Chapter 5

Functions of several variables and Partial

Differentiation
Chapter Outline
 Functions of several variables.
 Partial derivatives.
 Total derivative.
 Chain rule.
Functions of several variables
 Example:
Evaluate f(3,2) and find the domain for function
f(x,y)=√(x+y+1)/(x-1).
Solution:
f(3,2)=√(3+2+1)/(3-1)=√(6)/2
The expression for f makes sense if the denominator is not 0
and the value under the square root is nonnegative.
So, the domain of f is
D={(x, y) l x+y+1≥0, x ≠1}
x+y+1 ≥ 0 describes the point that lie on or above the line
x+y+1=0, while the points on the line x=1 must be excluded
from the domain.
 Graphs:
Graphs are considered as a way of visualizing the behavior of a
function of 2 variables.
Definition: If f is a function of 2 variables with domain D, then
the graph of f is the set of all points (x, y, z) in R3 such that
z=f(x, y) & (x, y) is in z.
We know that the graph of a function of 1 variable is the curve C
with equation y=f(x).
So, the graph of a function of 2 variables is a surface S with
equation z=f(x,y).
The graph S of f lie directly above or below the domain D of f in
the xy-plane.
 Example:
Sketch the graph of the function f(x,y)=6-3x-2y.
Solution:
The graph of f has the equation z=6-3x-2y, so 3x+2y+z=6,
which represents a plane (Note: Graph of a linear function of
the form z=ax+by+c or ax+by-z+c=0 is a plane).
To graph the plane, first find intercepts.
For x-intercept, put y=z=0. x-intercept is x=2
For y-intercept, put x=z=0. y-intercept is y=3
For z-intercept, put x=y=0. z-intercept is z=6
So, the graph is given below
Level Curves:
Definition: The level curves of a function f of 2 variables are the
curves with equations f(x, y)=k, where k is a constant( in the
range of f).
The level curve f(x, y)=k is the set of all points in the domain of f
at which f takes on a given value k.
Level curve shows where the graph of f has height k.
Level curve lifted up to the graph of f is given below:
 Example:
Sketch the level curve of the function f(x, y)=6-3x-2y for the
values k=-6,0,6,12.
Solution: The level curves of function f are the curves with
equation 6-3x-2y=k, 3x+2y+(k-6)=0
This is a family of lines with slope -3/2.
The 4 particular level curves with k=-6, 0, 6, 12 are
3x+2y-12=0 3x+2y-6=0
3x+2y=0 3x+2y+6=0
 Partial Derivatives:
If f is a function of 2 variables x & y, suppose x vary while
keeping y fixed, say y=b, where b is constant.
The partial derivative of f with respect to x at (a, b) and denote it
by fx(a, b)=g’(a) where g(x)=f(x, b)--------------------- (1)
By the definition of a derivative, we have

So, equation 1 becomes,

Similarly, the partial derivative of f with respect to y at (a, b)

If f is function of 2 variables, its partial derivatives are the

functions fx & fy defined by
Notations for Partial Derivatives:
If z=f(x, y), we write partial derivative z with respect to x as
fx(x, y)= fx = ∂f/∂x = ∂f(x,y)/ ∂x = ∂z/ ∂x= f1= D1f = Dxf
Partial derivative of z with respect to y as
fy(x, y)= fy = ∂f/∂y = ∂f(x,y)/ ∂y = ∂z/ ∂y= f2= D2f = Dyf

Rule for finding partial derivatives of z=f(x, y):

1. To find fx, regard y as a constant & differentiate f(x, y) with
respect to x.
2. To find fy, regard x as a constant & differentiate f(x, y) with
respect to y.
Example: If f(x, y)=x3+x2y3-2y2, find fx(2,1) & fy(2,1).
Solution: Holding y constant & differentiating with respect to x,
we get fx(x, y)=3x2+2xy3, so fx(2, 1)=3(2)2+2(2)(1)3=16
Holding x constant & differentiating with respect to y we get
fy(x, y)=3x2y2+4y, so fy(2, 1)=3(2)2(1)2- 4(1)=8
 Interpretations of partial derivatives:
To give a geometric interpretation of partial derivatives, recall that the
equation z=f(x, y) represents a surface S.
If f(a, b)=c, then the point P(a,b,c) 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.
Likewise, the vertical plane x=a intersects S in a curve C2.
Both curves pass through the point P.

