CALCULUS III

Here are my online notes for my Calculus III course that I teach here at Lamar
University. Despite the fact that these are my “class notes”, they should be accessible to
anyone wanting to learn Calculus III or needing a refresher in some of the topics from
the class.

These notes do assume that the reader has a good working knowledge of Calculus I
topics including limits, derivatives and integration. It also assumes that the reader has a
good knowledge of several Calculus II topics including some integration techniques,
parametric equations, vectors, and knowledge of three dimensional space.

Here are a couple of warnings to my students who may be here to get a copy of what
happened on a day that you missed.

1. Because I wanted to make this a fairly complete set of notes for anyone wanting
to learn calculus III have included some material that I do not usually have time
to cover in class and because this changes from semester to semester it is not
noted here. You will need to find one of your fellow class mates to see if there is
something in these notes that wasn’t covered in class.

2. Because I want these notes to provide some more examples for you to read
through, I don’t always work the same problems in class as those given in the
notes. Likewise, even if I do work some of the problems in here I may work fewer
problems in class than are presented here.

3. Sometimes questions in class will lead down paths that are not covered here. I
try to anticipate as many of the questions as possible when writing these up, but
the reality is that I can’t anticipate all the questions. Sometimes a very good
question gets asked in class that leads to insights that I’ve not included here. You
should always talk to someone who was in class on the day you missed and
compare these notes to their notes and see what the differences are.

4. This is somewhat related to the previous three items, but is important enough to
merit its own item. THESE NOTES ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR ATTENDING
CLASS!! Using these notes as a substitute for class is liable to get you in trouble.
As already noted not everything in these notes is covered in class and often
material or insights not in these notes is covered in class.

Here is a listing (and brief description) of the material that is in this set of notes.
3-Dimensional Space - In this chapter we will start looking at three dimensional
space. This chapter is generally prep work for Calculus III and so we will cover
the standard 3D coordinate system as well as a couple of alternative coordinate
systems. We will also discuss how to find the equations of lines and planes in
three dimensional space. We will look at some standard 3D surfaces and their
equations. In addition we will introduce vector functions and some of their
applications (tangent and normal vectors, arc length, curvature and velocity and
acceleration).
The 3-D Coordinate System – In this section we will introduce the standard
three dimensional coordinate system as well as some common notation and
concepts needed to work in three dimensions.
Equations of Lines – In this section we will derive the vector form and
parametric form for the equation of lines in three dimensional space. We will also
give the symmetric equations of lines in three dimensional space. Note as well
that while these forms can also be useful for lines in two dimensional space.
Equations of Planes – In this section we will derive the vector and scalar
equation of a plane. We also show how to write the equation of a plane from
three points that lie in the plane.
Quadric Surfaces – In this section we will be looking at some examples of
quadric surfaces. Some examples of quadric surfaces are cones, cylinders,
ellipsoids, and elliptic paraboloids.
Functions of Several Variables – In this section we will give a quick review of
some important topics about functions of several variables. In particular we will
discuss finding the domain of a function of several variables as well as level
curves, level surfaces and traces.
Vector Functions – In this section we introduce the concept of vector functions
concentrating primarily on curves in three dimensional space. We will however,
touch briefly on surfaces as well. We will illustrate how to find the domain of a
vector function and how to graph a vector function. We will also show a simple
relationship between vector functions and parametric equations that will be very
useful at times.
Calculus with Vector Functions – In this section here we discuss how to do
basic calculus, i.e. limits, derivatives and integrals, with vector functions.
Tangent, Normal and Binormal Vectors – In this section we will define the
tangent, normal and binormal vectors.
Arc Length with Vector Functions – In this section we will extend the arc
length formula we used early in the material to include finding the arc length of a
vector function. As we will see the new formula really is just an almost natural
extension of one we’ve already seen.
Curvature – In this section we give two formulas for computing the curvature (i.e.
how fast the function is changing at a given point) of a vector function.
Velocity and Acceleration – In this section we will revisit a standard application
of derivatives, the velocity and acceleration of an object whose position function
is given by a vector function. For the acceleration we give formulas for both the
normal acceleration and the tangential acceleration.
Cylindrical Coordinates – In this section we will define the cylindrical coordinate
system, an alternate coordinate system for the three dimensional coordinate
system. As we will see cylindrical coordinates are really nothing more than a very
natural extension of polar coordinates into a three dimensional setting.
Spherical Coordinates – In this section we will define the spherical coordinate
system, yet another alternate coordinate system for the three dimensional
coordinate system. This coordinates system is very useful for dealing with
spherical objects. We will derive formulas to convert between cylindrical
coordinates and spherical coordinates as well as between Cartesian and
spherical coordinates (the more useful of the two).

