MA 210 LECTURE (13)

JACOBIANS
If 𝑢 and 𝑣 are functions of two independent variables 𝑥 and 𝑦, then the determinant
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
| 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣
|
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

is called the Jacobian of 𝑢, 𝑣 with respect to 𝑥, 𝑦 and is written as

𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) (𝑢,𝑣)
or 𝒥 ((𝑥,𝑦)) or 𝒥(𝑢, 𝑣)
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)

Similarly, the Jacobian of 𝑢, 𝑣, 𝑤 with respect to 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 is

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣,𝑤) | 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 |
=
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧) | 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 |
𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

Jacobians of four or more variables can be defined in a similar way.

Properties of Jacobians:
Stated in two variables for simplicity
(𝑢,𝑣) (𝑥,𝑦,)
1) If 𝒥 ((𝑥,𝑦)) and 𝒥 ′ = ( (𝑢,𝑣) ) , then 𝒥 ∙ 𝒥 ′ = 1

𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,)
i.e., × =1
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) 𝜕(𝑢,𝑣)

2) Chain rule for Jacobians: if 𝑢, 𝑣 are functions of 𝑟, 𝑠 and 𝑟, 𝑠 are functions of 𝑥, 𝑦

then,
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕(𝑟,𝑠)
= × 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) 𝜕(𝑟,𝑠)

Example:
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,)
If 𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃 , 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃 , evaluate 𝜕(𝑟,𝜃)

Solution
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
= cos 𝜃 , = sin 𝜃
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
= −𝑟 sin 𝜃 , = 𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝜃

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 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,) 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝜃
∴ determinant of = |𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦
|
𝜕(𝑟,𝜃)
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝜃

cos 𝜃 −𝑟 sin 𝜃
=| | = 𝑟𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 + 𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 = 𝑟
sin 𝜃 𝑟 cos 𝜃
Example:
𝜕(𝑟,𝜃,)
If 𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃, 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃 , evaluate 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)

Solution
𝑦 𝑟 sin 𝜃 𝑦
𝑟 2 = 𝑥 2 +𝑦 2 , 𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃 = tan 𝜃 , 𝜃 = tan−1 (𝑥 )
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟
𝜕(𝑟,𝜃,) 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
∴ = |𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝜃
|
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
1
𝜕𝑟 1 𝑥 𝑥
= 2 (𝑥 2 +𝑦 2 )−2 ∙ 2𝑥 = =
𝜕𝑥 √𝑥 2 +𝑦 2 𝑟

𝜕𝑟 𝑦 𝑦
= =
𝜕𝑦 √𝑥 2 +𝑦2 𝑟

𝑦
𝜕𝜃 − 2 𝑦 𝑥2 𝑦
𝑥
= 𝑦2
= − 𝑥2 ∙ 𝑟2 = − 𝑟2
𝜕𝑥 1+ 2
𝑥

𝜕𝜃 𝑥 −1 1 𝑥2 𝑥
= 𝑦2
= 𝑥 ∙ 𝑟2 = 𝑟2
𝜕𝑦 1+ 2
𝑥

𝑥 𝑦
𝑟 𝑟 𝑥2 𝑦2 𝑥 2 +𝑦2 𝑟2 1
∴ ⟹| 𝑦 𝑥| = 𝑟3 + 𝑟3 = = 𝑟3 = 𝑟
− 𝑟2 𝑟3
𝑟2

Example:
If 𝑢 = 𝑥𝑦𝑧, 𝑣 = 𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦𝑧 + 𝑧𝑥, 𝑤 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧, compute;
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣,𝑤)
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧)

(and show that it is equal to (𝑧 − 𝑦)(𝑥 − 𝑦(𝑥 − 𝑧))

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Solution
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣,𝑤) | 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 |
=
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧) | 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 |
𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
= 𝑦𝑧 , 𝜕𝑦 = 𝑥𝑧 , = 𝑥𝑦
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑧

𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣
= 𝑦 + 𝑧, 𝜕𝑦 = 𝑥 + 𝑧, 𝜕𝑧 = 𝑦 + 𝑥
𝜕𝑥

𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤
= 1, = 1, =1
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

𝑦𝑧 𝑥𝑧 𝑥𝑦
∴ ⟹ |𝑦 + 𝑧 𝑥+𝑧 𝑦 + 𝑥|
1 1 1
𝑦𝑧[(𝑥 + 𝑧) − (𝑦 + 𝑥)] − 𝑥𝑧[(𝑦 + 𝑧) − (𝑦 + 𝑥)] + 𝑥𝑦[(𝑦 + 𝑧) − (𝑥 + 𝑧)]
𝑥 2 𝑧 − 𝑥 2 𝑦 + 𝑥𝑦 2 − 𝑥𝑧 2 + 𝑦𝑧 2 − 𝑦 2 𝑧
𝑥 2 (𝑧 − 𝑦) + 𝑥(𝑦 2 − 𝑧 2 ) + 𝑦𝑧(𝑧 − 𝑦)
𝑥 2 (𝑧 − 𝑦) + 𝑥[(𝑦 − 𝑧)(𝑦 + 𝑧) + 𝑦𝑧(𝑧 − 𝑦)]
𝑥 2 (𝑧 − 𝑦) − 𝑥[(𝑧 − 𝑦)(𝑦 + 𝑧) + 𝑦𝑧(𝑧 − 𝑦)] {𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: (𝑦 − 𝑧) = −(𝑧 − 𝑦)}
(𝑧 − 𝑦)[𝑥 2 − 𝑥(𝑦 + 𝑧) + 𝑦𝑧]
(𝑧 − 𝑦)[𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑦 − 𝑥𝑧 + 𝑦𝑧]
(𝑧 − 𝑦)[𝑥(𝑥 − 𝑦) − 𝑧(𝑥 − 𝑦)]
(𝑧 − 𝑦)[(𝑥 − 𝑧)(𝑥 − 𝑦)]
(𝑧 − 𝑦)(𝑥 − 𝑧)(𝑥 − 𝑦)

