PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL

Partial Derivative:
If u is said to be a function of the two independent variables x and y and this is denoted by
u = f ( x, y ). The result of differentiating u = f ( x, y ) with respect to x, treating y as a constant, is
called the partial derivative of u with respect to x and is denoted by one of the symbols
u f
, , f x ( x, y ).
x x
Some illustrative example:

1. Find f xx , f xy , f yx , f yy for the function x3 + 3x 2 y + 3xy2 + y 3

Sol: f ( x, y ) = x3 + 3x 2 y + 3xy2 + y 3

Diff. f ( x, y ) w.r.t. x , f x = 3 x 2 + 6 xy + 3 y 2

Diff. again f x w.r.t. x , we get f xx = 6 x + 6 y

Diff. again f x w.r.t. y , we get f yx = 6 x + 6 y

Now Diff. f ( x, y ) w.r.t. y , f y = 3x 2 + 6 xy + 3 y 2

Diff. again f y w.r.t. x , we get f xy = 6 x + 6 y

and Diff. again f y w.r.t. y , we get f yy = 6 x + 6 y

2. Find f xx , f xy , f yx , f yy for the function f ( x, y) = log( x 2 y + xy2 )

Sol: Given that, f ( x, y) = log ( x 2 y + xy 2 )

2 xy + y 2 2x + y
 fx = 2 = 2
( x y + xy ) x + xy
2

x 2 + 2 xy x + 2y
 fy = =
( x y + xy ) xy + y 2
2 2

( x 2 + xy).2 − (2 x + y).( 2 x + y)
Now, differentiating f x w. r. t. x , we get f xx =
( x 2 + xy) 2

2 x 2 + 2 xy − 4 x 2 − 4 xy − y 2 − 2 x 2 − 2 xy − y 2
= =
( x 2 + xy) 2 ( x 2 + xy) 2

− x 2 − ( x 2 + 2 xy + y 2 ) − x2 ( x + y) 2 −1 1
= = 2 − 2 = − 2.
( x + xy)
2 2
x ( x + y) 2
x ( x + y) 2
( x + y) 2
x
 ( x 2 + xy).1 − (2 x + y)( x) − x2 −1
f yx = = =
( x + xy)
2 2
( x + xy)
2 2
( x + y) 2

( xy + y 2 ).1 − ( x + 2 y). y − y2 −1
f xy = = =
( xy + y ) 2 2
( xy + y )
2 2
( x + y) 2

2( xy + y 2 ) − ( x + 2 y )( x + 2 y ) 2 xy + 2 y 2 − 4 xy − x 2 − 4 y 2
f yy = =
( xy + y 2 ) 2 ( xy + y 2 ) 2
− x 2 − 2 xy − 2 y 2 − y 2 − x 2 − 2 xy − y 2 −1 1
= = = − 2
y ( x + y)
2 2
y ( x + y)
2 2
( x + y) 2
y

3. If u = f (xyz) , Show that xux = yu y = zu z

Sol: Given that, u = f (xyz)

u x = f ( xyz) yz

u y = f ( xyz) zx

uz = f ( xyz) xy

Now xux = yu y = zu z = xyzf (xyz)

 xux = yu y = zu z . (Showed)

x y u u
4. If u = sin −1 + tan −1 , show that x +y =0
y x x y

x y
Sol: Given that, u = sin −1 + tan −1
y x

u 1 1 1 −y y 1 x2 y
= . + .( 2 ) = ( )+ 2 (− 2 )
x x y y x (y2 − x2 ) y x +y 2
x
1 − ( )2 1 + ( )2
y x

1 y
= −
( y2 − x2 ) x + y2
2

u x xy
 x = − 2
x (y − x ) x + y
2 2 2
 u 1 x 1 1 − xy x
= (− )+ ( ) = +
y x2 y2 2
y x y 2
(y − x )
2 2 x + y2
2

