Questions tagged [multivariable-calculus]

Use this tag for questions about differential and integral calculus with more than one independent variable. Some related tags are (differential-geometry), (real-analysis), and (differential-equations).

Multivariable functions are functions like $f(x,y)=xy^2$, functions that have two or more inputs but still only one output.

There exist multivariable limits, where $x$ and $y$ approach a value instead of just $x$.

In multivariable calculus, when writing $\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x} \ f(x,y)$, one does not assume $y$ to be a constant, instead it is assumed that $y$ is a function of $x$.

To indicate that $y$ is a constant, one should use $\frac{\partial}{\partial x} f(x,y)$. These are called partial derivatives.

One also has integrals of multivariable functions. We say that we integrate over a surface in case of a two-variable function. We write this as $$\iint_S f(x,y)$$

If the surface is a rectangle $S: [a,b] \times [c,d]$, and the function is continuous on this rectangle, then Fubini's theorem says that $$\iint_S f(x,y) = \int^b_a\int^d_c f(x,y) \mathrm{d}y \mathrm{d}x$$

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Using calculus notation arithmetically

Today in microeconomics class the following question was covered by the tutor: If $z = x^2 + y^2$ changes from $(1,2)$ to $(1.05,2.1)$, compute the value of $\Delta z$ and $dz$. If we write $f(x,y)=z$, then simply $\Delta z = f(1.05,2.1) -…
Tim
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L'hopital's rule mistake for multivariable calculus

I've been helping some students in multivariable calculus and they're currently working with limits and it's been expressed by the lecturer that L'hopital's is exclusively for single-variable functions. I know this to be true as well, but the…
YLP
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Finding the $z$ coordinate of center of mass for $C:= \{ (x,y,z) \in \mathbb{R^3}: \sqrt{x^2+y^2}\leq z \leq 1$

The Problem Let $C$ be the cone $$C:= \{ (x,y,z) \in \mathbb{R^3}: \sqrt{x^2+y^2}\leq z \leq 1$$ Assume that $C$ has a constant mass density and find the z coordinate of the center of mass. The work I have…
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Volume integral of $(x+y+z)^{2n}$ over unit sphere

$\iiint_{V}(x+y+z)^{2n}\,dV$ where $V$ is the unit sphere I tried converting to spherical polars but ended up needing to solve $$\int_0^\pi\int_0^{2\pi}(\sin\theta\cos\phi+\sin\theta\sin\phi + \cos\theta)^{2n}\sin\theta\,d\phi\,d\theta$$ which I…
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What is a dog saddle?

I got this question as an assignment. The question is why the graph of the function $f(x,y)=x^3y-xy^3$ is called a dog saddle. I am rather confused as I don't know what our professor is really looking for. Isn't it called a dog saddle because it…
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How to construct a vector field under these conditions?

Task: Construct a vector field $v:\mathbb{R}^2\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^2$ such that all the circles that "touch" y-axis in the origin (i.e. derivative in $(0,0)$ is in form $(0,a)$ for some $a$) are field lines of this field, and this vector field has…
nakajuice
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Maximum & minimum values of multivariable function

I am to check for max & min values for the given function $$f(x, y, z) = xy^2z^3$$ which is defined on $$M = \left\{x, y, z > 0, x+2y+3z=6\right\}$$ So.. what I did is: $F(x, y, z, \gamma) = xy^2z^3 - \gamma(x+2y+3z-6)$ therefore $\begin{cases}…
darenn
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Find volume using double integrals?

Question: Use double integral to find the volume of the solid enclosed by the spheres $x^2+y^2+z^2=1$ and $x^2+y^2+(z-1)^2=1$ Alright so I tried to doing this by myself and I'm not sure if this is right. Could someone check over my work? Curve of…
Mike
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Can the gradient operator $\nabla_\mathbf{x}$ be treated as a standalone vector?

Let $f:\mathbb{R}^n\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$ be a scalar function. Then, the gradient of $f(\mathbf{x})$ is defined as: $$ \nabla_\mathbf{x} f(\mathbf{x}) = \begin{bmatrix} \frac{\partial f(\mathbf{x})}{\partial x_1} \\ \frac{\partial…
mhdadk
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Line Integral of Every Positively Oriented Simple Closed Path - Green's Theorem

This question is from Example #5, Section 16.4 on P1059 of Calculus, 6th Ed, by James Stewart. Given Question: If $\mathbf{F}(x,y) = \left(\dfrac{-y}{x^2 + y^2}, \dfrac{x}{x^2 + y^2}\right)$, show that $\int_C \mathbf{F} \cdot d\mathbf{r} = 2\pi $…
user53259
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Curl(curl(A)) with Einstein Summation Notation

I have two questions on the computation of $\nabla \times (\nabla \times \mathbf{A}) $ with Einstein summation notation based on http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~ntg/263/handouts/tensor_intro.pdf. It considers the $i$th component. All colours have…
user53259
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Acceleration, velocity and position vectors

Given a vector parametrization that describes the position of a particle $\vec{r}(t)$, is it valid to say that $\vec{r} (t)$ is perpendicular to $\vec{r'} (t)$ through the following: $$ \frac{\mathrm{d}(\vec{r}(t) \cdot \vec{r}(t))}{\mathrm{d}t} =…
Asco 2
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Implicit function theorem and implicit differentiation

This is perhaps something simple; but I am not quite getting why the implication is true; I seem to be missing something. Supposedly, the implicit function theorem: Let $f: \mathbb{R}^{n + m} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^m$ be a continuously…
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Equation of the Plane

I have been working through all the problems in my textbook and I have finally got to a difficult one. The problem ask Find the equation of the plane.The plane that passes through the points $(-1,2,1)$ and contains the line of intersection of the…
jascal
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Multivariable Calculus surface integral over a square

Thanks for any help in advance. I'm currently working on a question which is as follows: Find the area of the part of the sphere of radius a at the origin which is above the square in the (x,y) plane bounded by: $$ x = \frac{a}{\sqrt{2}} , x =…