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Example
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣)
If 𝑢 = 𝑥 2 , 𝑣 = 𝑦 2 , find 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)

Solution
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
= | 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣
|
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣
= 2𝑥 , 𝜕𝑦 = 0 , = 0 , 𝜕𝑦 = 2𝑦
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥

2𝑥 0
∴⟹| | = (2𝑥)(2𝑦) − 0 = 4𝑥𝑦
0 2𝑦

First property:
Example:
𝑢+𝑣 𝜕(𝑢,𝑣)
If 𝑥 = 𝑢𝑣 and 𝑦 = 𝑢−𝑣 , find 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)

Solution:
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦
Here it is easy to find 𝜕𝑢 and 𝜕𝑣 , 𝜕𝑢, 𝜕𝑣

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣
but to find 𝜕𝑥 , , , is comparatively not easy.
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

It is therefore ideal to use the first property of Jacobians.

i.e., we find
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)
𝑣 𝑢 2𝑢 2𝑣 4𝑢𝑣
= |𝜕𝑢
𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑣
𝜕𝑦
| =| −2𝑣 2𝑢 | = 𝑣 ((𝑢−𝑣)2 ) + 𝑢 ((𝑢−𝑣)2 ) = (𝑢−𝑣)2
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) (𝑢−𝑣)2 (𝑢−𝑣)2
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣

∴ since 𝒥. 𝒥 = 1
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) (𝑢−𝑣)2
⟹ 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) = 4𝑢𝑣

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Example
If 𝑢 = 𝑥𝑦𝑧 , 𝑣 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 , 𝑤 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧 , find
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧)
𝒥 = 𝜕(𝑢,𝑣,𝑤).

Solution
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣,𝑤)
First find 𝒥 = 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧)

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
𝑦𝑧 𝑥𝑧 𝑥𝑦
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣,𝑤) | 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 |
= = |2𝑥 2𝑦 2𝑧 |
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧) | 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 |
𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 1 1 1
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

= 𝑦𝑧(2𝑦 − 2𝑧) − 𝑥𝑧(2𝑥 − 2𝑧) + 𝑥𝑦(2𝑥 − 2𝑦)

= −2(𝑦 − 𝑧)(𝑧 − 𝑥)(𝑥 − 𝑦)
Property 2:
Example:
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣)
Find the value of the Jacobian 𝜕(𝑟,𝜃) where

𝑢 = 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 , 𝑣 = 2𝑥𝑦 and 𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃 , 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃

Solution
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣)
First, we find since 𝑢 and 𝑣 are functions of 𝑥 and 𝑦.
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 2𝑥 −2𝑦
= | 𝜕𝑣 | =| | = 4(𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 )
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) 𝜕𝑣 2𝑦 2𝑥
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝜃 cos 𝜃 −𝑟 sin 𝜃
Further, find 𝜕(𝑟,𝜃) = |𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦
| =| |=𝑟
sin 𝜃 𝑟 cos 𝜃
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝜃

𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)

∴ 𝜕(𝑟,𝜃) = 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) × 𝜕(𝑟,𝜃)

= 4(𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 ) ∙ 𝑟 but 𝑟 2 = 𝑥 2 +𝑦 2
= 4𝑟 2 ∙ 𝑟
= 4𝑟 3

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 JACOBIANS OF IMPLICIT FUNCTIONS
If the variables 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑢, 𝑣 are connected by an implicit function
𝑓1 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑢, 𝑣) = 0, 𝑓2 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑢, 𝑣) = 0
Where 𝑢, 𝑣 are implicit functions of 𝑥 , 𝑦 , then;
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝜕(𝑓1 ,𝑓2 ) 𝜕(𝑓1 ,𝑓2 )
=
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) 𝜕(𝑢,𝑣)

Example
If 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑢2 − 𝑣 2 = 0 and 𝑢𝑣 + 𝑥𝑦 = 0 , prove that
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝑥 2 −𝑦 2
= 𝑢2 +𝑣2
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)

Solution
𝑓1 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑢2 − 𝑣 2 , 𝑓2 = 𝑢𝑣 + 𝑥𝑦
𝜕(𝑓1 ,𝑓2 ) 2𝑢 −2𝑣
=| | = 2𝑢2 + 2𝑣 2
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 𝑣 𝑢

𝜕(𝑓1 ,𝑓2 ) 2𝑥 2𝑦
=| | = 2𝑥 2 − 2𝑦 2
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) 𝑦 𝑥
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 2𝑥 2 −2𝑦 2 𝑥 2 −𝑦 2
∴ 𝜕(𝑥,𝑦) = 2𝑢2 +2𝑣2 = 𝑢2 +𝑣2

Exercise
If 𝑢3 + 𝑣 3 = 𝑥 + 𝑦, 𝑢2 + 𝑣 2 = 𝑥 3 + 𝑦 3 , then prove that
𝜕(𝑢,𝑣) 1 𝑦 2 −𝑥 2
𝜕(𝑥,𝑦)
= 2 𝑢𝑣(𝑢−𝑣)

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