MAT 435

CHAPTER 3 : FUNCTIONS OF TWO AND THREE VARIABLES

3.1: INTRODUCTION
The expression z = f(x, y) means that z is a function of x and y in the sense that
a unique value of the dependent variable z is determined by specific values of x
and y, the independent variables.
Similarly: w = f(x, y, z) is a function in three variables.
Example 3.1.1
Let f ( x, y ) 3 x 2 y 1, find f(1, 4), f(0, 9), f(t2, t), f(ab, 9b).
Example 3.1.2
Let f ( x, y, z ) 1 x 2

y2 z2

1 , 1 )
, find f (0, 2
2 .

3.2: PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

If f is a function of two or more independent variables and all but one of those
variables are held fixed, then the derivative of f with respect to that one
remaining independent variable is called a partial derivative of f.
The partial derivative fx (xo, yo) can be interpreted as slope of the tangent line to
the curve at point (xo, yo).
A. THE NOTATION
Let z = f (x, y).
Partial derivative of z with respect to x denotes as:

z
x

or

f
x

or

f ( x, y )
x

or

fx

or

zx

Partial derivative of z with respect to y denotes as:

z
y

or

f
y

or

f ( x, y )
y

or

fy

or

zy

Example 3.2.1
Find fx (1, 2) and fy (1, 2) if f ( x, y ) 2x 3 y 2 2y 4 x
Example 3.2.2
z
z
Find
and
y
x
Example 3.2.3

if z x 4 sin( xy 3 )

According to the ideal gas law of physics, the pressure P, exerted by a

T
;
V
where k is a constant depending on the amount of gas present and the units
of measurement. Show that if the temperature of such a gas remains

confined gas is related to its volume, V and its temperature, T by P k

constant, then the pressure and volume satisfy the condition

P
P

V
V

B. RULES OF PARTIAL DIFFERENTIATION

If u and v are functions of x and y, then:

u v
(u v )

a)
x
x x

u
v
(u v )

y
y
y

b)

v
u
(uv ) u
v
x
x
x

v
u
(uv ) u
v
y
y
y

c)

u

x v
u

y v

u
v
u
x
x
2
v

u
v
u
y
y
v2

Example 3.2.4
If v f (p 2 q 2 ) , show that

v
v
q
0
q
p

C. HIGHER-ORDER PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

If f is a function of x and y, then: f = f(x, y)
f

First-order partial derivatives: x

and

f
y

2f

Second-order partial derivatives:

x
2

f
y

f xx
x x

f yy
y y

2f
f

f yx

xy
x y

2f
f

f xy
yx
y x

By successively differentiating, we can obtain third-order partial derivatives

and higher-order derivatives.
3f
x 3

3f
2

y x

3f
yx 2

2 f
f xxx
x x 2

2 f
f xyy
yx

2 f
f xxy and so forth.
y x 2

Example 3.2.5
Find the second-order partial derivatives of the function f ( x, y ) x 2 y 3 x 4 y
Example 3.2.6
Let
. Find

D. PARTIAL DERIVATIVES OF FUNCTIONS WITH MORE THAN TWO VARIABLES

For a function f (x, y, z ) of three variables, there are three partial derivatives:
fx (x, y, z ), fy (x, y, z ) and fz (x, y, z )
The partial derivative fx is calculated by holding y and z constant, and
differentiating with respect to x. Similarly, for f y and fz .
Example 3.2.7
If f ( x, y, z ) x 3 y 2 z 4 2xy z , find fx (x, y, z ), fy (x, y, z ), fz (x, y, z )and fz (-1,
1, 2 ).
Example 3.2.8
If f (, , ) 2 cos sin ,find f , f , f .
3.3: TOTAL DIFFERENTIALS
dy
f ' ( x ) or the differential dy =
dx
represents the change in y along the tangent line at (x 0 , y0) produced

