Course : MATH6031 - Calculus I

Year : 2015

Function of two or more variables

Session 10-12
 Acknowledgement

These slides have been

adapted from:

Soo.T.Tan. Calculus. 2010.

Brooks/Cole.
ISBN-13: 978-0-534-46579-7

Chapter 13
 Learning Objectives

LO 1 :
Apply the basic concepts of limits and
derivative for some real problems
 Content

• Derivative for function of two or more

1 variables

• Limits and continuity for function of two

2 or more variables

• Extrema
3

4
 The rules for the new
International America’s
cup class include a
formula that governs the
basic yacht dimensions.

This formula balances the

rated length, the sail area,
and the displacement of
the yacht. It is an example
of an expression involving
three variables.

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 Function of Two Variables

Let D = {(x,y)|x,yR} be a subset of the xy-plane. A function

of two variables is a rule that assigns to each ordered pair of
real numbers (x,y) in D a unique real number z.

The set D is called the domain of f, and the set of

corresponding values of z is called the range of f.

The number z is usually written f(x,y). The variables x and y

are independent variables, and z is the dependent variable.

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 Example 1 (1/2)

Find and sketch the domain of the function

Solution
a. f(x,y) is a real number provided
that y2 – x ≥ 0. Therefore, the
domain of f is
D = {(x,y)| y2 – x ≥ 0}

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 Example 1 (2/2)

b. Because the logarithmic function is defined only for positive

numbers, we must have x + y + 1 > 0.

Furthermore, the denominator of the expression cannot be

zero, so y – x ≠ 0, or y ≠ x.

Therefore, the domain of g

is
D = {(x,y)|x + y + 1 > 0
and y ≠ x}

8
 Graph of a Function
of Two Variables

Let f be a function of two

variables with domain D. The
graph of f is the set

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 Level Curves

The level curves of a function f of two variables are the curves in

the xy-plane with equations f(x, y) = k, where k is a constant in
the range of f.

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 Contour Map

The level curve with equation f(x,y) = k is the set of all points in
the domain of f corresponding to the points on the surface z =
f(x,y) having the same height or depth k. By drawing the level
curves corresponding to several admissible values of k, we
obtain a contour map.
11
 Example 2

Sketch a contour map for the surface described by f(x,y) = x2

+ y2, using the level curves corresponding to k = 0, 1, 4, 9,
and 16.

Solution

The level curve of f corresponding to each value of k is a

circle x2 + y2 = k of radius √k, centered at the origin.
12
 Functions of Three Variables
and Level Surfaces

A function f of three variables is a rule that assigns to

each ordered triple (x,y,z) in a domain D = {(x,y,z) |
x,y,z  R} a unique real number w denoted by f(x,y,z).

For example, the volume V of a rectangular box of

length x, width y, and height z can be described by the
function f defined by f(x, y, z) = xyz.

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 Example 3

Find the domain of the function f defined by

Solution
f(x,y,z) is a real number provided that x + y – z ≥ 0 or,
equivalently, z ≤ x + y.

Therefore, the domain of f is

D = {(x,y,z) | z ≤ x + y}
This is the half-space consisting of all points lying on or
below the plane z = x + y.

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 Example 4

Find the level surfaces of the function f defined by

f(x,y,z) = x2 + y2 + z2,

Solution
The required level surfaces of f are the
graphs of the equations x2 + y2 + z2 = k,
where k ≥ 0. These surfaces are
concentric spheres of radius √k
centered at the origin (see Figure).
Observe that f has the same value
for all points (x, y, z) lying on any
such sphere.

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 Limit of a Function
of Two Variables
Let f be a function that is defined for all points (x,y) close to
the point (a,b) with the possible exception of (a,b) itself.

Then the limit of f(x,y) as (x,y) approaches (a,b) is L, written

if f(x,y) can be made as close

to L as we please by restricting
(x,y) to be sufficiently close to
(a, b).

