EEM1016 Engineering Mathematics I

Partial Differentiation Tutorial Questions

Basic Concepts (Domain, Range, Graph)

1. Let f ( x, y ) = x 2 e3 xy .
(a). Evaluate f(2,0).
(b). Find and sketch the domain of f.
(c). Find the range of f. [(a).4; (b). R 2 ; (c). [0, ∞ ) ]

2. Let f ( x, y, z ) = ln(25 − x 2 − y 2 − z 2 ).
(a). Evaluate f (2, −2, 4) .
(b). Find sketch the domain of f.
(c). Find the range of f. [(a) 0, (c). ( −∞, ln 25] ]

3. Sketch the graph of the function:

(a). f ( x, y ) = 1 − x − y [plane with intercepts 1, 1, 1]
(b). f ( x, y ) = x 2 + y 2 [cone (upper half)]
(c). f ( x, y ) = 3 − x − y
2 2
[paraboloid]

4. Draw the contour map of the function showing several level curves:
(a). f ( x, y ) = y − ln x [family of logarithmmic curves]
(b). f ( x, y ) = x − y
2 2
[family of hyperbolas]
y
(c). f ( x, y ) = 2 [family of circles]
x + y2

Level Curves and Level Surfaces

5. A thin metal plate, located in the xy-plane, has temperature T(x,y) at the point
(x,y). The level curves of T are called isothermals because at all the points on an
isothermal the temperature is the same. Sketch some isothermals if the temperature
function is given by
100
T ( x, y ) = [family of ellipses]
1 + x2 + 2 y 2

6. If V(x,y) is the electric potential at a point in the xy-plane, then the level curves of
V are called equipotential curves because at all points on such a curve the electric
potential is the same. Sketch some equipotential curves if
c
V ( x, y ) =
r 2 − x2 − y 2
where c is a positive constant. [family of circles]
7. Describe the level surfaces of the function:
(a). f ( x, y, z ) = x 2 + 3 y 2 + 5 z 2 [family of ellipsoids]
 (b). f ( x, y, z ) = x 2 − y 2 + z 2 [family of hyperboloids]

Limit and Continuity

8. Find the limit, if exists, or show that the limit does not exist.
x 2 + sin 2 y
(a). lim [limit does not exist]
( x , y ) →(0,0) 2 x 2 + y 2

x2 + y2
(b). lim [2]
( x , y ) →(0,0)
x2 + y2 + 1 −1
(c). lim e − xy sin(π z / 2) [1]
( x , y , z ) →(3,0,1)

xy + y 3
(d). lim [limit does not exist]
( x , y ) →(0,0) x 2 + y 2

9. Determine the set of points at which the function is continuous:

sin( xy )
(a) f ( x, y ) = x [ {( x, y ) | y ≠ ± e x / 2 } ]
e −y 2

(b). f ( x, y ) = ln( x 2 + y 2 − 4) [ {( x, y ) | x 2 + y 2 > 4} ]

Partial Derivatives
10. Find the indicated partial derivatives.
(a). f (r , s, t ) = r ln(rs 2t 3 ), f rss , f rst [ −2 / s 2 , 0 ]
∂3 z 1
(b). z = u v − w , [ (v − w) −3/ 2 ]
∂u∂v∂w 4

11. Verify that u = exp(−α 2 k 2t ) sin(kx) isa solution of the heat conduction equation
ut = α 2u xx .

12.Verify that the function u ( x, y, z ) = ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ) −1/ 2 is a solution to the three-

dimensional Laplace equation u xx + u yy + u zz = 0.

13. The temperature at a point (x,y) on a flat metal plate is given by

60
T ( x, y ) = ,
1 + x2 + y 2
where T is measured in 0C and x,y in meters. Find the rate of change of
temperature with respect to distance to the point (2,1) in
(a). the x-direction; and [ (−20 / 3) 0C / m ]
(b). the y-direction. [ (−10 / 3) 0C / m ]

14. The total resistance R produced by three conductors with resistance R1 , R2 , R3

Connected in a parallel electrical circuit is given by the formula:
 1 1 1 1 ∂R
= + + , find . [ R 2 / R12 ]
R R1 R2 R3 ∂R1

Tangent Plane and Linear Approximation

15. Find an equation of the tangent plane to the given surface at the specified point:
(a). z = 4 − x 2 − 2 y 2 , (1, −1,1) [ x − 2y + z = 4 ]
(b). z = y ln x, (1, 4, 0) [ z = 4x − 4 ]
(c). z = exp( x 2 − y 2 ), (1, −1,1) [ z = 2 x + 2 y +1 ]

