MA103L - Engineering Mathematics I

Lecture 08

Shilpak Banerjee1

1 Assistant Professor

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

IIT Tirupati, Tirupati

August 23, 2023

Recall

1
We already discussed
• Review of calculus of real valued functions of a single real variable.
◦ limits,
◦ continuity, and
◦ differentiation
• Partial derivatives: Functions of several variables.
◦ Terminologies from topology: Interior points, boundary points, open sets,
closed sets, bounded sets, unbounded sets.
◦ Level curves, level surfaces, contour maps,
◦ Limits.

Today we talk about continuity and partial derivatives.

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Partial derivatives:
Limits and continuity in
higher dimension

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Limits in 2D
We say that a function f (x, y) approaches the limit L as (x, y) approaches
(x0 , y0 ), and write
lim f (x, y) = L
(x,y)→(x0 ,y0 )

if, for every number ε > 0, there exists a corresponding number δ > 0 such
that for all (x, y) in the domain of f ,
p
|f (x, y) − L| < ε whenever 0 < (x − x0 )2 + (y − y0 )2 < δ

Note: The definition applies to interior points (x0 , y0 ) as well as boundary

points of the domain of f , although a boundary point need not lie within the
domain.

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 0 0
of ƒ, although a boundary point need not lie within the domain. The points (x, y) that
approach (x0 , y0) are always taken to be in the domain of ƒ. See Figure 14.12.
Limits in 2D
y

f
(x, y)
D
d
(x 0 , y0 )
x z
0 0 L−P L L+P

Figure 14.12 
FigureIn1:the
Source: Thomas’s
limit definition, d iscalculus
the radius of a disk
centered at (x0, y0). For all points (x, y) within this disk, the function
values ƒ(x, y) lie inside the corresponding interval (L - P, L + P).

5
First examples

If f (x, y) = x then lim f (x, y) = x0

(x,y)→(x0 ,y0 )

If f (x, y) = y then lim f (x, y) = y0

(x,y)→(x0 ,y0 )

If f (x, y) = c then lim f (x, y) = c

(x,y)→(x0 ,y0 )

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 lim ƒ(x, y) = lim x = x0 .
(x, y) S (x0, y0) (x, y) S (x0, y0)

As with single-variable functions, the limit of the sum of two functions is the sum of
their limits (when they both exist), with similar results for the limits of the differences,
Properties of limits
constant multiples, products, quotients, powers, and roots.

Theorem 1—Properties of Limits of Functions of Two Variables   The fol-

lowing rules hold if L, M, and k are real numbers and
lim ƒ(x, y) = L and lim g(x, y) = M.
(x, y) S (x0, y0) (x, y) S (x0, y0)

1. Sum Rule: lim (ƒ(x, y) + g(x, y)) = L + M

(x, y) S (x0, y0)
2. Difference Rule: lim (ƒ(x, y) - g(x, y)) = L - M
(x, y) S (x0, y0)
3. Constant Multiple Rule: lim kƒ(x, y) = kL (any number k)
(x, y) S (x0, y0)
4. Product Rule: lim (ƒ(x, y) # g(x, y)) = L # M
(x, y) S (x0, y0)
ƒ(x, y) L
5. Quotient Rule: lim = , M≠0
(x, y) S (x0, y0) g(x, y) M
6. Power Rule: lim 3 ƒ(x, y) 4 n = L n, n a positive integer
(x, y) S (x0, y0)
n n
7. Root Rule: lim 2ƒ(x, y) = 2L = L 1>n,
(x, y) S (x0, y0)
n a positive integer, and if n is even,
we assume that L 7 0.

