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.