The partial derivatives fx(a, b) & fy(a, b) can be interpreted

geometrically as the slopes of the tangent lines at P(a,b,c) to the
traces of C1 & C2 of S in the planes y=b & x=a.

Partial derivatives can also be interpreted as rates of change.

If z=f(x, y), then ∂z/∂x represents the rate of change of z with respect
to x, when y is fixed.
Similarly, ∂z/∂y represents the rate of change of z with respect to y
when x is fixed.
 Example:
If f(x, y)=4-x2-2y2, find fx(1,1) & fy(1, 1) & interpret these
numbers as slopes.
Solution: We have fx(x, y)= -2x, so fx(1,1)= -2
fy(x, y)= -4y, so fy(1,1)= -4. The graph of f is the paraboloid.
By fixing y=1, we get C1 as z=2-x2.Similarly x=1, we get C2 as
z=3-2y2.
At (1, 1) we get z=1. So, point is (1,1,1).
The partial derivatives fx(x, y) & fx(x, y) can be interpreted
geometrically as the slopes of the tangent lines at P(1, 1, 1) to
the traces of C1 and C2 of S in the planes y=1 & x=1
 Example:
If f(x, y)= sin(x/(1+y)), calculate ∂f/∂x & ∂f/∂y.
Solution:
Using the chain rule for functions of one variable, we get
∂f/∂x = cos(x/(1+y)).(∂/∂x)(x/(1+y)) = cos(x/(1+y)).(1/(1+y))
∂f/∂y = cos(x/(1+y)).(∂/∂y)(x/(1+y)) = - cos(x/(1+y)).(x/(1+y)2)

Functions of more than 2 variables:

Partial derivatives can also be defined for functions of 3 or more
variables.

In general, if u is a function of n variables, u=f(x1, x2,…..xn), its

partial derivative with respect to ith variable xi is

& we also write

 Example:
Find fx, fy & fz if f(x, y, z)=exylnz.
Solution:
Holding y & z constants & differentiating with respect to x, we
have
fx=yexylnz.
Similarly, holding x & z constants & differentiating with respect
to y, we have
fy=xexylnz.
And holding x & y constants & differentiating with respect to z,
we have
fz=(exy)/z.
Total Derivative:
For a differentiable function of one variable, y=f(x), we can define the
differential dx, to be an independent variables; that is, dx can be
given the value of any real number
The differential of y is then defined as dy=f’(x)dx.
In the graph the ∆y represents change in
the height of the curve y=f(x)
& dy represents change in the height of
the tangent line when x changes by an
amount dx=∆x.
Differentiable function of 2 variables z=f(x,y) the differentials dx & dy
are defined to be independent variables.
The differential dz is called total differential & is denoted by
dz=fx(x, y)dx +fy(x, y)dy =(∂z/∂x)dx + (∂z/∂y)dy. …..(1)
If we take dx=∆x=x-a & dy=∆y=y-b in (1), then differential of z is
dz=fx(x, y)(x-a) +fy(x, y)(y-b)
So, in the notation of differentials, the linear approximation can be
written as f(x, y)≈ f(a, b)+dz.
Example:
a) If z=f(x, y)=x2+3xy-y2, find the differential dz.
b) If x changes from 2 to 2.05 & y changes from 3 to 2.96,
compare the values of ∆z & dz.
Solution:
a) dz=(∂z/∂x)dx +(∂z/∂y)dy = (2x+3y)dx+(3x-2y)dy