While we won’t Figureprove2: Source:

Theorem 1 here,Thomas’s calculus
we give an informal discussion of why it’s 7
true. If (x, y) is sufficiently close to (x , y ), then ƒ(x, y) is close to L and g(x, y) is close to
Example III
Does
y
lim f (x, y) exists, where f (x, y) = .
(x,y)→(0,0) x

Note that the y-axis x = 0 is not a part

of the domain.
So we can ‘approach’ (0, 0) avoiding
any points on the y-axis. If we
approach along the x-axis the limit is y
Figure 3: The graph of f (x, y) =
0. So if the limit exists, it must be 0. x

But if we approach along the line

y = x, we see that the limit is 1.
So the limit does not exists!

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Two-Path Test for Nonexistence of a Limit
If a function f (x, y) has different limits along two different paths in the
domain of f as (x, y) approaches (x0 , y0 ), then

lim f (x, y)
(x,y)→(x0 ,y0 )

does not exist.

Warning: Having the same limit along all straight lines approaching (x0 , y0 )
does not imply a limit exists at (x0 , y0 ).

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Example IV
Show that the function
2x2 y
f (x, y) =
x4 + y 2
has no limit as (x, y) approach (0, 0).
Note that direct substitution fails. We approach via a parabolic curve
y = kx2 , x ̸= 0. Then

2x2 y 2kx4 2k
f (x, y)|y=kx2 = 4 2
= 4 2 4
=
x +y x +k x 1 + k2

Thus
  2k
lim = lim f (x, y)|y=kx2 =
(x,y)→(0,0) (x,y)→(0,0) 1 + k2
along y=kx2

So the two path test tells us that the limit does not exists. 10
Continuity in 2D
A function f (x, y) is continuous at the point (x0 , y0 ) if
1. f is defined at (x0 , y0 ).
2.
lim f (x, y) exists.
(x,y)→(x0 ,y0 )

3.
lim f (x, y) = f (x0 , y0 )
(x,y)→(x0 ,y0 )

A function is called continuous if it is continuous at every point of its domain.

Note: The definition of continuity applies at boundary points as well as

interior points of the domain of f . The only requirement is that each point
(x, y) near (x0 , y0 ) be in the domain of f .
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Example I
Show that the function
(
2xy
x2 +y 2
, (x, y) ̸= (0, 0)
f (x, y) =
0, (x, y) = (0, 0)

is continuous at every point except the origin.

For every point that is not the origin, the limit exists as the limit of rational
functions with non-vanishing denominators is given by substitution. So we
only need to check for continuity at the origin.
We use the two path test first and approach the origin along y = mx, m ̸= 0.
Then
2x(mx) 2m
f (x, y)|y=mx = 2 2
=
x + (mx) 1 + m2
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Example contd...
Thus
2m
lim = lim [f (x, y)|y=mx ] =
(x,y)→(0,0) (x,y)→(0,0) 1 + m2
along y=mx

So the two path test tells us that the limit does not exists. Hence it is not
continuous at the origin.

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An exercise

Define limits and continuity for a real valued function in three real variables.

Define limits and continuity for a real valued function in n real variables for
any n ∈ N.

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Continuity of Composites
If f is continuous at (x0 , y0 ) and g is a single-variable function continuous at
f (x0 , y0 ), then the composite function h = g ◦ f defined by
h(x, y) = g(f (x, y)) is continuous at (x0 , y0 ).

Example:The following functions are continuous:

x2
 
x+y
e , cos ,
x2 + y 2
ex+y+z , ln(x2 + y 2 + z 4 ),
w2
 
sin
x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 1

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Extreme value theorem

Theorem 1
Suppose D ⊂ Rn is a non empty closed and bounded set and

f :D→R

is a continuous function.

Then there exists a point in D where f attains a maximum value, and, as well
as there is a point in D where f attains a minimum value.

