Chapter 3

Partial Differentiation

Objectives:
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• determine the first and second order partial derivatives of functions.
• Show that certain functions satisfy given partial differential equations, e.g.
Laplace's equation, the heat equation, the diffusion equation, the wave
equation, etc.

3.1 Partial Differentiation

The area A of the curved surface of a cylinder of radius r and height h is given by
A = 2πrh . A depends on two quantities, the values of r and h.

If r is kept constant and the height h is increased, then the area A will also increase. The
differential coefficient of A with respect to r when h is kept constant, can be written as
⎡ dA ⎤ ∂A
⎢⎣ dr ⎥⎦ . The shortened and more common notation is , (a different type of ‘delta’
h constant ∂r

is used) and is called the partial differential coefficient of A with respect to r.

∂A
To find , we differentiate the given expression, but take all symbols except A and r as
∂r
∂A
being constant. ∴ = 2πh
∂r

∂A
We could also have considered r as being kept constant. In this case, we determine by
∂h
differentiating the expression A = 2πrh , taking all symbols except A and h as being
∂A
constant. ∴ = 2πr .
∂h

The statement A = 2πrh therefore has two partial differential coefficients, one with respect
to r and one with respect to h.
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The same will happen with any function which is a function of independent variables, e.g.
∂z ∂z
if z = x 3 y 2 , then = 3x 2 y 2 and = 2x3 y .
∂x ∂y

Every independent variable, except the one with respect to which we are differentiating, is
regarded as being constant for the time being.

Example 1
∂z ∂z
If z = sin xy , then = (cos xy ) y = y cos xy and = x(cos xy )
∂x ∂y

Example 2
∂V 1 2x
If V = ln( x 2 + y 3 ) , then = 2 ⋅ 2x = 2 and
∂x x + y 3
x + y3
∂V 1 3y 2
= 2 ⋅ 3 y 2
=
∂y x + y 3 x2 + y3

Note: The subscript notation could also be used for a partial derivative, for example,
∂f ∂f
= f x and = fy .
∂x ∂y

Exercise 3.1

∂u ∂u
(a) If u = x 3 + y 3 − 2 x 2 y , find and .
∂x ∂y
∂z ∂z
(b) If z = x 4 + xy + y 4 , find and .
∂x ∂y
∂z ∂z
(c) If z = tan(3 x + 5 y ) , find and .
∂x ∂y
∂u ∂u
(d) If u = (3 x + 2 y )( 4 x − 5 y ) find and .
∂x ∂y

Exercise 3.2

∂z ∂z
In each of the following cases, determine and .
∂x ∂y
(a) z = 5 x 2 + 2 xy + 2 y 2 b) z = y cos 3 x
sin(3x + 4 y )
(c) z= d) z = x + y +1
xy
(e) z = e xy f) z= x2 + y3
(g) z = ye x h) z = e x cos y

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 1
z = (2 x − 3 y ) z=
3
(i) j)
xy
xy
(k) z= l) z = ln xy
x + y2
2

x
(m) z= n) z = xy
y
x 2 + cos 3 y
(o) z = tan −1 xy p) z=
1+ x
(q) z = sin −1 ( x + 3 y ) r) z = e cos xy
xy

Exercise 3.3
Find the first order partial derivatives of f at the given point:
(a) f ( x; y ) = x 2 + y 2 , (0;1) b) f = y cos x, (π ;1)
(c) f = ln( x 2 + y 2 ), (1;0) d) f = cos x sin y (π ; π )
(e) f = cos x + sin y (π ; π ) f) f = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 , ( 1;1;1 )
1
(g) f = 2 , (−1;1 ) h) f = e x sin y + z 2 (0; π ; 3 )
x + y2

3.2 Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Higher order partial derivatives arise as partial derivatives of partial derivatives. A
multivariable function has as many partial derivatives at a point in the interior of its domain
as it has variables, provided that the required limits exist. If different variables are used in
the repeated process a mixed partial derivative arises. The order of the derivative is the
number of times the given function is differentiated. Assuming that the partial derivatives
are all continuous around a point, the possible ambiguity about the sequence in which
derivatives are taken is removed and the order is irrelevant, and, for example, f xyz = f zyx

Example 1
∂z ∂z
If z = 3 x 2 + 4 xy − 5 y 2 , then = 6 x + 4 y and = 4 x − 10 y.
∂x ∂y
∂z
The expression = 6 x + 4 y is itself a function of x and y, and could be
∂x
differentiated partially with respect to x or y:

(a) If we differentiate partially with respect to x, then we get:

∂ ⎧∂z ⎫ ∂2z
⎨ ⎬ and this can also be written as = z xx (similar to an ordinary second
∂ x ⎩∂ x ⎭ ∂x2
differential coefficient, but with a partial d (written as ∂ ).

