Calculus 2B (M2504)

Dr. Khaphetsi Joseph Mahasa

National University of Lesotho
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

April 13, 2022

khaphetsimahasa@gmail.com: Lecture 07: NUL Calculus 2B (M2504) April 13, 2022 1/8
 Tangent Plane and Normal Line to a Surface

The objective of this lesson is to understand the:

Construction of an equation for the Tangent Plane.
Normal Line to a Surface.

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 Tangent Plane and Normal Line to a Surface: Definitions

Let F be a differentiable at the point P (x0 , y0 , z0 ) on the surface S given

by F (x, y, z) = 0 such that ∇F (x0 , y0 , z0 ) 6= ~0.
The plane through P that is orthogonal to ∇F (x0 , y0 , z0 ) is called
tangent plane to S at P .
The line through P having the direction of ∇F (x0 , y0 , z0 ) is called
the normal line to S at P .
Equation of the tangent plane
If f (x, y, z) is differentiable at (a, b, c), then an equation for the tangent
plane to the level surface of f (given by F (x, y, y) = 0) at the point
(a, b, c) is

fx (a, b, c)(x − a) + fy (a, b, c)(y − b) + fz (a, b, c)(z − c) = 0.

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 Tangent Plane and Normal Line to a Surface
Example 1
Find an equation of the tangent plane to the hyperboloid given by
z 2 − 2x2 − 2y 2 = 12 at the point (1, −1, 4).
Solution
Begin by writing the equation of the surface as
z 2 − 2x2 − 2y 2 − 12 = 0
Then, considering
F (x, y, z) = z 2 − 2x2 − 2y 2 − 12,
then we have
Fx (x, y, z) = −4x, Fy (x, y, z) = −4y and Fz (x, y, z) = 2z.
At the point (1, −1, 4) the partial derivatives are
Fx (1, −1, 4) = −4, Fy (1, −1, 4) = 4 and Fz (1, −1, 4) = 8.
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 Tangent Plane and Normal Line to a Surface

So, an equation of the tangent plane at (1, −1, 4) is

−4(x − 1) + 4(y + 1) + 8(z − 4) = 0

−4x + 4 + 4y + 4 + 8z − 32 = 0
−4x + 4y + 8z − 24 = 0
∴ x − y − 2z + 6 = 0.

Note
To find the equation of the tangent plane at a point on a surface given by
z = f (x, y), you can define the function F by

F (x, y, z) = f (x, y) − z.

khaphetsimahasa@gmail.com: Lecture 07: NUL Calculus 2B (M2504) April 13, 2022 5/8
 Tangent Plane and Normal Line to a Surface

Note
Then S is given by the level surface F (x, y, z) = 0, and thus, an equation
of the tangent plane to S at the point Q0 = (x0 , y0 , z0 = f (x0 , y0 )) is

fx (x0 , y0 )(x − x0 ) + fy (x0 , y0 )(y − y0 ) − (z − z0 ) = 0.

Note also that ∇F (Q0 ) is perpendicular to the graph of f . But

∇F (Q0 ) = fx (x0 , y0 )~i + fy (x0 , y0 )~j − ~k.

Example 2
Find the tangent plane to the surface x2 + 4y 2 + 8z 2 = 13 at the point
(1, −1, 1).

khaphetsimahasa@gmail.com: Lecture 07: NUL Calculus 2B (M2504) April 13, 2022 6/8
 Tangent Plane and Normal Line to a Surface
Solution
We do not need to solve for z as a function of x and y. Instead, we define
the function of three variables F (x, y, z) = x2 + 4y 2 + 8z 2 . Then, our
surface is just the level curve F (x, y, z) = 13. Therefore, a normal to the
surface F (x, y, z) = 13 at the point (1, −1, 1) is given by
 
∇F (1, −1, 1) = 2x~i + 8y~j + 16z~k |(x,y,z)=(1,−1,1) = 2~i − 8~j + 16~k.
Because the plane also passes through the point (x0 , y0 , z0 ) = (1, −1, 1),
we can write the equation of the plane as
2(x − 1) − 8(y − (−1)) + 16(z − 1) = 0. This simplifies to the required
equation 2x − 8y + 16z = 26.
Exercises
1 Find the equation of the tangent plane to the surface defined by the
function f (x, y) = sin(2x) cos(3y) at the point (π/3, π/4).
2 Find the equation of the tangent plane to
f (x, y) = x3 − x2 y + y 2 − 2x + 3y − 2 at the point (−1, 3).
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 THANK YOU

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