CHAPTER2 MAT455

2. FUNCTIONS OF SEVERAL VARIABLES

2.0 REVIEW
So far we have dealt with the calculus of functions of a single variable. But, in the
real world, physical quantities often depend on two or more variables, so in this
chapter we turn our attention to functions of several variables and extend the basic
ideas of differential calculus to such functions.

Example 1
i) y = f(x) is a function with one variable where x is the independent
variable and y is the dependent variable
eg: Vsphere = V is a function in r = volume depends on the radius

ii) z = f(x , y) is a function with two variables where x and y are the
independent variables and z is the dependent variable
eg: Vcylinder = V is a function in r and h = volume depends on the radius and the height

iii) V = f(w , l , h) is a function with three variables where w, l and h are the
independent variables and V is the dependent variable
eg: Vbox = wlh V is a function in w, l and h = volume depends on the width, length and the height

2.1 The geometric functions of several variables

A line x + y = 1 in R2 A plane x + y = 1 in R3

A parabola y = x2 in R2 y = x2 in R3

A plane 2x + y + 3z = 4 in R3, in the first A paraboloid z = x2 + y2 in R3

octant. (since all coefficients are positive)

A circle (x-1)2 + (y-2)2 = 25 in R2 A sphere (x-1)2 + (y-2)2 + (z-3)2 = 25 in

(centered at (1 , 2) with radius 5) R3
(centered at (1 , 2 , 3) with radius 5)

A cone z2 = x2 + y2 in R3 A cylinder x2 + y2 = 9

2.2 Partial Derivatives

Definition 1
If f is a function of two variables x and y, then its partial derivatives are the functions
fx and fy defined by

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 CHAPTER2 MAT455

( ) ( )
fx (x , y) = fx =
( ) ( )
fy (x , y) = fy =
Tips for finding Partial Derivatives of z = f(x , y):
1. To find fx , regard y as a constant and differentiate f(x , y) with respect to x.
2. To find fy , regard x as a constant and differentiate f(x , y) with respect to y.

Example 2
If f(x , y) = x3 + x2y3 – 2y2 , find fx(2 , 1) and fy(2 , 1).

2.3 Rules of Partial Derivatives

1. ( ) ; ( )

2. ( ) ; ( )

3. ( ) ; ( )

2.4 Higher-order Partial Derivatives

If f is a function of two variables, then its partial derivatives fx and fy are also
functions of two variables, so we can consider their partial derivatives (fx)x , (fx)y ,
(fy)x and (fy)y , which are called the second partial derivatives of f.

Notations: If z = f(x , y),

(fx)x = fxx = ( )

(fx)y = fxy = ( )

(fy)x = fyx = ( )

(fy)y = fyy = ( )

Example 3
Find the second partial derivatives of

f(x , y) = x3 + x2y3 – 2y2

Note: fxy = fyx if f is continuous

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