MATB21 Flervariabelanalys 1

Spring 2016

Centre for Mathematical Sciences

Mathematics, Faculty of Science

Exercise sheet 2

Exercises.
1. Solve the differential equation

∂f ∂f
−3 =0
∂x ∂y

by introducing the new variables u = ax + y, v = x, and choosing the constant a

appropriately.

2. Solve for x > 0 and y > 0 the differential equation

∂f ∂f
x +y =y
∂x ∂y

by introducing new variables u, v by x = u and y = u/v.

3. (a) Prove that the function f (x, y) = ex+2y is differentiable at the point (1, 0) (i)
using the definition of differentiability (ii) using an appropriate theorem.
(b) The same question for g(x, y) = sin(xy) at the point (0, 0).
(c) Prove that the function
(
xy
x2 +y 2
(x, y) 6= (0, 0)
u(x, y) =
0 (x, y) = (0, 0)

is not differentiable at (0, 0) (i) using the definition of differentiability (ii) using an
appropriate theorem.

4. Consider a function f (x, y) of two variables. Why do we write ”∂f /∂x” for the partial
derivative and not ”df /dx”, like in the 1-variable case?
 
5. Let f (u, v) be a differentiable function and put h(x, y, z) = f xy , yz , y > 0, z > 0.
Prove that h is homogeneous of degree 0, i.e., h(tx) = t0 h(x) for t > 0 and x ∈ R3 .
Then compute the expression

∂h ∂h ∂h
x +y +z .
∂x ∂y ∂z

Please, turn over!

 p
6. Suppose that f (x, y) only depends on r = x2 + y 2 , i.e., f (x, y) = g(r) where
g is a function of one variable. (f is then called a radial function.) Prove that
∂2 ∂2
∆f (x, y) = g 00 (r) + 1r g 0 (r), where ∆ = ∂x2 + ∂y 2 is the Laplacian. Use the result to

determine the general solution to the differential equation ∆f (x, y) = x2 + y 2 .

Remark. In Example 10, Section 12.5, the general expression for the Laplacian in
∂2 1 ∂ 1 ∂2
polar coordinates is given: ∆ = ∂r 2 + r ∂r + r 2 ∂θ 2 . It is a good exercise to read the
derivation of this formula.

7. Determine the general solution to the wave equation u00tt = c2 u00xx by introducing the
new variables ξ = x + ct, η = x − ct.

8. Let u(x, t) be a (C 2 -smooth) function which solves the following so-called Cauchy
problem for the wave equation

00 2 00 x ∈ R, t > 0,
utt = c uxx

u(x, 0) = f (x) x ∈ R,

 0
ut (x, 0) = g(x) x ∈ R,

where f and g are given (sufficiently smooth) functions. Use the result in Exercise
6 to show that
1 x+ct
Z
1
u(x, t) = (f (x + ct) + f (x − ct)) + g(s) ds.
2 2c x−ct

This is the famous D’Alembert formula for the solution to Cauchy’s problem. It tells
how a wave propagates, if the form and velocity of the wave is known at the initial
time t = 0.
Calculate u(x, t) if f (x) = sin x and g(x) = cos x?

Answers.
1. a = 3 and f (x, y) = φ(3x + y) where φ is an arbitrary differentiable function.

2. f (x, y) = y + φ(x/y) where φ is an arbitrary differentiable one-variable function.

5. 0.
1 4
6. g(r) = 16 r + A ln r + B.

7. u(x, t) = Φ(x + ct) + Ψ(x − ct) where Φ and Ψ are arbitrary (twice differentiable)
functions.

8. u(x, t) = 12 1 − 1c sin(x + ct) + 21 1 + 1c sin(x − ct).