Topic 11

Multivariable Calculus
Topic Objectives
1. To compute partial derivatives.
2. To develop the notions of partial marginal cost and marginal
productivity
3. To find partial derivatives of a function defined implicitly.
4. To compute higher-order partial derivatives.
5. To find the partial derivatives of a function by using the chain rule.
6. To apply the second-derivative test for a function of two variables.
7. To find critical points for a function.
Topic Outline
1. Partial Derivatives
2. Applications of Partial Derivatives
3. Implicit Partial Differentiation
4. Higher-Order Partial Derivatives
5. Chain Rule
6. Maxima and Minima for Functions of Two Variables
7. Lagrange Multipliers
 11.1 Partial Derivatives
Recall Topic 9 – Derivative:
Given that we have a function of one variable,
for e.g.: y = f(x), then the derivative of y is dy/dx or f’(x)

Now, given that we have a function of two or more variables,

for e.g.: z = f(x,y), then we can find:
i) the partial derivative of z with respect to x,
ii) the partial derivative of z with respect to y,
Partial Derivatives
Partial derivative of z with respect to x, is obtained by treating the variable y as a
constant and taking the derivative of z = f(x,y) with respect to x.
• Notations used:

Partial derivative of z with respect to y, is obtained by treating the variable x as a

constant and taking the derivative of z = f(x,y) with respect to y.
• Notations used:
Example 1

If f(x, y) = xy2 + x2y, find fx(x, y) and fy(x, y). Also, find fx(3, 4) and fy(3, 4).

Solution: The partial derivatives are

fx x, y   1y 2  2 x y  y 2  2 xy

fy x, y   x 2y   x 2 1  2 xy  x 2

Thus, the solutions are
f x 3, 4   40
f y 3, 4   33
Example 2

If f x, y , z   x  y z  z , find fx x, y , z , fy x, y , z  and fz x, y , z .

2 2 3

Solution:
By partial differentiating, we get

f x x , y , z   2 x

fy x, y , z   2yz

fz x, y , z   y 2  3z 2
Example 3
rsu p p p
If p  g r , s, t , u   ,
2 find , and .
rt  s t
2
s t t 0,1,1,1

Solution:
By partial differentiating, we get

  
p rt 2  s 2t ru   rsu 2st  ru rt  s 2
 

s 
rt  s t
2 2 2
 
t rt  s 22

p p rsu 2rt  s 2 
 rsu rt  s t  2rt  s  
2 2 2 2

t t rt 2  s 2t 2
p
0
t 0,1,1,1
 11.2 Applications of Partial Derivatives
Example 4

A company manufactures two types of skis, the Lightning and the Alpine models.
Suppose the joint-cost function for producing x pairs of the Lightning model and y
pairs of the Alpine model per week is

c  f x, y   0.07 x 2  75 x  85 y  6000

where c is expressed in dollars. Determine the marginal costs ∂c/∂x and ∂c/∂y
when x = 100 and y = 50, and interpret the results.
 c  f x, y   0.07 x 2  75 x  85 y  6000
Solution: The marginal costs are
c c
 0.14 x  75 and  85
x y
Thus,
c c
 0.14100   75  $89 and  $85
x 100,50  y 100, 50 

2 Interpretations:
Increasing the output of the Lightning model from 100 to 101 while maintaining production of
Alpine model at 50 increases costs by approximately $89.

Increasing the output of the Alpine model from 50 to 51 while maintaining production of
Lightning model at 100 increases costs by approximately $85.
In fact, the marginal cost with respect to Alpine model is $85 at all levels of production.
Example 5

A manufacturer of a popular toy has determined that the production function is P =

√(lk), where l is the number of labor-hours per week and k is the capital (expressed
in hundreds of dollars per week) required for a weekly production of P gross of the
toy. (One gross is 144 units.) Determine the marginal productivity functions, and
evaluate them when l = 400 and k = 16. Interpret the results.
 P  lk ,
1/ 2
Solution: Since

