Calculus 3 : Partial Derivatives

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Calculus 3

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Example Questions

Example Question #1051 : Partial Derivatives

Find \(\displaystyle f_{xy}\) of the function \(\displaystyle e^x+x\cos(y)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle e^y-\sin(y)\)

\(\displaystyle \sin(y)\)

\(\displaystyle ye^y-\sin(y)\)

\(\displaystyle -\sin(y)\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -\sin(y)\)

Explanation:

To find \(\displaystyle f_{xy}\) of the function, you must take two consecutive partial derivatives:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial }{\partial x}(e^x+x\cos(y))=e^x+\cos(y)\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial }{\partial y}(e^x+\cos(y))=-\sin(y)\)

Example Question #1052 : Partial Derivatives

Calculate the partial derivative with respect to \(\displaystyle x\) of the following function:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y)=x^2y^2+\frac{x}{x+y}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=2xy+\frac{x}{(x+y)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=2xy^2+\frac{1}{(x+y)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=x(2xy-\frac{1}{(x+y)^2})\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=2xy-\frac{y}{(x+y)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=y(2xy+\frac{1}{(x+y)^2})\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=y(2xy+\frac{1}{(x+y)^2})\)

Explanation:

When calculating the partial derivative with respect to the variable \(\displaystyle x\) of a function \(\displaystyle f\) of more than one variable, apply the standard rules for differentiating a function \(\displaystyle f(x)\) of a single variable, and treat the other variables as constants. In this case, we have:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y)=x^2y^2+\frac{x}{x+y}\)

We are being asked to differentiate \(\displaystyle f(x,y)\) with respect to \(\displaystyle x\), so we treat the variable \(\displaystyle y\) as a constant and apply the sum and quotient rules of differentiation to find the partial derivative \(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}\), as shown:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=2x(y^2)+\frac{(1)(x+y)-(1)(x)}{(x+y)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle =2xy^2+\frac{x+y-x}{(x+y)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle =2xy^2+\frac{y}{(x+y)^2}\)

Since \(\displaystyle y\) is treated as a constant, we can factor out \(\displaystyle y\) from the sum of these two terms and simplify the expression:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}=y(2xy+\frac{1}{(x+y)^2})\)

Example Question #1052 : Partial Derivatives

Calculate the partial derivative with respect to \(\displaystyle z\) of \(\displaystyle f(x,y,z)=x^2y^4z^5\) at the point \(\displaystyle (3,1,-2)\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 1620\)

\(\displaystyle 720\)

\(\displaystyle 864\)

\(\displaystyle -192\)

\(\displaystyle -864\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 720\)

Explanation:

When calculating the partial derivative with respect to the variable \(\displaystyle x\) of a function \(\displaystyle f\) of more than one variable, apply the standard rules for differentiating a function \(\displaystyle f(x)\) of a single variable, and treat the other variables as constants. In this case, we are given \(\displaystyle f(x,y,z)=x^2y^4z^5\), and its partial derivative with respect to \(\displaystyle z\) can be calculated by treating \(\displaystyle x\) and \(\displaystyle y\) and constants and differentiating \(\displaystyle z^5\):

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial z}=5x^2y^4z^4\).

Now substitute the values for the point \(\displaystyle (3,1,-2)\) into \(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial z}\) to calculate its value at that point:

\(\displaystyle F_z(x,y,z)=5(3)^2(1)^4(-2)^4=5\times9\times1\times16=720\).

Example Question #1053 : Partial Derivatives

Calculate the partial derivative with respect to \(\displaystyle y\) of the following function:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y,z)=7e^x^z\ln(y)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}=\frac{7e^x^z}{\ln(y)}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}=7xze^x^z\ln(y)\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}=7ye^x^z\ln(y)\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}=\frac{7e^x^z}{y}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}=\frac{7xze^x^z}{y}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}=\frac{7e^x^z}{y}\)

Explanation:

When calculating the partial derivative with respect to the variable \(\displaystyle y\) of a function \(\displaystyle f\) of more than one variable, apply the standard rules for differentiating a function \(\displaystyle f(y)\) of a single variable, and treat the other variables as constants. In this case, we have:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y,z)=7e^x^z\ln(y)\)

We are being asked to differentiate \(\displaystyle f(x,y,z)\) with respect to \(\displaystyle y\), so we treat the variables \(\displaystyle x\) and \(\displaystyle z\) as constants, recognize that the term \(\displaystyle 7e^x^z\) is now just a constant, and apply the rule of differentiation for the natural logarithm to find the partial derivative \(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}\), as shown:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}=7e^x^z(\ln(y))'\)

\(\displaystyle =7e^x^z(\frac{1}{y})\)

\(\displaystyle =\frac{7e^x^z}{y}\)

Example Question #1055 : Partial Derivatives

Find \(\displaystyle f_{xy}\) of the following function:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y)=e^{x^2y^2}+x\tan(y)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 4xye^{x^2y^2}+4x^2y^2e^{x^2y^2}+\sec^2(y)\)

\(\displaystyle 2xy^2e^{x^2y^2}+\tan(y)\)

\(\displaystyle 4xye^{x^2y^2}+4x^3y^3e^{x^2y^2}+\sec(y)\)

\(\displaystyle 4xye^{x^2y^2}+4x^3y^3e^{x^2y^2}+\sec^2(y)\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 4xye^{x^2y^2}+4x^3y^3e^{x^2y^2}+\sec^2(y)\)

Explanation:

To find the given partial derivative of the function, we must treat the other variable(s) as constants. For higher order partial derivatives, we work from left to right for the given variables.