b) Putting x=2, dx=∆x = 0.05

y=3, dy=∆y = -0.04 we get
dz=(2(2)+3(3))0.05+(3(2)-2(3))(-0.04) = 13(0.05)=0.65.
The increment of z is
∆z=f(2.05, 2.96)-f(2, 3)
= [(2.05)2+3(2.05)(2.96)-(2.96)2]- [22+3(2)(3)-32]=0.6449.
Notice that ∆z≈ dz, but dz is easier to compute.
Functions of 3 or more variables:
The linear approximation for function of 3 or more variables is
f(x, y, z)≈ f(a,b,c)+ fx(a,b,c)(x-a) + fy(a,b,c)(y-b)+ fz(a,b,c)(z-c)
If w=f(x, y, z), then the increment of w is
∆w=f(x+∆x, y+∆y, z+∆z)-f(x, y, z)
The differential dw is defined in terms of the differentials dx, dy
& dz of the independent variables by
dw=(∂w/∂x)dx+ (∂w/∂y)dy+(∂w/∂z)dz.
Chain Rule:
If y=f(x) & x=g(t), where f & g are differentiable functions, then y
is indirectly a differentiable function of t &
(dy/dt)= (dy/dx).(dx/dt)
Case 1:
Suppose that z=f(x, y) is a differentiable function of x & y, where
x=g(t) & y=h(t) are both differentiable functions of t. Then z is
a differentiable function of t is
(dz/dt)= (∂f/∂x)(dx/dt)+(∂f/∂y)(dy/dt)
Example: If z=x2y+3xy4, where x=sin2t & y=cost, find dz/dt
when t=0.
Solution: The Chain Rule gives
(dz/dt)= (∂f/∂x)(dx/dt)+(∂f/∂y)(dy/dt)
= (2xy+3y4)(2cos2t)+(x2+12xy3)(-sint)
When t=0, we have x=sin0=0 & y=cos0=1.
(dz/dt)t=0= (0+3)(2cos0)+(0+0)(-sin0)= 3(2)+0=6
Chain Rule ( Case 2):
Suppose that z=f(x, y) is a differentiable function of x & y, where
x=g(s,t) & y=h(s,t) are both differentiable functions of s & t.
Then z is a differentiable function of s & t is
(∂z/∂s)=(∂z/∂x).(∂x/∂s)+(∂z/∂y).(∂y/∂s)
(∂z/∂t)= (∂z/∂x).(∂x/∂t)+(∂z/∂y).(∂y/∂t)

Example: If z=exsiny, where x=st2 & y=s2t, find (∂z/∂s) & (∂z/∂t).
Solution: The Case 2 of Chain Rule gives
(∂z/∂s)= (∂z/∂x).(∂x/∂s)+(∂z/∂y).(∂y/∂s)
= (exsiny)(t2) +(excosy)(2st)
2 2
= (est sin(s2t))(t2) +(est cos(s2t))(2st)
(∂z/∂t)= (∂z/∂x).(∂x/∂t)+(∂z/∂y).(∂y/∂t)
= (exsiny)(2st) +(excosy)(s2)
2 2
= (est sin(s2t))(2st) +(est cos(s2t))(s2).
Chain Rule(General Version):

Suppose that u is a differentiable function of n variables

x1,x2,…, xn & each xi is a differentiable function of the m
variables t1,t2, ….. ,tm &

(∂u/∂ti)=(∂u/∂x1).(∂x1/∂ti)+(∂u/∂x2).(∂x2/∂ti)+…+(∂u/∂xn).(∂xn/∂ti)
for each i=1, 2, ….m.

Example: Write out the chain rule for the case where w=f(x,y,z,t)
& x=x(u,v), y=y(u,v) & z=z(u,v) & t=t(u,v).
Solution:
n=4 & m=2
(∂w/∂u)= (∂w/∂x).(∂x/∂u)+(∂w/∂y).(∂y/∂u)+(∂w/∂z).(∂z/∂u)+(∂w/∂t).(∂t/∂u)
(∂w/∂v)= (∂w/∂x).(∂x/∂v)+(∂w/∂y).(∂y/∂v)+(∂w/∂z).(∂z/∂v)+(∂w/∂t).(∂t/∂v)
Example:
If u=x4y+y2z3, where x=rset, y=rs2e-t & z=r2ssint. Find the value
of ∂u/∂s when r=2, s=1, t=0.
Solution:
∂u/∂s= (∂u/∂x).(∂x/∂s)+(∂u/∂y).(∂y/∂s)+(∂u/∂z).(∂z/∂s)
= (4x3y)(ret)+(x4+2yz3)(2rse-t)+(3y2z2)(r2sint)
When r=2, s=1 & t=0,
we get x=2, y=2 & z=0.
So,
∂u/∂s= (4(23)(2))(2e0)+(24+0)(2(2)(1)e-0)+(0)(22sin0)
= (64)(2)+(16)(4)+0
= 192.