Compute partial derivatives with Chain Rule

Formulae: These are the most frequently used ones: 1. If w = f (x, y ) and x = x(t) and y = y (t) such that f, x, y are all dierentiable. Then w dx w dy dw = + . dt x dt y dt f, x1 , , xm are all dierentiable. Then w w x1 w xm = + + . ti x1 ti xm ti (2) (1)

2. If w = f (x1 , x2 , , xm ) and for each i, (1 i n), xi = xi (t1 , t2 , , tn ) such that

Example (1) : Given w = ln(u + v + z ), with u = cos2 t, v = sin2 t and z = t2 , nd dw/dt both by using the chain rule and by expressing w explicitly as a function of t before dierentiating. Solution: First we apply Chain Rule (1): w du w dv w dz 1 2t dw = + + = (2 cos t sin t + 2 sin t cos t + 2t) = . dt u dt v dt z dt u+v+z u+v+z Next, we express w as a function of t by substituting u, v and z into w to get w = ln(cos2 t + sin2 t + t2 ) = ln(1 + t2 ). Therefore, dw/dt = 2t/(1 + t2 ). Example (2) : Given w = yz + zx + xy , x = s2 t2 , y = s2 + t2 and z = s2 t2 , nd and
w t . w s

Solution: This is a partial derivative problem and so we apply Chain Rule (2). w s w t = = w x w y w z + + = (z + y )(2s) + (z + x)2s + (x + y )2st2 x s y s z s w x w y w z + + = (z + y )(2t) + (z + x)2t + (x + y )2s2 t x t y t z t

Example (3) : Given p = f (x, y, z ), x = x(u, v ), y = y (u, v ) and z = z (u, v ), write the chain rule formulas giving the partial derivatives of the dependent variable p with respect to each independent variable. Solution: This is a partial derivative problem and so we apply Chain Rule (2). p u p v = = f x f y f z + + x u y u z u f x f y f z + + x v y v z v

Example (4) : Given x3 + y 3 + z 3 = xyz , nd

z x

and

z y

as functions of x, y and z .

Solution: As z is an implicit function of x and y , implicit dierentiation must be used. Just view z = z (x, y ) everywhere z occurs when we dierentiate both sides of the equation. (Step 1) View z = z (x, y ) and dierentiate both sides of the equation with respect to x to get z z = yz + xy . x x in the resulting equation above. 3x2 + 3z 2 zx = Do the same for y . (Step 1) View z = z (x, y ) and dierentiate both sides of the equation with respect to y to get 3y 2 + 3z 2 (Step 2) Solve for
z y

(Step 2) Solve for

z x

z yz 3x2 = 2 . x 3z xy

z z = xz + xy . y y

in the resulting equation above. zy = xz 3y 2 z = 2 . y 3z xy

Example (5) : Given x3 + y 3 + z 3 = xyz as the equation of a surface, nd an equation of the plane tangent to this surface at the point P (1, 1, 1). Solution 1: View z = z (x, y ), and so the vector n = (zx , zy , 1) at P will be a normal vector of the tangent plane. From Example (4) above, we have, at P (1, 1, 1), zx = zy = yz 3x2 3z 2 xy xz 3z 2 xy 3y 2 =
(x,y,z )=(1,1,1)

(1)(1) 3 2 1 = = , 2 3(1) 1(1) 4 2 1(1) 3 4 = = 1. 2 3(1) 1(1) 4

=
(x,y,z )=(1,1,1)

Hence the equation of the tangent plane is 1 (x 1) (y + 1) (z + 1) = 0, or (x 1) + 2(y + 1) + 2(z + 1) = 0. 2 Solution 2: One can also set F (x, y, z ) = x3 + y 3 + z 3 xyz and view the equation of the surface is F (x, y, z ) = 0. In this case, the vector u = (Fx , Fy , Fz ) at P (1, 1, 1) can be a normal vector of the tangent plane. We compute the partial derivatives: Fx = F F F = 3x2 yz, Fy = = 3y 2 xz, Fz = = 3z 2 xy. x y z

Therefore, u = (2, 4, 4) and so an equation of the tangent plane is 2(x 1) + 4(y + 1) + 4(z + 1) = 0, or (x 1) + 2(y + 1) + 2(z + 1) = 0. Example (6) : Suppose that w = f (u) and that u = x + y . Show that Solution: Notice that
u x w x

w y .

=1=

u y .

By Chain Rule (2),

w u w u w w = = = . x u x u y y Example (7) : Suppose that w = f (x, y ) and that x = r cos and y = r sin . Show that 2w 2w 2 w 1 w 1 2w + = + + 2 2. 2 2 2 x y r r r r

Solution: Apply Chain Rule (2) to compute the rst order of partial derivatives w r w = = w x w y + = wx cos + wy sin x r y r w x w y + = wx r sin + wy r cos . x y

Then, we apply Chain Rule (2) again to compute the second order of partial derivatives (making use of wxy = wyx ), 2w r2 = wxx cos2 + wxy cos sin + wyx sin cos + wyy sin2 = wxx cos2 + (wxy + wyx ) cos sin + wyy sin2 , and 2w 2 = wxx r2 sin2 wxy r2 sin cos wx r cos + wyy r2 cos2 + wyx r2 cos ( sin ) wy r sin = wxx r2 sin2 + wyy r2 cos2 (wxy + wyx )r2 sin cos wx r cos wy r sin . It follows that 1 2w r2 2 1 w r r conclusion. = wxx sin2 + wyy cos2 (wxy + wyx ) sin cos = wx cos + wy sin . r wx cos + wy sin r (4) (5) (3)

Now add equations (3), (4) and (5) side by side and apply sin2 + cos2 = 1 to get the