Thus, P 1 k P l
 lk  k 
1 / 2
and 
l 2 2 lk k 2 lk

P 1 P 5
 and 
l l  400 ,k 16 10 k l  400 ,k 16 2

Interpretation:
If l = 400 and k = 16, increasing l to 401 and holding k at 16
will increase output by approx. 1/10 gross.
But if k is increased to 17 while l is held at 400, the output increases by approx.
5/2 gross.
 11.3 Implicit Partial Differentiation
We will look into how to find partial derivatives of a function defined implicitly.
Example 6

xz 2 z
If  y 2 ,0evaluate when x = −1, y = 2, and z = 2.
xy x

Solution: Using partial differentiation, we get

  xz 2   2
Z = f(x,y)
  
x  x  y  x
 
y 

x
0 
z
2 xzx  y   z 2 x  y   xz 2  0
x
z yz
 z0
x 2 x x  y 
z
2
x 1,2,2 
11.4 Higher-Order Partial Derivatives
Second Partial Derivatives
 Higher-Order Partial Derivatives
Example 7
Find the four second-order partial derivatives of f x, y   x 2 y  x 2 y 2 .

Solution:
f x x, y   2 xy  2 xy 2
f xx x, y   2 y  2 y 2 and f xy x, y   2 x  4 xy

f y x , y   x 2  2 x 2 y
f yy x, y   2 x 2 and f yx x, y   2 x  4 xy
Example 8

 2z
Determine if2 z 2  xy .
x

Solution: By implicit differentiation,

 2  z z
x
 
z  xy   2 z
x x
 y 
y
x 2 z
z0

Differentiating both sides with respect to x, we obtain

  z    1 1   2z 1 2 z
    yz     yz
x  x  x  2  x 2
2 x
Substituting z y,

x 2z
 2z 1 2  y  y2
  yz     3 z0
x 2
2  2z  4z
 11.5 Chain Rule
Let z = f(x,y), where both x and y are functions of r and s given by x = x(r,s) and
y = y(r,s). If f, x, and y have continuous partial derivatives, then z is a function of r
and s, and

z z x z y
 
r x r y r
z z x z y
and  
s x s y s
Example 9

For a manufacturer of cameras and film, the total cost c of producing qC cameras and
qF units of film is given by
c  30qC  0.015qC qF  q F  900
The demand functions for the cameras and film are given by

9000
qC  and qF  2000  pC  400 pF
pC pF
where pC is the price per camera and pF is the price per unit of film. Find the rate of
change of total cost with respect to the price of the camera when pC = 50 and pF = 2.
Solution: By the chain rule,
c c qC c qF   9000 
   30  0.015qF  2   0.015qC  1 1
pC qC pC qF pC  pC pF 
Thus, c
 123.2
pC pC 50, pF  2

Example 10
a. Determine ∂y/∂r if  
y  x 2 ln x 4  6 and x  r  3s  .
6

Solution: By the chain rule,

y dy x 5  2x 
 ln x  6 
4
  12 xr  3s   4 4

r dx r x 6 
b. Given that z = exy, x = r − 4s, and y = r − s, find ∂z/∂r in terms of r and s.
Solution: By the chain rule,
z z x z y
 
r x r y r


Since x = r − 4s and y = r − s,

z

r xr 4 x
y r s


b. Given that z = exy, x = r − 4s, and y = r − s, find ∂z/∂r in terms of r and s.
Solution: By the chain rule,
z z x z y
 
r x r y r
 ( ye xy )(1)  ( xe xy )(1)
 x  y e xy
Since x = r − 4s and y = r − s,

z
 r  4s   r  s e ( r  4 s )( r  s )
r xr 4 x
y r s

 2r  5s e r 2  5 rs  4 s 2
 11.6 Maxima and Minima for
Functions of Two Variables
• Relative maximum at the point (a, b) is shown as

• Relative minimum at the point (a, b) is shown as

Rule 1

If z = f(x,y) has a relative maximum or minimum at (a,b), and if both fx and fy are
defined, then (a,b) be a solution of the system
Rule 2 Second-Derivative Test for Functions of Two Variables
Let D be the function defined by
Dx, y   f xx x, y  f yy x, y    f xy x, y 
2

1. If D(a, b) > 0 and fxx(a, b) < 0, relative maximum at (a, b);

2. If D(a, b) > 0 and fxx(a, b) > 0, relative minimum at (a, b);

3. If D(a, b) < 0, then f has a saddle point at (a, b);
4. If D(a, b) = 0, no conclusion.
We can test for relative maxima and minima by using this procedure.
Figure 14.9
Example 11
Find the critical points of the following functions.
a. f x, y   2 x 2  y 2  2 xy  5 x  3 y  1