If y = f(x) is a function of one variable, then

f(x0) dx

by a change dx in x and y f ( x 0 x ) f ( x 0 ) represents the change in y along

the curve
y = f(x) produced by a change in x in x.
Analogously, if z = f(x,y) is a function of two variables, dz is the change in z
along the tangent plane at (x0, y0, z0)to the surface z = f(x, y) produced by
changes dx and dy in x and y, respectively.
To derive a formula for: dz.
Let P0 (x0, y0, z0) be a fixed point on the surface z = f (x, y). If we assume f to be
differentiable at (x0, y0) then the surface has a tangent plane at P 0, given by the
equation:
f x ( x 0 , y 0 )( x x 0 ) f y ( x 0 , y 0 )( y y 0 ) ( z z 0 ) 0
z z 0 f x ( x 0 , y 0 )( x x 0 ) f y ( x 0 , y 0 )( y y 0 )

The tangent plane has height z0 when x = x0 , y = y0; and it has height
z 0 f x ( x 0 , y 0 )dx f y ( x 0 , y 0 )dy when x = x0 + dx, y = y0 + dy .

Thus the change dz in the height of the tangent plane as (x, y) varies from (x 0,
y0) to ( x 0 x, y 0 y ) is obtained by:
dz f x ( x 0 , y 0 )dx f y ( x 0 , y 0 )dy

This quantity is called the total differential of z at (x0, y0). If we omit the subscript
on x0 and y0 , then:

dz f x ( x, y )dx f y ( x, y )dy

Example 3.3.1
Let z 4 x 3 y 2 . Find dz.

Example 3.3.2
Let f ( x, y ) x 2

y2

. Use a total differential to approximate the change in f(x, y)

as (x, y) varies from the point (3, 4) to the point (3.04, 3.98).
Example 3.3.3
The volume V of a right-circular cone of radius, r and height, h is given by
V 31 r 2 h . Suppose the height increases from 10 cm to 10.01 cm, while the

radius decreases from 12 cm to 11.95 cm. Use a total differential to approximate

the change V in volume.
Example 3.3.4
Find the differential, df for:

a) f ( x, y ) x cos y y cos x
b) f ( x, y, z ) x 2 ye 2z

Example 3.3.5
Given that f ( x, y ) yx
(32, 16) to (35, 18).

x y , estimate by a differential the change in f from

Example 3.3.6
Use differentials to estimate

27 3 1021 .

Example 3.3.7
The dimensions of a rectangular box measured to be 75 cm, 60 cm and 40 cm,
and each measurement is correct to within 0.2 cm. Use differentials to estimate
the largest possible error when the volume of the box is calculated from these
measurements.
3.4: CHAIN RULE AND ITS APPLICATIONS
A. If y is a differentiable function of x and x is a differentiable function of t, then
the chain rule for functions of one variable is:
dy dy dx

.
dt
dx dt
Now, for function of two variable, x and y, z = f(x, y).
Suppose that x and y are functions of a single variable t, x = x(t) and y =
y(t).
Therefore: z = f(x(t), y(t)) which expresses z as a function of the single
variable, t therefore:
dz
z dx z dy

.
dt
x dt
y dt

Example 3.4.1
Suppose

z x 2 y,

x t 2,

y t3 .

Use chain rule to find

dz
.
dt

Example 3.4.2
Suppose

xy y ,

x cos ,

y sin .