16. (a). Find the linear approximation of the function f ( x, y ) = ln( x − 3 y ) at (7,2) and
use it to approximate f(6.9,2.06). [-0.28]
(b). Find the linear approximation of the function f ( x, y, z ) = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 at
(3,2,6) and use it to approximate the number (3.02) 2 + (1.97) 2 + (5.99) 2 .
[6.9914]
(c). If z = x − xy + 3 y and (x,y) changes from (3,-1) to (2.96,-0.95), compare
2 2

the value of Δz and dz. [ dz = −0.73, Δz = −0.7189 ]

Chain Rule and Implicit Differentiation

17. Use the chain rule to find the indicated partial derivatives:
(a). R = ln(u 2 + v 2 + w2 ), u = x + 2 y, v = 2 x − y, w = 2 xy;
2u + 4v + 4 wy 9
∂R ∂R [ 2 ; ]
, when x = y = 1. u + v 2 + w2 7
∂x ∂y
4u − 2v + 4 wx 9
[ 2 2 , ]
u + v + w2 7

(b). u = x 2 + yz , x = pr cos θ , y = pr sin θ , z = p + r

∂u ∂u ∂u
, , when p = 2, r = 3, θ = 0
∂p ∂r ∂θ
⎡ 2 xr cosθ + zr sin θ + y,36; ⎤
⎢ 2 xp cosθ + zp sin θ + y, 24;⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣⎢ −2 xpr sin θ + zpr cosθ , 30 ⎦⎥
∂z ∂z
18. Use the implicit differentiation to find and :
∂x ∂y
1− 2 y
(a). 2 xy − y 3 − 2 y = x − 1 [ ]
2x − 3y2 − 2
 xz + sin( x + y + z )
(b). xyz = cos( x + y + z ) [− ]
xy + sin( x + y + z )

19. If u = f(x,y), where x = et cos t , y = et sin t , show that

⎡ ⎛ ∂u ⎞ ⎤
2
⎛ ∂u ⎞ ⎛ ∂u ⎞ −2s ⎛ ∂u ⎞
2 2 2

⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ = e ⎢⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
⎝ ∂x ⎠ ⎝ ∂y ⎠ ⎢⎣⎝ ∂s ⎠ ⎝ ∂t ⎠ ⎥⎦

20. The voltage V in a circuit that satisfies the law V = IR is slowly dropping as the
battery wears out. At the same time the resistance R is increasing as the resistor
heats up. Use the chain rule to find how the current is changing at the instant
when R = 600 ohms, I = 0.04 amp, dR/dT = 0.5 ohm/sec, and
dV/dt = -0.01 volt/sec. [ − 0.00005 amps/sec]

Critical (Stationary) Points

21. Find the local maximum and minimum values and saddle points of the function.
(a) f ( x, y ) = 3 x 2 y + y 3 − 3 x 2 − 3 y 2 + 2 . [(0,0) local max.; (0,2) local min;
(±1,1) saddle points]
If we modify the given function to
f ( x, y ) = 3 x 2 y − 9 y 2 − x 2 + 1 ,
what will happen to the critical points? [(0,0) inconclusive; (±1,1/3) saddle points]

(b) f ( x, y ) = ( x − 1)e xy [(0,1) , a saddle point]

22. Find the absolute maximum and minimum values of f on the set D.
(a) f ( x, y ) = 3 + xy − x − 2 y , D is the closed triangular region with vertices (1,0), (2,0)
and (1,4). [abs.max. f(1,0)=f(3,2)=2; abs.min f(1,4)=f(5,0)=-2]

(b) f ( x, y ) = xy 2 , D = {( x, y ) | x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0, x 2 + y 2 ≤ 3} . [abs.max 2; abs. min. 0]

23. Use Lagrange multipliers to find the maximum and minimum values of the function
subject to the given constraint.
(a) f ( x, y ) = 4 x + 6 y ; x 2 + y 2 = 13 . [max f(2,3)=26; min. f(-2,-3)=-26]
(b) f ( x, y , z ) = xyz ; x 2 + 2 y 2 + 3z 2 = 6 . [max. 2 / 3 , min. . −2 / 3 ]

24. The temperature of a point (x,y) on a unit circle is given by T(x,y) =kxy, where k is a
positive constant. Find the temperature of the hottest points on the circular disk with
radius a.
(
[ ka 2 / 2 at ± a / 2, ± a / 2 ] )