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 Limits Does Not Exist

If f(x,y) approaches two

different numbers as (x,y)
approaches (a,b) along two
different paths, then

does not exist.

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 Example 5 (1/2)

Show that does not exist.

Solution
The function f(x,y) = xy / (x2 + y2) is defined everywhere
except at (0,0). Let’s approach along the x-axis (Figure).
On the path C1, y = 0, so

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 Example 5 (2/2)

Similarly, you can show that f(x,y) also approaches 0 as

(x,y) approaches (0,0) along the y-axis, path C2.

Now consider yet another approach to (0,0), this time along

the line y = x. On the path C3, y = x, so

Since f(x,y) approaches two different numbers as (x,y)

approaches (0,0) along two different paths, we conclude
that the given limit does not exist.

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 Partial Derivatives of a Function
of Two Variables

Let z = f(x,y).
Then the partial derivative of f with
respect to x is

and the partial derivative of f with

respect to y is

provided that each limit exists.

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 Example 6 (1/2)

Find fx and fy if f(x,y) = x cos xy2

Solution
To compute fx, we think of the variable y as a constant and
differentiate with respect to x. Thus,

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 Example 6 (2/2)

Next, to compute fy, we treat x as a constant and differentiate

with respect to y.
Thus,

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 Example 7 (1/2)

Let f(x,y) = 4 – 2x2 – y2. Find the slope of the tangent line at
the point (1,1,1) on the curve formed by the intersection of
the surface z = f(x,y) and a. the plane y = 1, b. the plane x
=1

Solution
a. The slope of the tangent line at any
point on the curve formed by the
intersection of the plane y = 1 and
the surface z = 4 – 2x2 – y2 is given
by

In particular,
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 Example 7 (2/2)

b. The slope of the tangent line at any point on the curve

formed by the intersection of the plane y = 1 and the
surface z = 4 – 2x2 – y2 is given by

In particular,

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 Example 8 :
Implicit Differentiation (1/2)
Suppose z is a differentiable function of x and y that is
defined implicitly by x2 + y3 – z + 2yz2 = 5. Find ∂z/∂x and
∂z /∂y.

Solution
Differentiating the given equation implicitly with respect to
x, we find

and

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 Example 8 :
Implicit Differentiation (2/2)

Next, differentiating the given equation with respect to y, we

obtain

and

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 Partial Derivatives of Functions
of More Than Two Variables

The partial derivatives of a function of more than two

variables are defined in much the same way as the partial
derivatives of a function of two variables.

For example, suppose that f is a function of three variables

defined by w = f(x,y,z). Then the partial derivative of f with
respect to x is defined as

where y and z are held fixed, provided that the limit exists.

27
 Higher-Order Derivatives

Consider the function z = f(x,y) of two variables. Each of the

partial derivatives ∂f/∂x and ∂f /∂y are functions of x and y.

Therefore, we may take the partial derivatives of these

functions to obtain the four second-order partial derivatives

28
 The Chain Rule
(One Independent Variable)

Let w = f(x,y), where f is a differentiable function of x and y.

If x = g(t) and y = h(t), where g and h are differentiable
functions of t, then w is a differentiable function of t, and

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 Example 9

Let w = x2y – xy3, where x = cos t and y = et. Find dw/dt and
its value when t = 0.

Solution
Using the Chain Rule, we have

Observe that if t = 0, then x = cos 0 = 1 and y = e0 = 1. So

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 The Chain Rule
(Two Independent Variable)

Let w = f(x,y), where f is a differentiable function of x and y.

If x = g(u,v) and y = h(u,v), where g and h are differentiable
functions of u and v, then

and

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 Example 10

Let w = 2x2y, where x = u2 + v2 and y = u2 – v2. Find ∂w/∂u

and ∂w/∂v.

