Calculus 3

Lia Vas

Partial Derivatives
Let z = f (x, y) be a function of two variables. The partial derivative of z with respect to x
is obtained by regarding y as a constant and differentiating z with respect to x. Notation:

∂z
zx or .
∂x
The derivative zx at a point (x0 , y0 , z0 ) on the
surface z = f (x, y), represent the rate of change
of function z = f (x, y0 ) in the direction of x-
axis. This value is the slope of the line tangent to
the curve obtained by intersection of the surface
z = f (x, y) and the vertical plane y = y0 .
The vector on the above figure has coordinates h1, 0, zx i. The coordinate values signify the fact
that if x values change by 1 unit and y-values do not change (or change by 0 units), the value of the
function changes by zx units.
The partial derivative of z with respect to y is obtained by regarding x as a constant and
differentiating z with respect to y. Notation:

∂z
zy or .
∂y
This derivative at a point (x0 , y0 , z0 ) on the sur-
face z = f (x, y), representthe rate of change of
function z = f (x0 , y) in the direction of x-axis.
This value is the slope of the line tangent to
the curve obtained by intersection of the surface
z = f (x, y) and the vertical plane x = x0 .
The vector on the above figure has coordinates h0, 1, zy i. The coordinate values signify the fact
that if y values change by 1 unit and x-values do not change (or change by 0 units), the value of the
function changes by zy units.
The second partial derivatives can be found by differentiating the first partial derivatives.
Differentiating zx with respect to x produces

∂ 2z
!
∂ ∂z
(zx )x = zxx = =
∂x ∂x ∂x2

and with respect to y produces

∂ 2z
!
∂ ∂z
(zx )y = zxy = = .
∂y ∂x ∂y∂x
 Differentiating zy with respect to x produces

∂ 2z
!
∂ ∂z
(zy )x = zyx = =
∂x ∂y ∂x∂y

and with respect to y produces

∂ 2z
!
∂ ∂z
(zy )y = zyy = = .
∂y ∂y ∂y 2

If zxy and zyx are both continuous, then

zxy = zyx .

In this case, differentiating zx with respect to y and zy with respect to x produces the same result.

Practice problems. Find the first and the second partial derivatives.

1. z = 3x2 + 2xy − 5y 2 2. z = ex sin y

2 −xy
3. z = ex 4. z = x ln(xy 2 )
2 −xy
5. z = ax2 ex where a is a constant (“PChem problem”).
∂z
6. Assuming that a is also a variable in the previous problem, find ∂a
.

Solutions.

1. zx = 6x + 2y, zy = 2x − 10y, zxx = 6, zxy = zyx = 2, zyy = −10.

2. zx = ex sin y, zy = ex cos y, zxx = ex sin y, zxy = zyx = ex cos y, zyy = −ex sin y.
2 2 2 −xy 2 −xy 2 −xy
3. zx = ex −xy (2x −y), zy = ex −xy (−x), zxx = ex (2x−y)2 +ex (2), zxy = zyx = ex (2x−
2 2
y)(−x) − ex −xy , zyy = ex −xy x2 .
2 y2
y 2xy 2x −2x
4. zx = ln(xy 2 ) + x xy 2
2 = ln(xy ) + 1, zy = x xy 2 = y
, zxx = xy 2
= x1 , zxy = zyx = y2 , zyy = y2
.
2 2 2 −xy
5. zx = 2axex −xy + ax2 ex −xy (2x − y) = a(2x + 2x3 − x2 y)ex ,
2 2
zy = ax2 ex −xy (−x) = −ax3 ex −xy .
2 2 −xy
Then zxx = a(2 + 6x2 − 2xy)ex −xy + a(2x + 2x3 − x2 y)ex (2x − y) and
2 2
zyy = −ax3 ex −xy (−x) = ax4 ex −xy .
2
To find zxy , either differentiate zx with respect to y and get zxy = a(−x2 )ex −xy + a(2x + 2x3 −
2 2 2
x2 y)ex −xy (−x) = a(−x2 − 2x2 − 2x4 + x3 y)ex −xy = a(−3x2 − 2x4 + x3 y)ex −xy
2 −xy 2 −xy
or differentiate zy with respect to x and get zxy = −3ax2 ex − ax3 ex (2x − y) = a(−3x2 −
2
2x4 + x3 y)ex −xy
2 −xy ∂z 2 −xy
6. z = ax2 ex ⇒ ∂a
= x2 e x