 4 xz = = f zx ( x, z )
xz ( x + z )2 zx

1d) y = f ( x, z) = z a xb − 3xz
f ( x, z ) f ( x, z )
f x ( x, z ) = = bz a x b −1 − 3 z f z ( x, z ) = = az a −1 x b − 3 x
x z
 2 f ( x, z )
f xx ( x, z ) = = b(b − 1) z a x b − 2
x 2

 f ( x, z )
2
f zz ( x, z ) = = a (a − 1) z a − 2 x b
z 2
f xz ( x, z ) = baz a −1 x b −1 − 3 = f zx ( x, z )
1e) y = f ( x, z) = az ln x + bx ln z

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 f ( x, z ) az f ( x, z ) bx
f x ( x, z ) = = + b ln z f z ( x, z ) = = a ln x +
x x z z
 f ( x, z )
2
az  f ( x, z )
2
bx
f xx ( x, z ) = = − azx −2 = − 2 f zz ( x, z ) = =− 2
x 2
x z 2
z
a b
f xz ( x, z ) = + = f zx ( x, z )
x z

1f) y = f ( x, w, z) = xa wb z c − 2x − 3w − 4z 2
f ( x, w, z ) f ( x, w, z )
f x ( x, w, z ) = = ax a −1 wb z c − 2 f w ( x, w, z) = = bx a wb −1 z c − 3
x w
f ( x, w, z )
f z ( x, w, z ) = = cx a wb z c −1 − 8 z
z
 2 f ( x, w, z ) a −2 b c  2 f ( x, w, z )
f xx ( x, w, z ) = = a (a − 1) x w z f ww ( x, w, z ) = = b(b − 1) x a wb − 2 z c
x 2
w 2

 f ( x, w, z )
2
f zz ( x, w, z ) = = c(c − 1) x a wb z c − 2 − 8
z 2
 2 f ( x, w, z )  2 f ( x, w, z )
f xz ( x, w, z ) = = acx a −1 wb z c −1 = = f zx ( x, w, z )
xz z x
 2 f ( x, w, z )  2 f ( x, w, z )
f xw ( x, w, z ) = = abx a −1 wb −1 z c = = f wx ( x, w, z )
xw wx
 2 f ( x, w, z )  2 f ( x, w, z )
f zw ( x, w, z ) = = cbx a wb −1 z c −1 = = f wz ( x, w, z )
z w wz