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 ∂2z ∂
∴ = (6 x + 4 y ) = 6 .
∂x 2
∂x
This is called the second order partial differential coefficient of z with respect to x.

(b) If we differentiate partially with respect to y, then we get:

∂ ⎧∂ z ⎫ ∂2z
⎨ ⎬ and this can also be written as = z xy
∂ y ⎩ ∂x ⎭ ∂ y∂x
∂2z ∂ ⎧ ∂z ⎫ ∂
∴ = ⎨ ⎬= (6 x + 4 y ) = 4 .
∂y∂x ∂ y ⎩ ∂x ⎭ ∂ y
∂z
Of course we could carry out similar steps with the expression for :
∂y
∂2z ∂
(c) ∴ = (4 x − 10 y ) = −10
∂y 2
∂y
∂2z ∂ ⎧∂z ⎫ ∂
(d) ∴ = ⎨ ⎬= (4 x − 10 y ) = 4
∂x∂y ∂ x ⎩ ∂ y ⎭ ∂ x

∂2z ∂2z
Note that ∴ = .
∂y∂x ∂x∂y

We see, in this case, that there are two first order coefficients, and four second order
coefficients.

Example 2
∂z
If z = 5 x 3 + 3 x 2 y + 4 y 3 , then = 15 x 2 + 6 xy ,
∂x
∂z ∂2z ∂2z
= 3 x + 12 y ,
2 2
= 30 x + 6 y , = 24 y ,
∂y ∂x 2 ∂y 2
∂2z ∂2z
= 6 x and = 6 x.
∂y∂x ∂x∂y

Exercise 3.4
Find all the first and second order partial differential coefficients for each of the following
functions:
(a) z = x cos y − y cos x b) V = ln( x 2 + y 2 )
x+ y
(c) f = sin xy d) z=
x− y
(e) f = 3x + 2 xy + 4 y
2 2
f) z = ln xy
(g) z=3 2 x y
h) f = x4 y7
y
(i) z = tan( x + 3 y ) j) z=
x
1
(k) f =
x2 + y2

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Exercise 3.5
∂z ∂z
(a) If z = ln(e x + e y ), show that + = 1.
∂x ∂ y
(b) A function z = f ( x; t ) , where z denotes temperature, x position, and t time, is said to
satisfy the heat equation if
a 2 f xx = f t , where a is a constant.
Show that z = f ( x; t ) = e −π a t sin πx satisfies the heat equation.
2 2

(c) Let T = f ( x; y; z ) be the temperature at the point ( x; y; z ) within a solid whose

surface has a fixed temperature distribution. It can be shown that, if T does not vary
with time, the, Txx + T yy + Tzz = 0 .

Similarly, if P ( x; y; z ) is the work done in moving a particle from a fixed base point
in a gravitational field to the point ( x; y; z ) , then Pxx + Pyy + Pzz = 0 .

The equation f xx + f yy + f zz = 0 is called Laplace’s equation (in

three dimensions).

Verify that the following functions satisfy the equation of Laplace:

(i) f = e x cos y + z
(ii) f = x2 − y2 − z
1
(iii) f =
x + y2 + z2
2

∂f ∂2 f
(d) An equation of the form =c is called a diffusion equation.
∂t ∂x2
The molecular concentration f ( x ; t ) of a fluid injected into a tube can be
2
− 12 − K t
x

described by f ( x ; t ) =t e , where t denotes time, x denotes the distance from

the point at which the fluid was injected and K is a positive constant.

Show that f satisfies the diffusion equation with c = K

4 .

∂2 f 2 ∂ f
2
(e) An equation of the form = α is called a one-dimensional wave
∂t 2 ∂x2
equation. The variable x could be the distance across the ocean’s surface or the
distance along a vibrating string or the distance through air (sound waves) or
distance through space (light waves). The constant α 2 varies with the medium and
the type of wave.
Show that if f ( x; t ) = sin 2( x + α t ) , then f satisfies the wave equation.

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