1.

Determine the limit of the function f (x, y) = 2x4 y 2 7xy + 4x2 y 3 5 at the point cos(x2 + y 2 )
4. Find the limit of as (x, y) approaches to (0, 0).
(a, b). 1 x2 y 2
Solution. The function f is a polynomial,( so it follows from the )laws cos(x2 + y 2 )
Solution. The limit is equal to 1. Denote the function f (x, y) = .
of limits that lim f (x, y) = lim 2x4 y 2 7xy + 4x2 y 3 5 = 1 x2 y 2
( 4 2)(x,y)(a,b) (x,y)(a,b)
( 2 3) Note that the domain of f is the entire xy-plane except the unit circle C =
lim 2x y 7 lim ( 7xy ) + lim 4x y lim (5)= { (x, y) | x2 + y 2 = 1 }, i.e. Dom(f ) = R2 \ C. This is because the denominator
(x,y)(a,b) (x,y)(a,b) (x,y)(a,b) (x,y)(a,b)
2a b 7ab + 4a2 b3 5 = f (a, b).
4 2 1 x2 y 2 vanishes only at those points in C, and the numerator cos(x2 + y 2 ) has
a domain R2 . Note that (0, 0) is an accumulation point of Dom(f ), so the limit
lim f (x, y) makes sense no matters it exists or not. ( In fact, we always skip
sin(x2 + y 2 ) (x,y)(0,0)
2. Prove that the limit lim = 1. the discussion if the given point is an accumulation point of the domain, assume
(x,y)(0,0) x2 + y 2
2
+y 2 )
that it is always the case.)
Solution. Let g(x, y) = sin(x x2 +y 2 , with domain R \ {(0, 0)}.
2

1t on R \ {1}, one can check that h

To make the discussion easier, define h(t) = cos t
sin t
It follows from the given identity that lim = 1, that for is a continuous function of 1 variable. Define g(x, y) = x2 +y 2 on R2 , and we have

t0 t 
 sin t  lim g(x, y) = g(0, 0) = 0. Then one can check that f (x, y) = hg(x, y), and it
any > 0 there exists > 0 such that  1 < for (x,y)(0,0)
t follows from the limit of composite function that lim f (x, y) = lim h

all
t ( , ) \ {0}. ( ) (x,y)(0,0) (x,y)(0,0)

Then choose > 0, then for all (x, y) B( (0, 0), ) \ {(0, 0)}, cos 0
= g(x, y) = h lim g(x, y) = h(g(0, 0)) = h(0) = = 1.
i.e. 0 < x + y < , so 0 < x2 + y 2 < ()2 = . So it follows from that
2 2 (x,y)(0,0) 10
 sin(x2 + y 2 )  sin(x2 + y 2 )
|g(x, y)0| =  1  < . Hence, we have
 lim = 1. sin(xy)
x2 + y 2 (x,y)(0,0) x2 + y 2 5. Find the limit of as (x, y) approaches to (0, 0).
xy
Solution. Let g(x, y) = sin(xy)
xy on the domain Dom(f ) = R2 except the x and
3. Let f (x, y) = exp(x2 y 2 ). (i) Determine the domain and the range of f ; (ii) sin t
Sketch the graph of the function f (x, y); (iii) Determine lim f (x, y). y-axes. For any > 0, it follows from the fact lim = 1 that there exists > 0
t0 t
(x,y)(0,0)
sin t
Solution. (i) For any (x, y) R2 , x2 y 2 is a well-defined such that | 1| < for all t ( , ) \ {0}. Then let = 2 > 0,
t
real number. As the exponential function exp has a domain so for all (x, y) Dom(f ) B((0, 0), ) \ {(0, 0)}, we have 0 < |xy| x +y
2 2

R, and so we can evaluate the expression exp(x2 y 2 ), so  sin(xy) 
2

and then by and that |g(x, y) 1| =  1 < . Hence,

2

the domain of f is the entire xy-plane, R2 . 2 = xy
We now prove that the range of f is the interval (0, 1]. First observe that for any sin |xy|
(x, y) R2 , we have x, y R, so x2 + y 2 0 + 0 = 0, i.e. x2 y 2 0; and lim = 1.
(x,y)(0,0) |xy|
the equality holds if and only if (x, y) = (0, 0). As the exponential function exp Remark. The reason why we only consider the point (x, y) Dom(f ) is that we
is increasing on R, so exp(x2 y 2 ) exp(0) = 1, and the equality holds if and need to evaluate sinxyxy .
only if (x, y) = (0, 0). Next we prove that for any real number t in the interval
(0,1], then log t R, and
satisfies log t log 1 = 0. Hence log t 0, and then r 2 s2
6. (a) Find the first order partial derivatives of f (r, s) = r 2 +s2 .
f ( log t, 0) = exp(( log t)2 02 ) = exp(( log t)) = exp(log t) = t. xy
(ii) The graph of f is shown on the left. (b) Verify that zxy = zyx , where(z = xye) .
f r 2 s2 (r 2 s2 )r (r 2 +s2 )(r 2 s2 )(r 2 +s2 )r
(iii) Define scalar function g(x, y) = x2 y 2 , then by the laws of limit, Solution. (a) =
r 2 +s2 = (r 2 +s2 )2 =
lim g(x, y) = g(0, 0) = 02 02 = 0. As the exponential function exp
r r
( )
2r(r 2 +s2 )(r 2 s2 )2r 4rs2 f r 2 s2
(x,y)(0,0) (r 2 +s2 )2 = (r 2 +s2 )2 , and s = s r 2 +s2 =
is a continuous function on R, it follows from the limit (of composite function
) (r 2 s2 )s (r 2 +s2 )(r 2 s2 )(r 2 +s2 )s 2 2 2
s2 )2s
= (r4r
2

