PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

First Partial Derivatives:

f x( x , y) =

lim f ( x +h , y )f ( x , y )
h 0

f y(x , y) =
,

lim f ( x , y + h , )f ( x , y )
h 0

Chain Rule for Multivariable Functions:

If z=

f (x , y)

is differentiable function of x and y, where x= g(t) and y=h(t) are both

differentiable function to t, when

If w=

dz
dt

z dx
x dt

z dy
y dt

f ( x , y , z ) is a differentiable function of x,y and z, where x=g(t) and y=h(t), z=i(t) are

all differentiable functions to t, then

dw
dt

w dx
x dt

w dy
w dz
+
y dt
z dt

Implicit Partial Differentiation:

Suppose that z=

f (x , y)

f x ( x , y , z)
z
x = - f z( x, y ,z)

If ( x , y , z ) =0,

f y (x, y ,z)
z
y = - f z(x , y , z)

THE USAGE OF PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

Tangent Plane:
Suppose

surface z=

has continuous partial derivatives. An equation of the tangent plane to the

f (x , y)

at the point

x 0 , y 0, z 0
) is

z0 =

x0, y0
x ,y
xx 0 ) + 0 0 )( y y 0 )
)(
fx
f y

Rate of Change:

f ( x , y ) , the rate of change is given by

Let z=

dz
dt

z dx
x dt

z dy
y dt

Small Increment, Estimating Value:

f ( x , y ) , increment of z:

Let z =

As

f (x, y)
x
x

x 0 and

f (x, y)
y
y

or simplify as

y 0 , the total differential of z

z =f x ( x , y ) x + f y ( x , y ) y

dz=

z
z
dx +
dy
x
y

Calculating Error:
Calculating the error of z
Let z =

|z|

f ( x , y ) , error of z is given by

| xz d x| | zy d y|
+

and relative error for z is

| zy dyz|
The Step in Finding the Local Extreme Value(s)
First partial derivatives test:-

|zz | | xz dxz|
=

fx

Step 1: Find

Step 2: Let

and

fy

f x (a,b) = 0, f y (a,b) = 0. Then, find all the critical point (a,b)

Second partial derivatives test:-

f xx , f xy

Step 3: Find

Step 4: Find G

and

f yy

( x , y ) = f xx ( x , y ) f yy ( x , y )[ f xy ( x , y ) ]

conclusion based on the following

Case 1: G

( a , b ) > 0 and f xx ( a , b ) < 0,

f (x , y)

Case 2: G

has a local , maximum value at (a,b)

( a , b ) < 0,

f (x , y)

Case 4: G

has a local , maximum value at (a,b)

( a , b ) > 0 and f xx ( a , b ) > 0,

f (x , y)

Case 3: G

cases.

has a saddle point at (a,b)

( a , b ) = 0,

The test is inconclusive

and G

( a , b ) , then make