Partial Derivatives - In this chapter we’ll take a brief look at limits of functions of
more than one variable and then move into derivatives of functions of more than
one variable. As we’ll see if we can do derivatives of functions with one variable it
isn’t much more difficult to do derivatives of functions of more than one variable
(with a very important subtlety). We will also discuss interpretations of partial
derivatives, higher order partial derivatives and the chain rule as applied to
functions of more than one variable. We will also define and discuss directional
derivatives.
Limits – In the section we’ll take a quick look at evaluating limits of functions of
several variables. We will also see a fairly quick method that can be used, on
occasion, for showing that some limits do not exist.
Partial Derivatives – In this section we will look at the idea of partial derivatives.
We will give the formal definition of the partial derivative as well as the standard
notations and how to compute them in practice (i.e. without the use of the
definition). As you will see if you can do derivatives of functions of one variable
you won’t have much of an issue with partial derivatives. There is only one (very
important) subtlety that you need to always keep in mind while computing partial
derivatives.
Interpretations of Partial Derivatives – In the section we will take a look at a
couple of important interpretations of partial derivatives. First, the always
important, rate of change of the function. Although we now have multiple
‘directions’ in which the function can change (unlike in Calculus I). We will also
 see that partial derivatives give the slope of tangent lines to the traces of the
function.
Higher Order Partial Derivatives – In the section we will take a look at higher
order partial derivatives. Unlike Calculus I however, we will have multiple second
order derivatives, multiple third order derivatives, etc. because we are now
working with functions of multiple variables. We will also discuss Clairaut’s
Theorem to help with some of the work in finding higher order derivatives.
Differentials – In this section we extend the idea of differentials we first saw in
Calculus I to functions of several variables.
Chain Rule – In the section we extend the idea of the chain rule to functions of
several variables. In particular, we will see that there are multiple variants to the
chain rule here all depending on how many variables our function is dependent
on and how each of those variables can, in turn, be written in terms of different
variables. We will also give a nice method for writing down the chain rule for
pretty much any situation you might run into when dealing with functions of
multiple variables. In addition, we will derive a very quick way of doing implicit
differentiation so we no longer need to go through the process we first did back in
Calculus I.
Directional Derivatives – In the section we introduce the concept of directional
derivatives. With directional derivatives we can now ask how a function is
changing if we allow all the independent variables to change rather than holding
all but one constant as we had to do with partial derivatives. In addition, we will
define the gradient vector to help with some of the notation and work here. The
gradient vector will be very useful in some later sections as well. We will also give
a nice fact that will allow us to determine the direction in which a given function is
changing the fastest.

Applications of Partial Derivatives - In this chapter we will take a look at

several applications of partial derivatives. We will find the equation of tangent
planes to surfaces and we will revisit on of the more important applications of
derivatives from earlier Calculus classes. We will spend a significant amount of
time finding relative and absolute extrema of functions of multiple variables. We
will also introduce Lagrange multipliers to find the absolute extrema of a function
subject to one or more constraints.
Tangent Planes and Linear Approximations – In this section formally define just what
a tangent plane to a surface is and how we use partial derivatives to find the equations
of tangent planes to surfaces that can be written as
z
=
f
(
x
,
y
)
�=�(�,�)
. We will also see how tangent planes can be thought of as a linear
approximation to the surface at a given point.
Gradient Vector, Tangent Planes and Normal Lines – In this section discuss
how the gradient vector can be used to find tangent planes to a much more
general function than in the previous section. We will also define the normal line
and discuss how the gradient vector can be used to find the equation of the
normal line.
Relative Minimums and Maximums – In this section we will define critical
points for functions of two variables and discuss a method for determining if they
are relative minimums, relative maximums or saddle points (i.e. neither a relative
minimum or relative maximum).
Absolute Minimums and Maximums – In this section we will how to find the
absolute extrema of a function of two variables when the independent variables
are only allowed to come from a region that is bounded (i.e. no part of the region
goes out to infinity) and closed (i.e. all of the points on the boundary are valid
points that can be used in the process).
Lagrange Multipliers – In this section we’ll see discuss how to use the method
of Lagrange Multipliers to find the absolute minimums and maximums of
functions of two or three variables in which the independent variables are subject
to one or more constraints. We also give a brief justification for how/why the
method works.