To start, we find the partial derivative of the function with respect to x:

\(\displaystyle f_x=2xy^2e^{x^2y^2}+\tan(y)\)

Finally, we take the partial derivative of the function with respect to y:

\(\displaystyle f_{xy}=4xye^{x^2y^2}+4x^3y^3e^{x^2y^2}+\sec^2(y)\)

Example Question #1056 : Partial Derivatives

Find \(\displaystyle f_{xx}\) of the following function:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y)=y^2\cos(xy)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 0\)

\(\displaystyle -y^3\sin(xy)\)

\(\displaystyle y^4\cos(xy)\)

\(\displaystyle -y^4\cos(xy)\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -y^4\cos(xy)\)

Explanation:

To find the given partial derivative of the function, we must treat the other variable(s) as constants. For higher order partial derivatives, we work from left to right for the given variables.

 

First, we find the partial derivative of the function with respect to x:

\(\displaystyle f_x=-y^3\sin(xy)\)

Next, we take the partial derivative of this function with respect to x:

\(\displaystyle f_{xx}=-y^4\cos(xy)\)

 

Example Question #1052 : Partial Derivatives

Find \(\displaystyle f_x\) of the function \(\displaystyle f(x,y,z)=xy+z\cos(x)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle y+z\sin(x)\)

\(\displaystyle x-z\sin(x)\)

\(\displaystyle y-z\sin(x)\)

\(\displaystyle y-z\cos(y)\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle y-z\sin(x)\)

Explanation:

To find \(\displaystyle f_x\) of the function, you take the partial derivative of the function with respect to x

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial }{\partial x}(xy+z\cos(x))=y-z\sin(x)\)

Example Question #1058 : Partial Derivatives

Find \(\displaystyle f_{yy}\) of the function \(\displaystyle f(x,y,z)=e^{2xy}+2xy^3\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle x^3e^{2xy}+12xy\)

\(\displaystyle e^{5xy}+10xy\)

\(\displaystyle 4x^2e^{2xy}+12xy\)

\(\displaystyle 4x^2e^{2xy}+12x^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 4x^2e^{2xy}+12xy\)

Explanation:

To find \(\displaystyle f_{yy}\) of the function, you must take two consecutive partial derivatives

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial }{\partial y}(e^{2xy}+2xy^3)=2xe^{2xy}+6xy^2\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\partial }{\partial y}(2xe^{2xy}+6xy^2)=4x^2e^{2xy}+12xy\)

Example Question #1059 : Partial Derivatives

Find \(\displaystyle (f_{xy})^2\) of the following function:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y)=y^2x+x^2e^y\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 4y^2+4x^2e^{2y}\)

\(\displaystyle 2y+2xe^y\)

\(\displaystyle y^2+2xye^y+x^2e^{2y}\)

\(\displaystyle 4y^2+8xye^y+4x^2e^{2y}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 4y^2+8xye^y+4x^2e^{2y}\)

Explanation:

To find the given partial derivative of the function, we must treat the other variable(s) as constants. For higher order partial derivatives, we work from left to right for the given variables.

To start, we take the partial derivative of the function with respect to x:

\(\displaystyle f_x=y^2+2xe^y\)

Next, we take the partial derivative of this function with respect to y:

\(\displaystyle f_{xy}=2y+2xe^y\)

Finally, we square this:

\(\displaystyle (f_{xy})^2=(2y+2xe^y)^2=4y^2+8xye^y+4x^2e^{2y}\)

Example Question #1060 : Partial Derivatives

Find \(\displaystyle f_{xx}\) for the following function:

\(\displaystyle f(x,y)=\frac{x^2}{y^2}+\ln(xy)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{y^2}-\frac{y}{x^2}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{2x}{y^2}+\frac{y}{x}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{y^2}-\frac{1}{x^2}\)

\(\displaystyle 0\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{y^2}-\frac{y}{x^2}\)

Explanation:

To find the given partial derivative of the function, we must treat the other variable(s) as constants. For higher order partial derivatives, we work from left to right for the given variables.

 

First, we take the partial derivative of the function with respect to x:

\(\displaystyle f_x=\frac{2x}{y^2}+\frac{y}{x}\)

Finally, we take the partial derivative of this function with respect to x:

\(\displaystyle f_{xx}=\frac{2}{y^2}-\frac{y}{x^2}\)

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