Use chain rule to find

dz
when
d

.
2

B. Previously, the variables x and y are each function of a single variable t. Now,
we consider the case where x and y are functions of two variables.
Let z = f(x, y) and x and y are functions of u and v, so
x = x(u, v) and y = y(u, v)
therefore ; z = f(x(u, v), y(u, v)), which expresses z as a function of two
variables; u and v.
The partial derivative of z are:
z
z x
z y

.
u
x u
y u
z
z x
z y

.
v
x v
y v

Example 3.4.3
Given that z e xy , x 2u v, y

u
z
z
and
, find
using the chain rule.
v
u
v

Example 3.4.4
At what rate is the area of a rectangle changing if its length is 15 ft and
increasing at 3 ft/sec, while its width is 6 ft and increasing at 2 ft/sec?
3.5 IMPLICIT FUNCTIONS AND ITS PARTIAL DERIVATIVES
In the special case where z = F(x, y) and y is a differentiable function of x,
the chain rule:

dz
F dx
F dy

.
dx
x dx
y dx
F F dy

.
x
y dx

This result can be used to find derivatives of functions that are defined implicitly.
Suppose that the equation: F(x, y) = 0
dy
Defines y implicitly as a differentiable function of x and we want to find
.
dx
Differentiating :

F F dy

.
0
x
y dx

F
dy
x
F
dx
y
Example 3.5.1

provided

F
0.
y

Given that

x3 y2x 3 0 ,

dy
using the formula of implicit differentiation.
dx

find

Example 3.5.2
Determine the expressions for

dy
given: a) x tan y = y sin x
dx
b) e x cos 3 y e 2y sin x 2020

Example 3.5.3
Obtain the equation of the tangent to the graph

y 3 6 xy x 3 1

at a point (1, 2).

Example 3.5.4
If

4 x 2 8 xy 9 y 2 8 x 24 y 4 0

and

dy
= 0, show that x + y = 1.
dx

3.6 EXTREMUM OF FUNCTIONS

Definition: A function f of two variables is said to have a relative maximum at a
point
(x0, y0) if there is a disk centered at (x0, y0) such that f(x0, y0) f(x, y) for all points (x,
y) that lie inside the disk, and f is said to have an absolute maximum at (x0, y0) if
f(x0, y0) f(x, y) for all points (x, y) in the domain of f.
Definition: A function f of two variables is said to have a relative minimum at a point
(x0, y0) if there is a disk centered at (x0, y0) such that f(x0, y0) f(x, y) for all points (x,
y) that lie inside the disk, and f is said to have an absolute minimum at (x0, y0) if
f(x0, y0) f(x, y) for all points (x, y) in the domain of f.
If f has a relative maximum or relative minimum at (x 0, y0), then f has a relative
extremum at (x0, y0). And, if f has a absolute maximum or absolute minimum at (x 0,
y0), then f has an absolute extremum at (x0, y0).
If f has a relative extremum at (x0, y0), and if the first order partial derivatives exists,
then:
fx (x0, y0)= 0 and fy (x0, y0) = 0.
A point (x0, y0) is called a critical point if fx (x0, y0)= 0 and fy (x0, y0) = 0 or if one
or both partial derivatives do not exist at (x0, y0).
The Second Partial Test
Let f be a function of two variables with continuous second-order partial
derivatives in some disk centered at a critical point (x 0, y0), and let
2
D f xx ( x 0 , y 0 ).f yy ( x 0 , y 0 ) f xy
(x 0 , y 0 )

a)
b)
c)
d)

If
If
If
If

D
D
D
D

>
>
<
=

0
0
0
0

and fxx (x0, y0) > 0, then f has a relative minimum at (x0, y0).
and fxx (x0, y0) < 0, then f has a relative maximum at (x0, y0).
, then f has a saddle point at (x 0, y0).
, then no conclusion can be drawn.

Example 3.6.1
Locate all relative extremum and saddle point of f ( x, y ) 3 x 2 2xy y 2 8 y .
Example 3.6.2
Locate all relative extrema and saddle point of f ( x, y ) 4 xy x 4 y 4 .
Example 3.6.3
Find the extreme values for f ( x, y ) x 3 y 3 3 xy .
Example 3.6.4
Investigate the extreme values for f ( x, y ) x 3 y 3 3 x 12 y 20 .
Example 3.6.5
A rectangular box, open at the top, is to have a volume of 32 cm 3. What must be
the dimensions so that the total surface is a minimum?