265 F11 PT2 ASolns
265 F11 PT2 ASolns
265 F11 PT2 ASolns
∇f (2, −6, 3)
= h32 − 3·(−6) + 2·(−6)·3 − 3, −3·2 + 2·2·3 + 5, 2·2·3 + 2·2·(−6)i
= h−12, 11, −12i.
(Hint: ∂f /∂x (a, b) = g 0 (a) where g(x) = f (x, b), similarly for ∂f /∂y (a, b).)
Interpreting the hint it says that whatever variable we are not differentiating
with respect to we can first plug in the value, simplify and then differentiate.
We have,
g(x) = f (x, 1) = sin x + cos x
(the rest of the terms are 0). Now differentiating with respect to x we have
and so
∂f
(0, 1) = g 0 (0) = 1.
∂x
Similarly,
h(y) = f (0, y) = y 2
(the rest of the terms are 0). Now differentiating with respect to y we have
h0 (y) = 2y
and so
∂f
(0, 1) = h0 (1) = 2.
∂y
3. Evaluate the following limits or show that they do not exist. Briefly(!) justify
your answer.
x sin x
(a) lim =
(x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 4
Initially when we plug in (0, 0) we get 0/0 so this means that we have work
to do! Let us see what happens as we approach along different axis. Along
the x-axis (i.e., y = 0) we have
x sin x sin x
lim 2 4
= lim = 1.
(x,0)→(0,0) x + 0 x→0 x
(One of our favorite limits of all time! If we didn’t remember it we could also
have used L’Hospital’s rule.)
Along the y-axis (i.e., x = 0) we have
0 sin 0
lim = lim 0 = 0.
(0,y)→(0,0) 02 + y 4 y→0
This looks similarpto the first limit. But there is an important difference,
and it is not the |y|, it is that we are going to (1, 1). In particular, this
function is made up of continuous parts and the denominator is not zero at
(1, 1) and so to evaluate the limit all we need to do is plug in (1, 1), so that
p
x |y| sin x sin 1
lim 2 4
= .
(x,y)→(1,1) x +y 2
Calculating the second derivatives we have fxx = 6x, fyy = 4 and fxy = −8,
so that 2
D(x, y) = fxx fyy − fxy = 24x − 64.
Plugging in we have
1 1 1 1
D , − = −56 < 0 so ,− is a saddle, and
3 3 3 3
D(5, 9) = 56 > 0 and fxx (5, 9) = 30 > 0 so 5, 9 is a minimum.
5. Find the tangent plane to f (x, y) = x3 y − 3xy 2 at (2, 1).
We already know that (a, b) = (2, 1) and that f (2, 1) = 2 so we need the
partial derivatives. We have
∂f
(x, y) = 3x2 y − 3y 2 , and
∂x
∂f
(x, y) = x3 − 6xy,
∂y
so that
∂f
(2, 1) = 9, and
∂x
∂f
(2, 1) = −4.
∂y
Substituting all of the values in we get our tangent plane
z = 2 + 9(x − 2) − 4(y − 1) or z = 9x − 4y − 12