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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$\lim_{(x,y,z) \to (0,0,0)} \frac{xyz}{x^2+y^2+z^2}=0$

How to show that $$\lim_{(x,y,z) \to (0,0,0)} \frac{xyz}{x^2+y^2+z^2}=0,$$ where $x,y,z>0$. My attempt: $$||(x,y,z)|| < \delta \implies |x|, |y|, |z| < \delta$$ $$\left | \frac{xyz}{x^2+y^2+z^2} \right | < \left | \frac{xyz}{x^2}\right | <…
user398843
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Differentiation at the origin

In a homework exercise, three functions are given, and it is asked which one of those is differentiable at the origin. The correct is answer is the third, which is indeed differentiable at the origin. My question, however, is why isn't the second…
wmnorth
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Showing $\nabla^2 \phi = \rho$ with $r \phi$ bounded has at most one solution

Given a continuous function $\rho (x,y,z)$, which is zero for $x^2+y^2+z^2 > a^2 > 0$ find $\phi$ such that: $\nabla^2 \phi = \rho$ with $r \phi$ bounded and $r \displaystyle\frac{\partial \phi}{\partial r} \rightarrow 0$ as $r \rightarrow…
Noble.
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$\mid Df(u)\cdot w\mid \leq L \mid w\,\mid$

Suppose $f:C\to \mathbb{R}^n$ is a $C^1$-function, where $C$ is a compact subset of $\mathbb{R}^m$. I want to show that there exists an $L\in\mathbb{R}_{>0}$ such that $$\mid Df(u)\cdot w\mid\leq L\mid w\,\mid$$ for all $u\in C$ and $w\in…
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How do you find the volume of these two functions?

Find the volume of the region inside the surface $x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 16$ and outside the surface $x^2 + y^2 = 4$. How would you set this up and solve it using double integration and polar? I came up with a graph that shows a cylinder in the middle of…
Kenneth Hend
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Difference between "work" and "flux/flow" in multivariable calculus?

I am in the multivariable calculus class now and trying to understand things. What is the difference between "work" and "flux/flow" in multivariable calculus? Exam questions usually ask: "find work done..." or "find flux...", so: Is work done, work…
Dani Che
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Showing that the intersection of a cylinder and a plane is an ellipse

One of the questions in my homework was: "Show that the curve $\vec{r}(t)=\cos t \vec{i}+\sin t \vec{j}+(1-\cos t)\vec{k}$ is an ellipse by showing that it is the intersection of a cylinder and a plane. Find equations for the cylinder and the…
rmdnusr
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Pulling a partial derivative out

Though the following seems intuitive, is it correct precisely? Suppose $T:\mathbb{R}^2\to\mathbb{R}$ is a smooth function. Then $$\Big({\partial\over\partial y}{\partial T\over\partial x}\Big)(0, y_0) = {d\over dy}\Big({\partial T\over\partial…
Atom
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How do you find and classify the critical points of the function?

Find and classify the critical points of the function $$ f(x,y) = 5x^2 + 2xy + 5y^2. $$ Use the second derivative test to justify your answer. For critical points I got $(0,0)$. Is that the only critical point?
Kenneth Hend
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Am I doing this partial derivative correctly so far?

If $u=\arctan(xy+z)$, where $$x=s^2+t^2,\;y=9re^{st},\;z=r^2st,$$ find the value of $\frac{\partial u}{\partial s}$ when $r=2,s=1,t=0$. Is my attempt so far correct? $$\frac { ∂u }{ ∂s } =\frac { ∂\tan^{ -1 }(xy+z) }{ ∂s } \\[12pt] =\frac {…
user72708
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What does it mean for partial derivatives $f_x$ and $f_y$ exist near $(a,b)$ and are continuous at $(a,b)$ then $f$ is differentiable at $(a,b)$?

I am reading my text book and I come across a theorem that says: If the partial derivatives $f_x$ and $f_y$ exist near $(a,b)$ and are continuous at $(a,b)$ then $f$ is differentiable at $(a,b)$. What does it mean for partial derivatives $f_x$ and…
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Proving that a critical point is a minimum

I am solving a problem, which is "Find the point of the paraboloid $P:=\{(x,y,z)\in\mathbb{R}^3 | x^2+y^2=z\}$ which is the nearest to the point $(1,1,\frac12)$." I have already determined (using the Lagrange multipliers method) that…
Wheepy
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Let $f(x,y)=\frac{x^3-y^3}{x^2+y^2}$. Is f differentiable in $(0,0)$?

Let $$f(x,y)=\frac{x^3-y^3}{x^2+y^2}$$ My solution manual says that this function is not diffb. in $(0,0)$ because it is not linear. Well my problem is that I don't see why this function is linear, and I also don't see why that would imply that $f$…
90intuition
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Find the point or points on C closest to the origin.

A curve $C$ in space is defined implicitly on the cylinder $x^2 + y^2 = 1$ by the additional equation $x^2 - xy + y^2 - z^2 = 1$. Find the point or points on $C$ closest to the origin. This is an optimization problem. I tried constraining the…
iuppiter
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What kind of surface is this? Is there a way to plot this?

I am given the surface: $$S=\{ \vec{x} \in \mathbb R^3: {\|\vec{x} \|}_2^2=4, x^2+y^2 \le 1, z >0 \}$$ and I want to calculate the Mass of $S$ given a density $\rho$. It sort of looks like the upper half of a sphere. The problem I have is that the…
qmd
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