Partial Derivatives Exercises

Partial Derivatives
Mathematics 54 - Elementary Analysis 2

Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises

Partial Derivatives
Mathematics 54 - Elementary Analysis 2

Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Introduction

Let z = f (x, y) be defined at (a, b). If we fix y = b, then f (x, b) becomes a

function of x alone.

The slope of the above tangent line to this curve at (a, b) is given by
d ¡ ¢ ¯¯
f (x, b) ¯ =: fx (a, b).
dx x=a

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Introduction
Similarly, if we fix x = a, then f (a, y) becomes a function of y alone.

The slope of the above tangent line to this curve at (a, b) is given by
d ¡ ¢ ¯¯
f (a, y) ¯ =: fy (a, b).
dy y=b

These derivatives will be how differentiation on multivariate functions is

defined.
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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Partial Derivatives

Definition
Let z = f (x, y).
1 The partial derivative of f with respect to x at any point (x, y) is

f (x + ∆x, y) − f (x, y)
fx (x, y) = lim ,
∆x→0 ∆x
provided that this limit exists.
2 The partial derivative of f with respect to y at any point (x, y) is

f (x, y + ∆y) − f (x, y)

fy (x, y) = lim ,
∆y→0 ∆y

provided that this limit exists.

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Partial Derivatives
Example
Find fx (x, y) given that f (x, y) = 2x2 y 2 + 2y + 4x.

Solution. Consider
f (x + ∆x, y) − f (x, y) 2(x + ∆x)2 y 2 + 2(y) + 4(x + ∆x) − (2x2 y 2 + 2y + 4x)
=
∆x ∆x
2x2 y 2 + 4x(∆x) y 2 + 2(∆x)2 y 2 + 2y + 4x + 4∆x − 2x2 y 2 − 2y − 4x
=
∆x
4x(∆x) y 2 + 2(∆x)2 y 2 + 4∆x
=
∆x
= 4xy 2 + 2y 2 ∆x + 4

Thus,

fx (x, y) = lim (4xy 2 + 2y 2 ∆x + 4)

∆x→0
2
= 4xy + 4.

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Partial Derivatives

Remark.
The partial derivatives of f at (a, b) are also given by
f (x, b) − f (a, b)
1 fx (a, b) = lim
x→a x−a
f (a, y) − f (a, b)
2 fy (a, b) = lim
y→b y−b

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Partial Derivatives
Example
3x
Find fx (1, 1) and fy (1, 1) given that f (x, y) = + 4xy 2 .
y

Solution. For fx , let us use the definition. We have

3(1 + ∆x)
µ ¶
2 3(1) 2
+ 4(1 + ∆x)(1) − + 4(1)(1)
f (1 + ∆x, 1) − f (1, 1) 1 1
=
∆x ∆x
3 + 3∆x + 4∆x − 3
=
∆x
7∆x
=
∆x
= 7.

Thus,
fx (1, 1) = lim 7 = 7.
∆x→0

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Example. (continued...)
3x
Find fx (1, 1) and fy (1, 1) given that f (x, y) = + 4xy 2 .
y

For fy , let us use the previous remark. Consider

3
+ 4y 2 − 7
f (1, y) − f (1, 1) y
=
y−1 y−1
3 + 4y 3 − 7y
y
=
y−1
(2y + 3)(2y − 1)(y − 1)
=
y(y − 1)
(2y + 3)(2y − 1)
= .
y

Hence,
(2y + 3)(2y − 1)
fy (1, 1) = lim = 5.
y→1 y
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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Partial Derivatives

Remark.
The partial derivative with respect to a variable can also be obtained by
applying theorems for ordinary differentiation while treating the other
variables constant.

Example
Determine the partial derivative of f (x, y) = 2x2 y 2 + 2y + 4x with respect to
x.

d 2 d d
fx (x, y) = (2y 2 ) (x ) + 2y (1) + 4 (x)
dx dx dx
= 4xy 2 + 4.

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Partial Derivatives

Example
3x
Find fx (1, 1) and fy (1, 1) given that f (x, y) = + 4xy 2 .
y

3 d d 3
First, fx (x, y) = (x) + 4y 2 (x) = + 4y 2 .
y dx dx y
3 2
Thus, fx (1, 1) = + 4(1) = 7.
1

d 1 d
µ ¶
−3x
Similarly, fy (x, y) = 3x + 4x (y 2 ) = 2 + 8xy.
dy y dy y
−3(1)
Hence, fy (1, 1) = + 8(1)(1) = 5.
12

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Partial Derivatives

Notations.
Let z = f (x, y). The following denotes the partial derivatives of f with
respect to x:

fx (x, y) ∂ ¡ ¢
f (x, y)
¡ ¢ ∂x
Dx f (x, y) ∂z
∂x
Similarly, the partial derivatives of f with respect to y are denoted by:

fy (x, y) ∂ ¡ ¢
f (x, y)
∂y
¡ ¢ ∂z
Dy f (x, y) ∂y

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Partial Derivatives

Example
∂
Evaluate sin2 (2x − 3y).
∂y

Solution.
∂ ∂ ¡ ¢2
sin2 (2x − 3y) = sin(2x − 3y)
∂y ∂y
= 2 sin(2x − 3y) cos(2x − 3y)(−3)
= −6 sin(2x − 3y) cos(2x − 3y)

Note.
fx and fy are also called the derivatives of f in the x- and y-directions,
respectively. Moreoever, they can also be interpreted as rates of change.