1− 1+ 2
y2 x

u x xy
 y =− + 2
y ( y2 − x2 ) x + y
2

u u x xy x xy
Now x +y = − 2 − + 2 = 0 (Showed)
x y ( y2 − x2 ) x + y
2
( y2 − x2 ) x + y
2

 2u  2u
5. Show that + = 0 if u = e x ( x cos y − y sin y)
x 2 y 2

Sol: Given that, u = e x ( x cos y − y sin y)

u
= e x ( x cos y − y sin y ) + e x (cos y )
x

 2u
= e x ( x cos y − y sin y ) + 2e x (cos y )
x 2

u
= e x (− x sin y − sin y − y cos y )
y

 2u
= e x (− x cos y − 2 cos y + y sin y)
y 2

 2u  2u
 + 2 = e x ( x cos y − y sin y) + 2e x (cos y) + e x (− x cos y − 2 cos y + y sin y)
x y
2

= e x ( x cos y − y sin y + 2 cos y − x cos y − 2 cos y + y sin y) = 0 (Showed)

 3u
6. If u = e xyz , prove that = (1 + 3xyz + x 2 y 2 z 2 )e xyz
xyz

u
Sol: Given that, u = e xyz  = e xyz yx
z

 2u
= e xyz x 2 yz + e xyz x
yz

 3u
= e xyz x 2 y 2 z 2 + e xyz 2 xyz + e xyz xyz + e xyz
xyz

= e xyz ( x 2 y 2 z 2 + 2 xyz + xyz + 1) = (1 + 3xyz + x 2 y 2 z 2 )e xyz (Proved)

  2u
7. If u = ax 2 + by 2 + cz 2 + 2 fyz + 2 gzx + 2hxy and  x 2 = 0, then show that a + b + c = 0
Sol: Given that u = ax 2 + by 2 + cz 2 + 2 fyz + 2 gzx + 2hxy

u
= 2ax + 2 gz + 2hy
x

 2u
= 2a
x 2

 2u
Similarly, = 2b
y 2

 2u
= 2c
z 2

 2u  2 u  2u  2u
Again given that  x 2
=0 i.e. + +
x 2 y 2 z 2
=0

 2(a + b + c) = 0  (a + b + c) = 0 (Showed)

 2u  2u  2u
8. If u = log r and r 2 = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 , prove that r 2 ( + + ) =1
x 2 y 2 z 2

Sol: Given u = log r and r 2 = x 2 + y 2 + z 2

1
 u = log r = log( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )1 2 = log( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )
2

u 1 1 x
= . 2 .2 x = 2
x 2 x + y + z
2 2
x + y2 + z2

 2 u ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ).1 − x.2 x y2 + z2 − x2
= =
x 2 (x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )2

u 1 1 y
= . 2 .2 y = 2
y 2 x + y + z
2 2
x + y2 + z2

 2 u ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ).1 − y.2 y x2 + z 2 − y2
= =
y 2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2

u z
= 2
z x + y 2 + z 2

 2u x2 + y 2 − z 2
=
z 2 ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ) 2
  2u  2u  2u 2 y +z −x +x +z − y +x + y −z
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Now, L.S. r 2 ( + + ) = r ( )
x 2 y 2 z 2 ( x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2

1 1
= r2( ) = ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ). 2 =1
x +y +z
2 2 2
(x + y2 + z2 )

 2u  2u  2u
r 2 ( + + ) =1 (Proved)
x 2 y 2 z 2

2 y 2  y
2
9. If y = f ( x + ct ) +  ( x − ct ) prove that = c
t 2 x 2

Sol: Given y = f ( x + ct ) +  ( x − ct )

y
= f ( x + ct ).c +  ( x − ct ).( −c)
t

2 y
= f ( x + ct ).c 2 +  ( x − ct ).c 2  (і)
t 2

y
= f ( x + ct ).1 +  ( x − ct ).1
x

2 y
= f ( x + ct ).1 +  ( x − ct ).1  (іі)
x 2

2 y 2  y
2
From (і) and (іі) we see that = c (Showed)
t 2 x 2