4.

4 Directional Derivatives and

the Gradient
4.4.1 Directional Derivatives
We have learned how to determine partial
derivatives. Think what this means:
fx is calculated in the x direction
fy is calculated in the y direction
So without really thinking about it, we
have computed derivatives with a
dependence on direction.Suppose we
want to compute derivatives in directions
other than in the directions of the x and y
axes.
How might we do it? (Think definition of
derivative.)
The definition tells us to calculate the
change in the function in the direction of
interest divided by distance between the
2 points of interest.
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fx gives the rate of change of the function f
along the x-axis.
fy gives the rate of change of the function f
along the y-axis.
WANT: to find the rate of change of the
function in an arbitrary direction in the xy-
plane.
Pick a unit vector u u1, u2
Let z 0 f (x 0 , y0 ), so the point
(x 0 , y0 , z 0 ) lies on the graph of f.
Take the vertical plane in the direction
of u which passes through the point
(x 0 , y0 , z 0 ). The intersection of this
plane with the graph of f gives us a
curve.
The slope of this curve at (x 0 , y0 ) is
the rate of change of f in the direction
of u .

2
Now all we need is a formula to give us
this slope.

Let (x, y, z) represent another point on the

curve of intersection and look at the
projections of (x, y, z) and (x 0 , y0 , z 0 ) in the
xy-plane. These would be the points (x, y, 0)
and (x 0 , y0 , 0).

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The vector from (x 0 , y0 , 0) to (x, y, 0) is
parallel to u , so there is a real number h such
that
x x0 , y y0 = hu hu1, hu2
Thus, x x0 hu1 and y y0 hu2 .
If we continue to choose points on the
curve of intersection that are closer and
closer to the point (x 0 , y0 , z 0 ), then we
find that h 0.

Definition 4.8
The directional derivative of a function f
at (x 0, y0 ) in the direction of a unit vector
u u1i u2 j is
f (x 0 hu1, y 0 hu2 ) f (x 0, y 0 )
Du f (x 0, y 0 ) lim
h 0 h
provided the limit exists.

4
This is the rate of change of f in the
direction of u at the point (x 0, y0 ).
What does this become if u i?
What does this become if u j?
Notice that fx and fy are special cases of the
directional derivative, where the direction
unit vector is 1, 0 and <0,1>
respectively.

Note
If the surface is thought of as a mountain,
then the directional derivative gives the
rate of climbing per unit horizontal
distance as the climber proceeds in the
(horizontal) direction vector.
Limit difficult to compute in practice

5
The following theorem helps in the
computation of directional derivatives.
Theorem 4.4
If f is differentiable, then f has a
directional derivative in the direction of
any unit vector u u1i u2 j and
Du f (x, y ) fx (x, y )u1 fy (x, y )u2
= fx (x , y ), fy (x , y ) u1 , u2

The first vector in the dot product version

of the theorem has a special name: its
called the gradient vector of f.

Example 4.15
Find the directional derivative of
f (x , y ) 3 2x 2 y 3 at the point
P (1, 2) in the direction of the unit vector
1 3
i j.
2 2
6
Solution
Partial derivatives:
fx (x , y ) 4 x , fy (x , y ) 3y 2

unit vector:
1 3
u1 , u2
2 2
Du f (x, y ) fx (x, y )u1 fy (x, y )u2

So,

1 3
Du f (1, 2) fx (1, 2) fy (1, 2)
2 2
1 2 3
4(1) 3(2)
2 2
2 6 3 12.4

7
Example 4.15a
Let f (x, y ) x 2 y 2 . Find Du f (1, 2) in
the direction of v 3, 4 .

8
Note
Notice that the directional derivative is a
number. The number can be interpreted as
the slope of a tangent line to
z f (x , y )
a rate of change of the function
z f ( x , y ).

4.4.2 The Gradient

Definition 4.9
Let f be a differentiable function at (x, y).
Then, the gradient of f, denoted by grad f
or f , is a vector given by
f (x, y ) fx (x, y )i fy (x, y )j

f is called the gradient of the scalar

field f.
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Notation: differential operator grad or
(called nabla) or del operator:

In 2-space, i j
x y
f f
f i j f i j
x y x y

In component notation:

, and f fx , fy
x y

Similarly in 3-space:

i j k , ,
x y z x y z
and
f f f
f i j k fx , fy , fz
x y z

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Remark
Note that f is not the product of and
f . The symbol does not have a value by
itself.
It is an operator that acts on a scalar
function f to produce the gradient
vector f .

Example 4.16
xy
Find f for f (x , y ) sin x e

Solution
fx (x , y ) (sin x e xy ) cos x ye xy
x

fy (x , y ) (sin x e xy ) xe xy
y
xy xy
f (x , y ) (cos x ye )i xe j

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Directional Derivative and Gradient
The following theorem shows how the
directional derivative can be expressed in
terms of gradient.
Theorem 4.5
If f is a differentiable function of x and y ,
then the directional derivative in the
direction of the unit vector u is
Du f (x, y ) f u

where f fx , fy .