Solution:
Since f x x, y   4 x  2 y  5  0 and f y x, y   2 y  2 x  3  0,

 x  1
we solve the system and get 
y2
1

Critical point: (-1, ½)

Example 11
b. f l , k   l 3  k 3  lk

Solution:
Since f l l , k   3l 2  k  0 and f k l , k   3k 2  l  0,
l  0  l  13
we solve the system and get andk  0  .
k  3
1

Critical points: (0, 0) and (1/3, 1/3)

Example 11

c. f x, y, z   2 x 2  xy  y 2  100  z x  y  100

Solution:
Since f x x , y , z   4 x  y  z  0
f y x , y , z   x  2 y  z  0
f z x, y, z    x  y  100  0

 x  25
we solve the system and get 
 y  75
 z  175

Example 12

Examine f(x,y) = x3 + y3 − xy for relative maxima or minima by using the second

derivative test.
Solution: We find critical points,
f x x, y   3 x 2  y  0 and f y x, y   3 y 2  x  0
which gives (0, 0) and (1/3, 1/3).
Now,
f xx x, y   6 x f yy x, y   6 y f xy x, y   1

Thus, Dx, y   6 x 6 y    12  36 xy  1

D(0, 0) < 0  no relative extremum at (0, 0).
D(1/3,1/3)>0 and fxx(1/3,1/3)>0 relative minimum at (1/3,1/3)
Value of the function is f ,
1 1
3 3
        31 31    271
1 3
3
1 3
3
Example 13 (Past Year Questions Sem. 1 2015/2016)
A dairy produces two types of cheese, A and B, at constant average costs of 50 cents
and 60 cents per pound, respectively. When the selling price per pound of A is pA cents
and of B is pB cents, the demands (in pounds) for A and B, respectively, are

and

i) Find the selling prices that yield a relative maximum profit.

ii) What are the quantities of A and B that correspond to these prices?
iii) What is the total profit?
 11.7 Lagrange Multipliers
Lagrange multipliers allow us to obtain critical points.
The number λ is called a Lagrange multiplier.

Example 14
Find the critical points for z = f(x,y) = 3x − y + 6, subject to the constraint x2 + y2 = 4.
Solution: Constraint
Construct the function g x, y   x 2  y 2  4  0

Setting F x, y,  ,  f  x , y    g  x , y
we solve the equations to be  3 x  y  6   x 2
 y 2
 4
Fx  Fy  F  0
3 1 10
x ,y   and λ  
 3  2 xλ  0 2λ 2λ 4

  1  2yλ  0 3 10 10   3 10 10 
 x 2  y 2  4  0  ,  and   , 
  5 5  5 5 
 
Example 15

Suppose a firm has an order for 200 units of its product and wishes to distribute its
manufacture between two of its plants, plant 1 and plant 2. Let q 1 and q2 denote the
outputs of plants 1 and 2, respectively, and suppose the total-cost function is given
by
c  f q1 , q2   2q12  q1q2  q22  200
How should the output be distributed in order to minimize costs?
 c  f q1 , q2   2q12  q1q2  q22  200.

Solution: We minimize c = f(q1, q2), given the constraint q1 + q2 = 200.

F q1 , q2 ,    2q12  q1q2  q22  200   q1  q2  200

 F
 q  4q1  q2    0
 1
 F
  q1  2q2    0
 q2
 F  q  q  200  0
  1 2

Solve the partial derivatives to get q1  50, q2  150

.
Example 16

Find critical points for f(x, y, z) = xy+ yz, subject to the constraints x2 + y2 = 8
and yz = 8.
Solution:
 
Set F x, y, z , 1 , 2   xy  yz  1 x 2  y 2  8  2  yz  8

 Fx  y  2 x1  0  y
F  2 x  1
 y  x  z  2 y1  z2  0  x  z  2 y  z  0

  1
1 2

 Fz  y  y2  0  2
F  x2  y2  8  0 x2  y 2  8
 1 
 F2   yz  8  0 z  8

 y
We obtain 4 critical points:
(2, 2, 4) (2,−2,−4) (−2, 2, 4) (−2,−2,−4)