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Calculus Ii: Chapter 1: Functions of Several Variables
Calculus Ii: Chapter 1: Functions of Several Variables
LE THAI THANH
D “ tpx , y q : x ` y ` 1 ě 0, x ‰ 1u
D “ tpx , y q : 9 ´ x 2 ´ y 2 ě 0u “ tpx , y q : x 2 ` y 2 ď 9u
which is the disk with center p0, 0q and radius 3. The range
of g is
a
R “ tz : z “ 9 ´ x 2 ´ y 2 , @px , y q P Du
Since z is a positive square root, z ě 0. Also, because
9 ´ x2 ´ y2 ď 9
we have
a
9 ´ x2 ´ y2 ď 3
So the range is
R “ tz : 0 ď z ď 3u “ r0, 3s
GRAPHS
Definition 2: If f is a function of two variables with domain
D, then the graph of f is the set of all points px , y , zq in the
space R3 such that z “ f px , y q for all px , y q in D.
A level curve f px , y q “ k
is the set of all points in
the domain of f at which f
takes on a given value k. In
other words, it shows where
the graph of f has height k.
You can see from Figure the relation between level curves
and horizontal traces. The level curves f px , y q “ k are just
the traces of the graph of f in the horizontal plane z “ k
projected down to the xy -plane.
Example 5: Sketch some level curves of the function
f px , y q “ 4x 2 ` y 2 ` 1.
and so fy p2, 1q “ 3 ¨ 22 ¨ 12 ´ 4 ¨ 1 “ 8
INTERPRETATIONS OF
PARTIAL DERIVATIVES
To give a geometric interpretation of partial derivatives, we
recall that the equation z “ f px , y q represents a surface S
(the graph of f ). If f pa, bq “ c, then the point Ppa, b, cq lies
on S.
By fixing y “ b, we are restricting our attention to the curve
C1 in which the vertical plane y “ b intersects S. (In other
words, C1 is the trace of S in the plane y “ b.) Likewise, the
vertical plane x “ a intersects S in a curve C2 . Both of the
curves C1 and C2 pass through the point P. (See Figure.)
Notice that the curve C1 is the graph of the function gpx q “
f px , bq, so the slope of its tangent T1 at P is g 1 paq “ fx pa, bq.
The curve C2 is the graph of the function hpy q “ f pa, y q, so
the slope of its tangent T2 at P is h1 pbq “ fy pa, bq.
Thus the partial derivatives fx pa, bq and fy pa, bq can be in-
terpreted geometrically as the slopes of the tangent lines at
Ppa, b, cq to the traces C1 and C2 of S in the planes y “ b
and x “ a.
As we have seen in the case of the heat index function, par-
tial derivatives can also be interpreted as rates of change. If
Bz
z “ f px , y q, then represents the rate of change of z with
Bx
Bz
respect to x when y is fixed. Similarly, represents the
By
rate of change of z with respect to y when x is fixed.
HIGHER DERIVATIVES
Definition 5: If f is a function of two variables, then its
partial derivatives fx and fy are also functions of two variables,
so we can consider their partial derivatives pfx qx , pfx qy , pfy qx ,
and pfy qy , which are called the second partial derivatives of
f . If z “ f px , y q, we have:
B2f B2z
ˆ ˙
B Bf
pfx qx “ fxx “ “ 2 “
Bx Bx Bx Bx 2
B2f B2z
ˆ ˙
B Bf
pfx qy “ fxy “ “ “
By Bx By Bx By Bx
B2f B2z
ˆ ˙
B Bf
pfy qx “ fyx “ “ “
Bx By Bx By Bx By
B2f B2z
ˆ ˙
B Bf
pfy qy “ fyy “ “ 2 “
By By By By 2
Example 7: Find the second derivatives of f px , y q “ x 3 `
x 2 y 3 ´ 2y 2 .
Solution : We have
fx px , y q “ 3x 2 ` 2xy 3 , fy px , y q “ 3x 2 y 2 ´ 4y
Therefore,
z ´ 3 “ 4px ´ 1q ` 2py ´ 1q ô z “ 4x ` 2y ´ 3
LINEAR APPROXIMATIONS
In the above Example we found that an equation of the tan-
gent plane to the graph of the function f px , y q “ 2x 2 ` y 2
at the point p1, 1, 3q is z “ 4x ` 2y ´ 3. Therefore, the linear
function of two variables
Lpx , y q “ 4x ` 2y ´ 3
is a good approximation to f px , y q when px , y q is near p1, 1q.
The function L is called the linearization of f at p1, 1q and
the approximation
f px , y q « 4x ` 2y ´ 3
is called the linear approximation or tangent plane approxi-
mation of f at p1, 1q. For instance, at the point p1.1, 0.95q
the linear approximation gives
f p1.1, 0.95q « 4 ¨ 1.1 ` 2 ¨ 0.95 ´ 3 “ 3.3
which is quite close to the true value of
f p1.1, 0, 95q “ 2 ¨ 1.12 ` 0.952 “ 3.3225
...