Multiple Integrals - In this chapter will be looking at double integrals, i.e.

integrating functions of two variables in which the independent variables are from
two dimensional regions, and triple integrals, i.e. integrating functions of three
variables in which the independent variables are from three dimensional regions.
Included will be double integrals in polar coordinates and triple integrals in
cylindrical and spherical coordinates and more generally change in variables in
double and triple integrals.
Double Integrals – In this section we will formally define the double integral as
well as giving a quick interpretation of the double integral.
Iterated Integrals – In this section we will show how Fubini’s Theorem can be
used to evaluate double integrals where the region of integration is a rectangle.
Double Integrals over General Regions – In this section we will start evaluating
double integrals over general regions, i.e. regions that aren’t rectangles. We will
illustrate how a double integral of a function can be interpreted as the net volume of the
solid between the surface given by the function and the
x
y
��
-plane.
Double Integrals in Polar Coordinates – In this section we will look at converting
integrals (including
d
A
��
) in Cartesian coordinates into Polar coordinates. The regions of integration in
these cases will be all or portions of disks or rings and so we will also need to
convert the original Cartesian limits for these regions into Polar coordinates.
Triple Integrals – In this section we will define the triple integral. We will also
illustrate quite a few examples of setting up the limits of integration from the three
dimensional region of integration. Getting the limits of integration is often the
difficult part of these problems.
Triple Integrals in Cylindrical Coordinates – In this section we will look at converting
integrals (including
d
V
��
) in Cartesian coordinates into Cylindrical coordinates. We will also be converting
the original Cartesian limits for these regions into Cylindrical coordinates.
Triple Integrals in Spherical Coordinates – In this section we will look at converting
integrals (including
d
V
��
) in Cartesian coordinates into Spherical coordinates. We will also be converting
the original Cartesian limits for these regions into Spherical coordinates.
Change of Variables – In previous sections we’ve converted Cartesian coordinates in
Polar, Cylindrical and Spherical coordinates. In this section we will generalize this idea
and discuss how we convert integrals in Cartesian coordinates into alternate coordinate
systems. Included will be a derivation of the
d
V
��
conversion formula when converting to Spherical coordinates.
Surface Area – In this section we will show how a double integral can be used to
determine the surface area of the portion of a surface that is over a region in two
dimensional space.
Area and Volume Revisited – In this section we summarize the various area
and volume formulas from this chapter.

Line Integrals - In this chapter we will introduce a new kind of integral : Line
Integrals. With Line Integrals we will be integrating functions of two or more
variables where the independent variables now are defined by curves rather than
regions as with double and triple integrals. We will also investigate conservative
vector fields and discuss Green’s Theorem in this chapter.
Vector Fields – In this section we introduce the concept of a vector field and give
several examples of graphing them. We also revisit the gradient that we first saw
a few chapters ago.
Line Integrals – Part I – In this section we will start off with a quick review of
parameterizing curves. This is a skill that will be required in a great many of the
line integrals we evaluate and so needs to be understood. We will then formally
define the first kind of line integral we will be looking at : line integrals with
respect to arc length.
Line Integrals – Part II – In this section we will continue looking at line integrals and
define the second kind of line integral we’ll be looking at : line integrals with respect to
x
�
,
y
�
, and/or
z
�
. We also introduce an alternate form of notation for this kind of line integral that
will be useful on occasion.
Line Integrals of Vector Fields – In this section we will define the third type of
line integrals we’ll be looking at : line integrals of vector fields. We will also see
that this particular kind of line integral is related to special cases of the line
integrals with respect to x, y and z.
Fundamental Theorem for Line Integrals – In this section we will give the
fundamental theorem of calculus for line integrals of vector fields. This will
illustrate that certain kinds of line integrals can be very quickly computed. We will
also give quite a few definitions and facts that will be useful.
Conservative Vector Fields – In this section we will take a more detailed look at
conservative vector fields than we’ve done in previous sections. We will also
discuss how to find potential functions for conservative vector fields.
Green’s Theorem – In this section we will discuss Green’s Theorem as well as
an interesting application of Green’s Theorem that we can use to find the area of
a two dimensional region.

Surface Integrals - In this chapter we look at yet another kind on integral :

Surface Integrals. With Surface Integrals we will be integrating functions of two or
more variables where the independent variables are now on the surface of three
dimensional solids. We will also look at Stokes’ Theorem and the Divergence
Theorem.
Curl and Divergence – In this section we will introduce the concepts of the curl
and the divergence of a vector field. We will also give two vector forms of Green’s
Theorem and show how the curl can be used to identify if a three dimensional
vector field is conservative field or not.
Parametric Surfaces – In this section we will take a look at the basics of
representing a surface with parametric equations. We will also see how the
parameterization of a surface can be used to find a normal vector for the surface
(which will be very useful in a couple of sections) and how the parameterization
can be used to find the surface area of a surface.
Surface Integrals – In this section we introduce the idea of a surface integral.
With surface integrals we will be integrating over the surface of a solid. In other
words, the variables will always be on the surface of the solid and will never
come from inside the solid itself. Also, in this section we will be working with the
first kind of surface integrals we’ll be looking at in this chapter : surface integrals
of functions.
Surface Integrals of Vector Fields – In this section we will introduce the
concept of an oriented surface and look at the second kind of surface integral
we’ll be looking at : surface integrals of vector fields.
Stokes’ Theorem – In this section we will discuss Stokes’ Theorem.
Divergence Theorem – In this section we will discuss the Divergence Theorem.