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 $$\iint_S f(x,y) = \int^b_a\int^d_c f(x,y) \mathrm{d}y \mathrm{d}x$$

35850 questions
3
votes
1 answer

L'Hospital Rule in Multivariable Calculus

I was just wondering. Given functions $f(x,y), g(x,y) $, and the corresponding limit $\lim_{(x,y) \to (0,0) } \frac{f(x,y)}{g(x,y)} $ , where $\lim_{(x,y) \to (0,0) } f = \lim_{(x,y) \to (0,0) }g = 0 $. Assume that when moving to polar…
czash
  • 407
3
votes
1 answer

Converts into $\frac{\partial^2 W}{\partial u^2}+\frac{\partial^2 W}{\partial v^2}=0$

Show that the substitution $u=x^2-y^2$, $v=2xy$ converts the equation $\frac{\partial^2 W}{\partial x^2}+\frac{\partial^2 W}{\partial y^2}=0$ into $\frac{\partial^2 W}{\partial u^2}+\frac{\partial^2 W}{\partial v^2}=0$ I have $$\left\lbrace…
Valent
  • 3,228
  • 1
  • 15
  • 28
3
votes
2 answers

Show there exists differentiable $g : (0, \infty) \to \mathbb{R}$ s.t $f(\vec{x}) = g(||\vec{x}||)$ for $f : \mathbb{R}^3 \to \mathbb{R}$

Let $f : \mathbb{R}^3 \setminus \left \{0 \right \} \to \mathbb{R}$ be a differentiable function s.t $\nabla f \neq 0$ and: $y \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} - x \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} =0 \\ z \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} - y…
paxtibimarce
  • 645
  • 5
  • 13
3
votes
1 answer

If $D=\{(x,y):x^2+y^2\leq 1\}$. Show there is $p_0\in D$ such that $T(p_0)=(0,0)$

Let $D=\{(x,y):x^2+y^2\leq 1\}$, $T$ transformation of class $C'$ on an open containing $D$, $$T:\left\lbrace \begin{array}{rcl} u &=& f(x,y) \\ v&=&g(x,y) \end{array}\right. $$ whose Jacobian is never $0$ in $D$, and $|T(p)-p|\leq \frac{1}{3}$…
Valent
  • 3,228
  • 1
  • 15
  • 28
3
votes
1 answer

Rectangle in polar coordinates

Suppose that we have $D=[-a,a]\times [-b,b]\subseteq \mathbb{R}^{2}$. How can I transform that region into a new region described by polar coordinates? If we start by making a graph, we can see that the graph will be a rectangular region that can…
user798113
3
votes
1 answer

A differentiable function with $df = 0$ is locally constant

Let $U$ be an open set and $f : U \subset\mathbb{R}^d \to \mathbb{R}^m$ be a differentiable function with $df=0, \forall x \in U.$ Show that $f$ is locally constant. So my idea was, given some arbitrary $x_0 \in U$, first taking some ball…
paxtibimarce
  • 645
  • 5
  • 13
3
votes
1 answer

Integration with change of variables (multivariable).

The following are the problems that I have been working on. It involves change in variables with 2,3 variables respectively. (1)Let $R$ be the trapezoid with vertices at $(0,1),(1,0),(0,2)$ and $(2,0)$. Using the substitutions $u = y-x$ and $v = y…
hyg17
  • 5,117
  • 4
  • 38
  • 78
3
votes
1 answer

Is the function identically zero?

Let $f(x, y)$ be a continuous, real-valued function on $\mathbb{R}^2$. Suppose that, for every rectangular region $R$ of area 1, the double integral of $f(x, y)$ over $R$ equals 0. Must $f(x, y)$ be identically 0?
user64494
  • 5,811
3
votes
2 answers

What does commutativity of partial derivatives imply about geometry about the surface of a function?

Suppose we have a function $f(x,y)$ and it has the property that: $$ \partial_x \partial_y f(x,y) = \partial_y \partial_x f(x,y)$$ What does this imply about the geometry of the surface described the function?
3
votes
1 answer

How do you integrate over the directional derivative?

Question: How do you integrate the directional derivative of a function over a rectangle? Let's say $K$ is a rectangle in $\mathbb{R}^2$, and let's say that $\beta$ is a 2D vector that specifies a direction. Lastly, say $u(x,y)$ is a multivariable…
FHI
  • 55
3
votes
1 answer

How to find the discontinuity set?

What is the discontinuity set of the function $f:\mathbb{R}^2 \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$, $ f(x,y) := \sup \{ \sin (tx) + \sin (ty) : t \in \mathbb{R} \} ?$
user64494
  • 5,811
3
votes
2 answers

What is the inverse/opposite of a double integral?

I am currently taking Calc 3 and we just finished our unit on double/triple integrals. I started thinking about a problem back from AP Physics (where my teacher did an impressive amount of hand waving to somehow avoid directly explaining vector…
3
votes
3 answers

Meaning of directional derivative of a vector field

Suppose I have a vector field $ \vec{B} (x,y,z)$ then do $ \frac{ \partial B}{ \partial n}$ where n is the direction vector of a line denote the directional derivative of the vector in the direction of $n$? The reason I ask is that I recently…
3
votes
2 answers

Double Integral of f(y) over region in xy plane

I was given that $\int_{0}^{1} \int_{x}^{1-x}f(y)dydx$ is equal to a specific value for all integratable functions $f(y)$, I was able to work out that the value is $0$, but when I try to visualise this I just get confused. Is it possible I'm missing…
3
votes
2 answers

Assignment of Subscripts in Einstein Summation Notation

I'm trying to understand the following conversion from vector form into Einstein summation notation, found on P2 of http://www.stanford.edu/~vkl/research/notes/index_not.pdf which states: Show $\mathbf{v} \cdot \nabla\mathbf{v} =…
user53259