Exploring Partial Derivatives in GeoGebra 3D

Follow along with the video: https://youtu.be/6U2rTOhS3fA

Let’s see if we can better understand what a partial derivative represents to help us think about a lot of
things going forward.

1. Open up a GeoGebra 3D page.

x2 y
2. Graph the function f ( x, y ) = −x.
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3. Create a slider called yc. (You might want to change the limits on this slider as you play around
with your final result.)

4. Create a vertical play with equation y = yc .

• For f x we “hold y constant” which means we’re looking at the trace in a vertical plane with
equation y = yc .
• Drag the slider for yc and watch the plane move. Notice the curve where the plane intersects the
surface. That’s important and is called the trace of the surface in the plane.

5. Create the trace in the plane y = yc .

• (
Use curve. Type: curve t, yc, f ( t, yc ) ,t,−100,100 )
• The trace is actually just two-dimensional so we can look at its slope just like we did with
functions in Calc I!
• The variables for this trace are x and z because y is being held as a constant.

We want to put a point on this trace and we want to be able to move it around. This will ultimately be
the point of tangency.

6. Create another slider called xc. (Again, you might change the limits on this as you play around.)

7. Create the point A, where we’ll find f x and then create the tangent line.
• (
Type in xc, yc, f ( xc, yc ) .)
8. Move the sliders to see what happens. The point should always stay on the trace and the trace
should always be in the vertical plane y = yc .

We need the partial derivative! GeoGebra can calculate f x for us, thankfully!
9. Type: derivative ( f , x ) .
• We just calculated f x , so let’s rename this function fx.
• GeoGebra will graph this function, but we don’t want to see it so turn that off by clicking the
colored circle.
• We’ll use this derivative to find the slope of the line tangent to the trace in the plane where we’re
holding y constant.

Partial Derivs in Geogebra 3D 1 of 2 www.turksmathstuff.com

Now let’s graph the tangent to the trace in the plane.
(
• The point we want is xc, yc, f ( xc, yc ) . )
• We need the slope of the line, which will be fx ( xc, yc ) if you’ve named everything the way I
have.
• Our tangent line is two-dimensional. It lives in a plane parallel to the xz-coordinate plane.
• So x is the independent variable, which I’ll call t in my curve.
• Our tangent line looks like: z − f ( xc, yc ) = f x ( xc, yc ) ( x − xc )
• I’m rewriting it as z = f ( xc, yc ) + f x ( xc, yc ) ( x − xc )
• And in our GeoGebra notations we’ll use curve. So…

(
10. Type in: curve t, yc, f ( xc, yc ) + fx ( xc, yc ) ( t − xc ) ,t,−100,100 )

We can do it all again for f y ! And it will take way, way less time!

1. Hold x constant: Create plane x = xc .

(
2. Create the trace in this plane: curve xc,t, f ( xc,t ) ,t,−100,100 . )
3. We can still use the point we already have, point A.
4. Find f y : derivative ( f , y ) , change the name of the function to fy, and turn off the graph.

( )
5. Create the tangent line: curve xc,t, f ( xc, yc ) + fy ( xc, yc ) ( t − yc ) ,t,−100,100 .

Not the point of this, but what do you think about the plane that contains these two tangent lines to their
respective traces? It turns out that plane is the plane that is tangent to the surface at the point!

If you want to see it type in: z − f ( xc, yc ) = fx ( xc, yc ) ( x − xc ) + fy ( xc, yc ) ( y − yc ) .

(Do not animate the parameters after you do this! It’s a bit too much for GeoGebra to handle…at least
on my computer!)

Partial Derivs in Geogebra 3D 2 of 2 www.turksmathstuff.com