Multivariate calculus solutions
1. Solve all the questions in best possible way related to Basic Multivariate Calculus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
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1.
Solve all the questions in best possible way related to Basic Multivariate Calculus
Let me do them one by one, slowly and clearly.
1. Continuity of
⎧y sin 1 , x
f (x, y) = ⎨
= 0,
⎩0,
x
x=0
at (0, 0) using the ε–δ definition.
We must show
lim f (x, y) = f (0, 0) = 0.
(x,y)→(0,0)
For x 0,
=
∣f (x, y)∣ = ∣y sin x1 ∣ ≤ ∣y∣ ⋅ ∣ sin x1 ∣ ≤ ∣y∣
because ∣ sin(⋅)∣ ≤ 1.
Take any ε> 0.
Choose δ = ε.
If x2 + y 2 < δ , then in particular ∣y∣ < δ = ε. Hence
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∣f (x, y) − 0∣ ≤ ∣y∣ < ε.
Thus for every ε> 0 there is δ > 0 such that
x2 y2
+ < δ ⇒ ∣f (x, y) − f (0, 0)∣ < ε.
So f is continuous at (0, 0).
2. Tangent plane and normal line to the cone z 2 = x2 + y 2 at
(3, 4, 5)
Write the surface as level set of
F (x, y, z) = z 2 − x2 − y 2 = 0.
Then
∇F (x, y, z) = (−2x, −2y, 2z).
At the point (3, 4, 5),
∇F (3, 4, 5) = (−6, −8, 10)
is a normal vector to the tangent plane.
Tangent plane
Equation:
−6(x − 3) − 8(y − 4) + 10(z − 5) = 0.
Simplify:
−6x + 18 − 8y + 32 + 10z − 50 = 0
−6x − 8y + 10z = 0
divide by −2:
3x + 4y − 5z = 0.
So the tangent plane is
3x + 4y − 5z = 0 or z = 35 x + 45 y.
Normal line
A normal line through (3, 4, 5) with direction (−6, −8, 10) is
x = 3 − 6t, y = 4 − 8t, z = 5 + 10t, t ∈ R.
(Any non-zero scalar multiple of this direction is fine.)
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3. fx , fy exist at (0, 0) for f (x, y)
= ∣xy∣ but f is not
differentiable at (0, 0)
Partial derivatives at (0, 0)
By definition,
f (h, 0) − f (0, 0)
fx (0, 0) = lim
.
h→0 h
But f (h, 0) = ∣h ⋅ 0∣ = 0 and f (0, 0) = 0. So
0−0
fx (0, 0) = lim
= 0.
h→0 h
Similarly,
f (0, k) − f (0, 0) 0−0
fy (0, 0) = lim
= lim = 0.
k→0 k k→0 k
Thus both partial derivatives exist and equal 0.
Not differentiable at (0, 0)
If f were differentiable at (0, 0), with gradient
∇f (0, 0) = (fx (0, 0), fy (0, 0)) = (0, 0), we must have
f (h, k) − 0
lim = 0.
h2 + k 2
(h,k)→(0,0)
Take the path k = h (i.e. y = x). For h =
0,
f (h, h) = ∣h ⋅ h∣ = h2 = ∣h∣.
Also h2 + k 2 = h2 + h2 = ∣h∣ 2. Therefore
f (h, h) ∣h∣ 1
= = = 0.
h2 + k 2 ∣h∣ 2 2
So the above limit is not 0. Hence f is not differentiable at (0, 0).
4. For
⎧ xy(x − y ) , (x, y)
2 2
f (x, y) = ⎨ x2 + y 2
= (0, 0),
⎩
0, (x, y) = (0, 0),
show that at the origin fxy = fyx .
First partial derivatives at (0, 0)
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For fx (0, 0):
f (h, 0) − f (0, 0)
fx (0, 0) = lim
.
h→0 h
But for any h, f (h, 0) = 0 (since y = 0 in numerator), so
fx (0, 0) = 0.
Similarly,
f (0, k) − f (0, 0)
fy (0, 0) = lim
= 0,
k→0 k
because f (0, k) = 0.
Compute fx (0, y) for y 0
=
Using the definition (treat y as constant, y 0):
=
f (h, y) − f (0, y) hy(h2 − y 2 ) h2 − y 2
fx (0, y) = lim = lim = lim y 2 .
h→0 h(x2 + y 2 ) h→0 h + y 2
h→0 h
Let h → 0:
−y 2
fx (0, y) = y ⋅ = −y, y=
0.
y2
Compute fy (x, 0) for x
0
=
Similarly,
f (x, k) − f (x, 0) xk(x2 − k 2 ) x2 − k 2
fy (x, 0) = lim = lim = lim x 2 = x, x=
0.
k→0 k(x2 + k 2 ) k→0 x + k 2
k→0 k
Mixed partial fxy (0, 0)
By definition,
fx (0, k) − fx (0, 0)
fxy (0, 0) = lim .
k→0 k
We have fx (0, k)
= −k for k =
0 and fx (0, 0) = 0. So
−k − 0
fxy (0, 0) = lim
= −1.
k→0 k
Mixed partial fyx (0, 0)
Similarly,
fy (h, 0) − fy (0, 0)
fyx (0, 0) = lim .
h→0 h
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Here fy (h, 0)
= h, fy (0, 0) = 0, so
h−0
fyx (0, 0) = lim
= 1.
h→0 h
Thus
fxy (0, 0) = −1
= 1 = fyx (0, 0) .
5. Partial derivatives exist at (0, 0) for
⎧ xy , (x, y) = (0, 0),
f (x, y) = ⎨ x2 + y 2
⎩0,
(x, y) = (0, 0),
but f is not differentiable there.
Partial derivatives at (0, 0)
With respect to x:
f (h, 0) − f (0, 0)
fx (0, 0) = lim
.
h→0 h
For any h 0,
=
h⋅0
f (h, 0) = = 0,
h2 + 0
so
0−0
fx (0, 0) = lim
= 0.
h→0 h
With respect to y :
f (0, k) − f (0, 0)
fy (0, 0) = lim
.
k→0 k
For any k 0,
=
0⋅k
f (0, k) = = 0,
0 + k2
hence
0−0
fy (0, 0) = lim
= 0.
k→0 k
So both partial derivatives exist (and equal 0) at (0, 0).
Not differentiable at (0, 0)
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Check continuity at (0, 0). Along the line y = x (with x =
0),
x⋅x x2 1
f (x, x) = 2 = = .
x + x2 2x2 2
So
1
lim f (x, y) = = 0 = f (0, 0).
2
(x,y)→(0,0), y=x
Therefore f is not continuous at the origin, and a differentiable function must be continuous. Hence f
is not differentiable at (0, 0), even though both partial derivatives there exist.
If you like, I can next draw small sketches/graphs or give you the geometric intuition for each of these
examples (why they “break” differentiability).
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