The directional derivative and gradient

concepts can easily be extended to
functions of three or more variables.
For a function of three variables
f ( x, y, z ) , the gradient f is defined
by
f fx , fy , fz
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and the directional derivative Du f of
f ( x, y, z ) at P( x0 , y0 , z0 ) in the direction
of the unit vector u is given by
Du f f u

Example 4. 17
Find the directional derivative of
f (x , y ) ln(x 2 y 3 ) at P (1, 3) in the
direction of v 2i 3 j .

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Example 4. 17a
Find the directional derivative of
f (x , y , z ) x sin yz at P (1, 3, 0) in the
direction of v 1, 2, 1 .
Solution
f (x , y , z ) fx , fy , fz
sin yz , xz cos yz , xy cos yz
f (1, 3, 0) 0, 0, 3
Unit vector,
v 1, 2, 1 1, 2, 1
u
v 1 4 1 6
Thus,

Du f (1, 3, 0) f u
1, 2, 1 3
0, 0, 3
6 6
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Properties of the Gradient
Basic properties: arise from the
definition of the operator and
properties of the partial derivatives

If f and g are differentiable functions

then:

1. (cf ) c f , for a constant c

2. (f g) f g

3. ( fg ) g f f g

f g f f g
4. g 2
,g 0
g

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 Optimal direction property of
the gradient
the gradient vector points in the
direction of greatest rate of change
of the directional derivative

Imagine youre climbing up a mountain.

The function z f (x , y ) gives your
altitude on the slope. The gradient vector
tells us what is the steepest ascent (or
steepest descent) and the compass
direction in which this occurs.
Compass direction the gradient
gives direction in the xy-plane and
does not itself point up or down the
mountain.

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Du f f u f u cos f cos
This is a maximum when 0 and a
minimum when .
If 0 then f and u point in the
same direction.
If then u and f point in
opposite directions.

Theorem 4.6
Suppose f is differentiable and let f
denote the gradient at P. Then, if f 0:
(a) the largest value of the directional
derivative Du f is f and occurs
when the unit vector u points in the
direction of the gradient vector, f .
(b) the smallest value of Du f is f
and occurs when the unit vector u
points in the direction of f.
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What this says:
At a point P, the function f increases most
rapidly in the direction of the gradient f
and decreases most rapidly in the opposite
direction.

Example 4.18
Let f (x , y ) x 2e y . In what direction is f
increasing most rapidly at the point
P ( 2, 0)? And what is the greatest rate
of increase?

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Solution
WANT: maximum rate of change, f
and its direction, f

Determine grad f : f fx , fy

f 2xe y , x 2e y

At P ( 2, 0),
f ( 2, 0) 4, 4

The most rapid rate of increase is

f ( 4)2 42 32

and this occurs in the direction of

f ( 2, 0) 4, 4

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Example 4.18a
80
Let T (x , y , z ) 2 2 2
be
1 x 2y 3z
the temperature (in degrees Celsius) at a
point P(x, y, z) in a metal solid. Find the
greatest decrease in temperature at the
point (1,1, 2) .

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Example 4.18b
Given f ( x, y, z ) ( x y)( y z ) . Find
the directional derivative of f at (1, 3, 1)
in the direction vector v 2i j 2k .
Determine the direction at P in which
the rate of change is maximum and find
this maximum value.

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 Normal property of the
gradient
the gradient vector is perpendicular
to the level curve

Gradient and Level Curves

Consider the function f (x, y ) x 2 y 2
The graph is a hyperbolic paraboloid

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The level curve to be considered is the
intersection of the graph of the function
with the graph of the plane whose
equation is z = 9.

23
The equation of the level curve in the xy-
plane:
2 2
x y 9
x 2 y2
or 1 , a hyperbola
9 9

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A parametric representation of the curve is
x 3 tan t, y 3 sec t
We can represent the level curve in the
plane z = 9 by the position function
r 3 tan t, 3 sec t, 9

WANT: directional derivative

We will compute the directional derivative
at the point (3, 3 2 , 9) on the level curve
in the direction of a vector tangent to the
level curve at the given point. At this point
t .
4
We need to find a unit vector in the plane.

r 3 tan t, 3 sec t, 9

r 3 sec2 t, 3 sec t tan t, 0

r 6, 3 2, 0
4
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 r 6, 3 2, 0 2, 2, 0
4
r 54 6
4

So, we can use the direction vector

2 2
u ,
6 6

Note that this u is a unit vector in the

plane.

Directional derivative: Du f f u

f 2x, 2y

At the (3, 3 2 , 9),

2 2
Du f 2(3), 2(3 2) , 0
6 6

Thus f (3, 3 2) and u are orthogonal.

26
 Since the directional derivative is being
computed in the direction of a level
curve it must have been zero because
the value of the function does not
change along a level curve.
Thus if u is a unit vector tangent to a level
curve then at the point of tangency
Du f (x, y ) f u 0

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 The gradient, evaluated at a point on a
level curve, is normal to the level
curve (orthogonal to a tangent to the
level curve).

Example 4.19
Sketch the level curve corresponding to
C = 1 for the function f ( x, y) x 2 y 2 ,
and find a normal vector at the point
P (2, 3).

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Example 4.19a
x2
For the paraboloid z y 2 , find the
4
equation of its level curve that passes
through the point P(2, 1) and sketch it.
Find the gradient vector of the paraboloid
at P, and draw the gradient with its initial
point at P.

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