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Partial Derivatives in Functions of n Variables

Remark.
For a function of n variables x1 , x2 , . . . , xn , there are n partial derivatives.
The partial derivative with respect to the ith variable is

f (x1 , . . . , xi−1 , xi + ∆xi , xi+1 , . . . , xn ) − f (x1 , . . . , xn )

fxi (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn ) = lim .
∆xi →0 ∆xi

Also, fxi (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn ) is obtained by performing ordinary differentiation

with respect to xi while treating the other variables constant.

Notation.
Let u = f (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn ). The following are the other notations for the partial
derivative with respect to xi :
£ ¤
Dxi f (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn )
∂u
∂xi

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Partial Derivatives of Functions of n Variables

Example
xz 2
Let f (x, y, z) = + sin(2x + 3y + 4z) + ex z . Find fx , fy and fz .
y2

Solution.
z 2
fx (x, y, z) = 2
+ 2 cos(2x + 3y + 4z) + 2xzex z
y
−2xz
fy (x, y, z) = + 3 cos(2x + 3y + 4z)
y3
x 2
fz (x, y, z) = + 4 cos(2x + 3y + 4z) + x2 ex z
y2

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Let z = f (x, y). The functions fx (x, y) and fy (x, y) are also functions of x and
y.
These functions also have partial derivatives. In fact, there are four of
them.

∂ ∂z ∂2 z
µ ¶
= = fxx
∂x ∂x ∂x2
∂ ∂z ∂2 z
µ ¶
= = fxy
∂y ∂x ∂y∂x
∂ ∂z ∂2 z
µ ¶
= = fyx
∂x ∂y ∂x∂y
∂ ∂z ∂2 z
µ ¶
= = fyy
∂y ∂y ∂y 2

The above derivatives are called the second order partial derivatives of f .
Remark. Analogous definitions can be made for functions of three or
more variables and for third or higher order partial derivatives.
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Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Example
∂2 w
Let w = f (x, y) = ln(2x + 3y). Find (a) and (b) fxy (x, y).
∂x∂y
∂w 1 3
Solution. (a) = fy (x, y) = (3) =
∂y 2x + 3y 2x + 3y
∂2 w ∂ £ 6
3(2x + 3y)−1 = (−3)(2x + 3y)−2 (2) = −
¤
= fyx (x, y) =
∂x∂y ∂x (2x + 3y)2

∂w 1 2
(b) = fx (x, y) = (2) =
∂x 2x + 3y 2x + 3y
∂2 w ∂ £ 6
2(2x + 3y)−1 = (−2)(2x + 3y)−2 (3) = −
¤
= fxy (x, y) =
∂y∂x ∂y (2x + 3y)2
Remark. The above example shows that fxy = fyx .

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 Partial Derivatives Exercises Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Clairaut’s Theorem
Let f be a function of x and y. If fxy and fyx are continuous on some
circular region R on a plane, then for all (x, y) on R,

fxy = fyx .

Example
No function f (x, y) exists such that fx (x, y) = 3x + 2y and fy (x, y) = 4x + 5y.

Indeed, if such a function exists, then fxy = fyx . But fxy (x, y) = 2 and
fyx (x, y) = 4, which are both continuous, yet are not equal.

Remark.
Clairaut’s theorem can also be extended to functions of n variables, n ∈ N.

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Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Example
∂3 f
Let f (x, y, z) = z ln(x2 y cos z). Find and fxzx .
∂x∂x∂z

Solution.
∂f (x, y, z)
µ ¶
1
ln(x2 y cos z) + z
¡ 2 ¢
= x y(− sin z)
∂z 2
x y cos z
= 2 ln x + ln y + ln(cos z) − z tan z

∂2 f (x, y, z) 2 ∂3 f (x, y, z) 2
= =− 2
∂x∂z x ∂x∂x∂z x

For fxzx , recall that fzx = fxz for all (x, y, z) in the domain of f . Thus,

2
fxzx = fzxx = − .
x2
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 Partial Derivatives Exercises

Exercises

x
1 Find fx and fy for f (x, y) = tan(3x − y) + .
y
2 Find gx and gy for g(x, y) = xy .
p
x y
3 Find hx and hy for h(x, y) = 2 .
x −y
4 Find fx , fy and fz for f (x, y, z) = logx (y) − xz2 .

∂2 f x2 − 3y
5 Solve for if f (x, y, z) = .
∂x∂z z
6 Evaluate fyxz (1, 2, 0) for f (x, y, z) = 9x2 z − e2x−y .

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