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Partial derivatives:
Partial derivatives

17
Partial derivatives in 2D

The partial derivative of f (x, y) with 14.3  Partial Derivatives 8

respect to x at the point (x0 , y0 ) is z

  Vertical axis in
∂f  d  the plane y = y0
= f (x, y0 ) P(x0, y0, f(x0, y0))
∂x (x0 ,y0 ) dx

x=x0 z = f(x, y)
The curve z = f(x, y0)
f (x0 + h, y0 ) − f (x0 , y0 ) in the plane y = y0
= lim
h→0 h Tangent line

0
Alternate notation: fx (x0 , y0 ). x0
y0
x
[For calculations: We treat y as a (x0 + h, y0)
(x0, y0) y

constant and do single variable Horizontal axis in the plane y = y0

differentiation w.r.t. x.] Figure 14.16  The intersection of the plane y = y0

Figure 4: Source:
with the surface z = ƒ(x, y),Thomas’s calculus
viewed from above the first
quadrant of the xy-plane.

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Partial derivatives in 2D
812 Chapter 14: Partial Derivatives
The partial derivative of f (x, y) with
respect to y at the point (x0 , y0 ) is Vertical axis The slope of t
in the plane z plane x = x0 (Figu
x = x0
tangent line to the c
 
∂f  d 
slope. The partial d
= f (x0 , y) x is held fixed at th
∂y (x0 ,y0 ) dx

y=y0 Tangent line The partial der
f (x0 , y0 + h) − f (x0 , y0 ) P(x0, y0, f(x0, y0))
tive with respect to
= lim
h→0 h z = f(x, y)

Notice that we
Alternate notation: fy (x0 , y0 ). 0
the point P(x0, y0, ƒ
x0 y0
face at P? We will
x section, and we wil
[For calculations: We treat x as a (x0, y0) y learn more about pa
constant and do single variable (x0, y0 + k)

differentiation w.r.t. y.] The curve z = f(x0, y)

in the plane
Horizontal axis
in the plane x = x0
x = x0
Th
Figure 14.17  The intersection of the has
Figureplane
5: Source: Thomas’s
x = x0 with the surface z = ƒ(x,calculus
y),
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 Notice that we now have two tangent lines associated with the surface z = ƒ(x, y) at
0
y0
the point P(x0, y0, ƒ(x0, y0)) (Figure 14.18). Is the plane they determine tangent to the sur-
face at P? We will see that it is for the differentiable functions defined at the end of this
Visualization y
section, and we will learn how to find the tangent plane in Section 14.6. First we have to
learn more about partial derivatives themselves.

) z
Horizontal axis
e
in the plane x = x0
0
This tangent line P(x0, y0, f(x0, y0))
The intersection of the has slope fy(x0, y0). This tangent line
he surface z = ƒ(x, y), has slope fx(x0, y0).
the first quadrant of The curve z = f(x0, y)
in the plane x = x0 The curve z = f(x, y0)
in the plane y = y0

z = f(x, y)

y = y0 (x0, y0) x = x0
y
Figure 14.18  Figures 14.16 and 14.17 combined. The tangent
Figure 6: Source: Thomas’s calculus
lines at the point (x0 , y0 , ƒ(x0 , y0)) determine a plane that, in this
picture at least, appears to be tangent to the surface.
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Example I
Find ∂f /∂x and ∂f /∂y at the point (1, 2) when

f (x, y) = 2x2 + 3xy + y − 1

∂f ∂f
= 4x + 3y = 3x + 1
∂x  ∂y
∂f 

=⇒ = 10 ∂f 
∂x  =⇒ =4
(1,2) ∂1 (1,2)

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Example II
Find ∂z/∂x if the equation
yz − ln z = x + y
defines z as a function of two independent variables x and y and the partial
derivatives exists.

∂ ∂
(yz − ln z) = (x + y)
∂x ∂x
∂ ∂ ∂x ∂y
=⇒ (yz) − (ln z) = +
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x
∂z 1 ∂z
=⇒ y − =1+0
∂x z ∂x
∂z z
=⇒ =
∂x yz − 1
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Partial derivatives in higher dimensions

Exercise: How can you generalize the definition of partial derivatives in 2D to

the notion of partial derivatives in higher dimensions?

Hint: It generalizes in the most obvious way.

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Thanks
[email protected]

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