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11-3 Partial Derivatives

The document discusses partial derivatives. It defines partial derivatives as the rate of change of a function of two variables with respect to one variable, while holding the other constant. The partial derivative of z=f(x,y) with respect to x is denoted as fx and is found by regarding y as a constant and differentiating with respect to x. The partial derivative with respect to y is denoted as fy and is found by regarding x as constant and differentiating with respect to y. It also discusses rules for finding partial derivatives, interpretations of partial derivatives, second partial derivatives, and examples of partial differential equations.

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Alex Montoya
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245 views1 page

11-3 Partial Derivatives

The document discusses partial derivatives. It defines partial derivatives as the rate of change of a function of two variables with respect to one variable, while holding the other constant. The partial derivative of z=f(x,y) with respect to x is denoted as fx and is found by regarding y as a constant and differentiating with respect to x. The partial derivative with respect to y is denoted as fy and is found by regarding x as constant and differentiating with respect to y. It also discusses rules for finding partial derivatives, interpretations of partial derivatives, second partial derivatives, and examples of partial differential equations.

Uploaded by

Alex Montoya
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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11.

3 Partial Derivatives
If f is a function of two variables x and y , suppose we let only x varies while
keeping y fixed, say y =5. Then we are really considering a function of a single
variable, namely, g ( x) = f ( x,5) . So if g is differentiable at a , then
g ( a + h) − g ( a ) f (a + h,5) − f (a,5)
g ′( a ) = lim = lim ≡ f x (a,5)
h →0 h h →0 h

1. Partial Derivatives of z = f ( x, y )
For all point at which the limits exist, we define and denote:

the partial derivative of f with respect to x by


f ( x + h, y ) − f ( x, y ) ∂z ∂f ∂
f x ( x, y ) = lim ≡ = fx = = f ( x, y ) = D x f ,
h →0 h ∂x ∂x ∂x

the partial derivative of f with respect to y by


f ( x , y + h ) − f ( x, y ) ∂z ∂f ∂
f y ( x, y ) = lim ≡ = fy = = f ( x, y ) = D y f .
h →0 h ∂y ∂y ∂y

2. Rule for Finding Partial Derivatives of z = f ( x, y ) .


o To find f x , regard y as a constant and differentiate f ( x, y ) with
respect to x .
o To find f y , regard x as a constant and differentiate f ( x, y ) with
respect to y .

3. INTERPRETATION OF PARTIAL DERIVATIVES:

4. The Second Partial Derivatives of z = f ( x, y ) :


∂  ∂f  ∂ 2 f ∂2 z ∂  ∂f  ∂ 2 f ∂2 z
( fx )x = f xx =  = = 2 , (f )
y = f yy = 
 
 = = 2
∂x  ∂x  ∂x 2
∂x y
∂y  ∂y  ∂y 2
∂y
∂  ∂f  ∂ f 2
∂2 z ∂  ∂f  ∂2 f ∂2 z
( fx )y = f xy =  = = , (f ) = f yx =   = =
∂x  
y
∂y  ∂x  ∂y∂x ∂y∂x  ∂y  ∂x∂y ∂x∂y
x

o Clairaut’s Theorem: If f xy and f yx are continuous at ( a, b) ,


then f xy ( a, b) = f yx ( a, b) .

5. The partial differential equations(PDE) express certain physical laws:


∂2 u ∂2 u
o + 2 = 0 is called the Laplace’s equation. Solutions of this
∂x 2 ∂y
equation are called harmonic functions and play a role in problems of heat
conduction, fluid flow, and electric potential.
∂ 2u 2 ∂ u
2
is called the wave equation which describes the
o = a
∂t 2 ∂x 2
motion of a waveform.

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