Calculus 3

Lia Vas

Partial Derivatives
Let z = f (x, y) be a function of two variables. The partial derivative of z with respect to x
is obtained by regarding y as a constant and differentiating z with respect to x. Notation:
z
.
x
The derivative zx at a point (x0 , y0 , z0 ) on the
surface z = f (x, y), represent the rate of change
of function z = f (x, y0 ) in the direction of xaxis. This value is the slope of the line tangent to
the curve obtained by intersection of the surface
z = f (x, y) and the vertical plane y = y0 .
zx

or

The partial derivative of z with respect to y is obtained by regarding x as a constant and

differentiating z with respect to y. Notation:
z
.
y
This derivative at a point (x0 , y0 , z0 ) on the surface z = f (x, y), representthe rate of change of
function z = f (x0 , y) in the direction of x-axis.
This value is the slope of the line tangent to
the curve obtained by intersection of the surface
z = f (x, y) and the vertical plane x = x0 .
zy

or

The second partial derivatives can be found by differentiating the first partial derivatives.
Differentiating zx with respect to x produces
(zx )x = zxx

=
x

z
x

2z
x2

and with respect to y produces

z
x

z
y

(zy )x = zyx

=
x

(zy )y = zyy

=
y

z
y

(zx )y = zxy

=
y

2z
.
yx

2z
xy

Differentiating zy with respect to x produces

and with respect to y produces

!

2z
= 2.
y

If zxy and zyx are both continuous, then

zxy = zyx .
In this case, differentiating zx with respect to y and zy with respect to x produces the same result.
Practice problems. Find the first and the second partial derivatives.
1. z = 3x2 + 2xy 5y 2

2. z = ex sin y

2 xy

3. z = ex

5. z = ax2 ex

4. z = x ln(xy 2 )

2 xy

where a is a constant (PChem problem).

6. Assuming that a is also a variable in the previous problem, find

z
.
a

Solutions.
1. zx = 6x + 2y, zy = 2x 10y, zxx = 6, zxy = zyx = 2, zyy = 10.
2. zx = ex sin y, zy = ex cos y, zxx = ex sin y, zxy = zyx = ex cos y, zyy = ex sin y.
2

3. zx = ex xy (2x y), zy = ex xy (x), zxx = ex

2
2
y)(x) ex xy , zyy = ex xy x2 .
2

2 xy

y
2xy
2
4. zx = ln(xy 2 ) + x xy
2 = ln(xy ) + 1, zy = x xy 2 =
2

(2xy)2 +ex

2x
,
y

zxx =

y2
xy 2

5. zx = 2axex xy + ax2 ex xy (2x y) = a(2x + 2x3 x2 y)ex

2
2
zy = ax2 ex xy (x) = ax3 ex xy .
2

Then zxx = a(2 + 6x2 2xy)ex xy + a(2x + 2x3 x2 y)ex

2
2
zyy = ax3 ex xy (x) = ax4 ex xy .

2 xy

(2), zxy = zyx = ex

2 xy

= x1 , zxy = zyx = y2 , zyy =

2 xy

2 xy

(2x

2x
.
y2

(2x y) and
2

To find zxy , either differentiate zx with respect to y and get zxy = a(x2 )ex xy + a(2x + 2x3
2
2
2
x2 y)ex xy (x) = a(x2 2x2 2x4 + x3 y)ex xy = a(3x2 2x4 + x3 y)ex xy
or differentiate zy with respect to x and get zxy = 3ax2 ex
2
2x4 + x3 y)ex xy
6. z = ax2 ex

2 xy

z
a

= x2 e x

2 xy

2 xy

ax3 ex

2 xy

(2x y) = a(3x2