Solution
Using the Chain Rule, we have

and

32
 The General Chain Rule

if w = f(x1,x2,….,xn), where f is a differentiable function of n

intermediate variables, x1,x2,….,xn, and x1 = f1 (t1,t2,….,tm), x2
= f2(t1,t2,….,tm),…. , xn = fn(t1,t2,….,tm), where f1,f2,….,fn are
differentiable functions of m variables, t1,t2,….,tm, then

33
 Relative Extrema

Let f be a function defined on a region R containing the point

(a,b). Then f has a relative maximum at (a,b) if f(x,y) ≤ f(a,b)
for all points (x,y) in an open disk containing (a,b). The
number f(a,b) is called a relative maximum value.

Similarly, f has a relative minimum at (a,b) with relative

minimum value f(a, b) if f(x, y) ≥ f(a, b) for all points (x, y) in
an open disk containing (a, b).

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 Absolute Extrema

If the inequalities in this last definition hold for all points (x,y)
in the domain of f, f then has an absolute maximum
(absolute minimum)
at (a,b) with absolute
maximum value
(absolute minimum
value) f(a,b).

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Critical Points

36
Critical Points—Candidates for
Relative Extreme

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 Example 11 (1/2)

Let f(x,y) = x2 + y2 – 4x – 6y + 17. Find the critical point of f,

and show that f has a relative minimum at that point.

Solution
To find the critical point of f, we compute
fx(x,y) = 2x – 4 = 2 (x - 2) and fy(x,y) = 2y – 6 = 2 (y - 3)
Setting fx and fy equal to zero, we find that x = 2 and y = 3, so
is the only critical point of f.

Next, to show that has a relative minimum at this point, we

complete the squares in x and y and write f(,y) in the form

38
 Example 11 (2/2)

Notice that (x - 2)2 ≥ 0 and (y - 3)2 ≥ 0,

so f(x,y) ≥ 4 for all (x,y) in the domain
of f.

Therefore, f(2,3) = 4 is a relative

minimum value of f.

In fact, we have shown that 4 is the

absolute minimum value of .

39
The Second Derivative Test
for Relative Extrema

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 Example 12 (1/3)

Find the relative extrema of f(x,y) = x3 + y2 – 2xy + 7x – 8y + 2.

Solution
First, we find the critical points of f.

From the second equation we obtain y = x + 4, which upon

substitution into the first equation yields

Therefore, the critical points of f are (-1/3, 11/3) and (1,5).

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 Example 12 (2/3)

Next, we use the Second Derivative Test to determine the

nature of each of these critical points.

To test the point (-1/3, 11/3) , we compute

from which we deduce that (-1/3, 11/3) gives rise to the

saddle point (-1/3, 11/3, -373/27) of f.

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 Example 12 (3/3)

Next, to test the critical point (1,5), we compute

which indicates that (1,5) gives a relative extremum of . Since

we see that yields a relative minimum of . Its value is

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 Absolute Extremum Values of a
Continuous Function

1. Find the values of f at the critical points of f in D.

2. Find the extreme values of f on the boundary of D.
3. The absolute maximum value of f and the absolute
minimum value of f are precisely the largest and the
smallest numbers found in Steps 1 and 2.

44
 Example 13 (1/2)

Find the absolute maximum and the absolute minimum

values of the function f(x,y) = 2x2 + y2 – 4x – 2y + 3 on the
rectangle
D = {(x,y)|0 ≤ x ≤ 3, 0 ≤ y ≤ 2}.

Solution

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 Example 13 (2/2)

The table summarizes the results of our computations.

Comparing the value of f obtained at the various points, we
conclude that the absolute minimum value of f on D is 0
attained at the critical point (1,1) of f and that the absolute
maximum value of f on D is 9 attained at the boundary points
(3, 0) and (3, 2).

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 Dale Varberg, Edwin Purcell, Steve Rigdon. 2007. Calculus.
Prentice Hall. ISBN: 978-0132306331.

Soo.T.Tan. Calculus. 2010. Brooks/Cole. ISBN-13: 978-0-

534-46579-7

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