(r 2 +s2 )2 = (r +s )(2s)(r
(r 2 +s2 )2
s
2 +s2 )2 .
that lim f (x, y) = lim exp g(x, y) = exp lim g(x, y) = (b) Let z(x, y) = xyexy , then zx = x
(xyexy ) = (xy)x exy + xy(exy )x =
(x,y)(0,0) (x,y)(0,0) (x,y)(0,0)
xy xy 2 xy
( )
exp(g(0, 0)) = exp(0) = 1. ye + xy (ye ) = (y xy )e , and zxy = y
(zx ) = y
(y xy 2 )exy =
   r2
(y xy 2 )y exy + (y xy 2 ) (exy )y = (1 2xy)exy + (y xy 2 )exy (x) = that |f (r cos , r sin )| =  8(1+rr sin 
2

cos2 ) 2 = 4 .
sin 4 1

(1 3xy + x2 y 2 )exy . Similarly, we have zy = (x x2 y)exy , and On the circular disc D = { (x, y) | x2 + y 2 16 }, one can find
zxy = (1 xy)exy + (x x2 y)(x)exy = (1 3xy + x2 y 2 )exy . some point Q(x, y) = Q(r cos , r sin ) such that the denominator
x2 + y 2 + xy 2 = r2 + r3 cos2 = r2 (1 + r sin cos2 ) can be very close to
7. Recall that if y = tan1 (x), then dx
dy
= 1+x1
2.
0. For example = 5 8 then x + y + xy r (1 2 2 ) with r 4, while the
2 2 2 2 r

1
Solution. It follows from y = tan (x), that tan y = x, one differentiates with 4 4
respect to x (i.e. implicit differentiate), then sec2 y dx
dy dy
= 1, i.e. dx = sec12 y = numerator r sin8
4
= r8 .
1 1 (c) For any (x, y) = (r cos , r sin ) B( (0, 0), 1/2) with r 1/2,
1+tan2 y = 1+x2 . then we have |1 + r sin cos2 | 1 r 1 21 = 12 , and so
 
8. Find the equation of the tangent plane to the graph z = 4 tan1 (xy) at the point |f (x, y) 0| =  8(1+r r 2 sin 4
sin cos2 )
 r2
4 = 41 (x2 + y 2 ). It follows from the
P (1, 1, 1). ( 1 ) laws of limit, and sandwich theorem of limit that lim |f (x, y)| = 0, so
Solution. zx = 4 x
tan (xy) = 4 1+(xy)1
2 (xy)x = (1+(xy)2 ) . Similarly,
4y (x,y)(0,0)
( ) lim f (x, y) = 0.
zy = 4 y
tan1 (xy) = (1+(xy)
4x 4 2 2
2 ) . Then zx (1, 1) = 2 = , and zy (1, 1) = . (x,y)(0,0)

(2nd method) For any > 0, choose = min{ 21 , 2 }, then for any point
Then the equation of the tangent plane to the graph of z = 4 tan1 (xy) at the
(x, y) = (r cos , r sin ) with r and [0, 2], we have |1 + r sin
cos2 |
point P (1, 1, 1) is given by zx (1, 1)(x 1) + zy (1, 1)(y 1) = z 1 i.e. 2 (x   r2
1 1  r 2 sin 4  2 (2 )2
1 r 1 2 = 2 , and so |f (x, y) 0| = 8(1+r sin cos2 ) 4 < 4 4 = .
1) + 2 (y 1) = z 1. This equation is given by 2x + 2y 4 = z , i.e.
2x + 2y z = 4 . Then lim f (x, y) = 0.
(x,y)(0,0)

xy(x y )
2 2 (d) For any point (a, b) of the domain of f, the denominator x2 +y 2 +xy 2 does not
9. Define a function f (x, y) = for any (x, y) = (0, 0), and f (0, 0) = 0. vanish, so it follows from the quotient law of limit that lim f (x, y) = f (a, b),
x2 + y 2 + xy 2 (x,y)(a,b)

a. Find out the domain and the range of f (x, y). and hence f is continuous on its domain.
b. Prove that the function f (x, y) is bounded on circular disc D = { (x, y) | x2 +
y 2 1/2 }, but f (x, y) is not bounded on circular disc D = { (x, y) | x2 +y 2
16 }.
c. Prove that the limit of the function f (x, y) at (0, 0) exists.
d. Prove that the function f (x, y) is continuous on its domain.
Solution. (a) The domain of f is { (x, y) | x2 + y 2 + xy 2 = 0 }. The range of f is
R. For any real number R, consider the equation = f (1, t) with unknown t,
2
tt3
i.e. t(1t )
1+2t2 = 1+2t2 = . Rewrite it as a cubic equation t t + (1 + 2t ) = 0 in
3 2

t, it follows from the intermediate value theorem that this cubic equation has a
real root t0 , i.e. f (1, t0 ) = for some real t0 . Hence, we see that the range of f is R.

(b) On the closed circular disc D = { (x, y) | x2 + y 2 16 } of radius 4, let

4
sin (cos2 sin2 )
(x, y) = (r cos , r sin ), then f (r cos , r sin ) = r cosr2+r 3 sin cos2 =
r 2 sin 4
8(1+r sin cos2 ) . It follows the denominator 8(1 + r sin cos2 ) 8(1 1
sqrt2 ) >2