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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Advanced Real Calculus - Differentiability

I struggling with some problems. Thank you for any help: This function is given : $ f(x,y)=(e^x-1)\frac y{(x^2+y^2)^\alpha}\;$ , and they ask the values of $\;\alpha\;$ for which f is can be defined in origin and is differentiable at $\;(0,0)\;$ . I…
user177692
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Compute the flux of $(z \sin x, yz \cos x, x^2 + y^2)$ through the paraboloid.

Given the vector field $$F(x, y, z) = \langle z \sin x, yz \cos x, x^2 + y^2 \rangle,$$ calculate the flux $\int_S F \cdot \hat{n} \; dS$ through the paraboloid $$S = \{(x,y,z) : z = -3(x^2 + y^2) + 3, x^2 + y^2 \leq 1\},$$ where $\hat{n}$ is the…
user43123
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divergence theorem for surface of cylinder

I need to use the divergence theorem to evaluate the surface integral $$I = \int \int F\cdot n \, dS$$ where $F= x^3 i +y^3 j +z^3 k$ and $S$ is the surface of the cylinder $x^2+y^2 =4$ between $-1
Jackson Hart
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why does directional derivative move fastest along the gradient?

i have just started learning multi-variable calculus , i learned that directional derivative moves fastest along the gradient . i am not able to digest it well as for the 2-D curves that i studied a curve moves fastest along the tangent and slowest…
avz2611
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Calculate curl of vector function in $\mathbb{R}^3$

I know from definition that if some vector function $\mathbf{u}$ is given in three dimensional space, then curl is defined by this $$\operatorname{curl}\mathbf{u}=\nabla\times \mathbf{u}=\left|\begin{matrix}\mathbf{i} & \mathbf{j} &…
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Question from Munkres Analysis on Manifolds Inverse Function Theorem Section

This is the first exercise in the section on the Inverse Function Theorem (section 8). Let $f:\Bbb R^2\to \Bbb R^2$ be defined by the equation $f(x,y)=(x^2-y^2,2xy)$. a) Show that it is one to one on the set containing all $(x,y)$ such that…
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Domain and double integral

Let $$D = \{(x,y)\in R^2 : 04,xy<4\}$$ and $f : D \rightarrow R$ the continus and bounded function defined by $f(x,y)=xy$ I'm stucked to find some bounds for $\iint_D f(x,y) \,dx\,dy$ In the book I read they say : Let define…
XogoX
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Find the angle of intersection of the plane $4x+4y−1z=0$ with the plane $−4x−2y+3z=0$.

Find the angle of intersection in radians of the plane $4x+4y−1z=0$ with the plane $−4x−2y+3z=0$. Attempt: Write $\overrightarrow{n_1} = (4,4,-1)$ and $\overrightarrow{n_2} = (-4, -2, 3)$ and then $\displaystyle \theta =…
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Distance and absolute value differences?

My textbook: '.. the length of a vector is in many ways analogous to the absolute value of a real number.' My question: How are the length of a vector and the absolute value of a real number 'analogous in many ways' and not simply equivalent? In…
hefalump
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Uniqueness of the gradient vector

It says we can define gradient as the unique vector $\nabla f$ such that $Df(x)(v)=\langle \nabla f(x),v \rangle$ I don't understand how uniqueness is coming. I can prove uniqueness if it was given $dim(Hom(E,W))$ is finite where $f:E\subset V \to…
dragoboy
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Are we unable to find the extrema of the function $f(x,y) = \frac{y}{x^2+y^2}$ using the second partial test?

$$\begin{align*} &f(x,y) = \frac{y}{x^2+y^2}\\ &f_{xx} = \frac{∂}{∂x}\left(-\frac{2xy}{(x^2+y^2)^2}\right)=-\frac{2y(y^2-3x^2)}{(x^2+y^2)^3}\\ &f_{yy} =…
Matt
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Vanishing eigenvalues of Jacobian

Let $f: \mathbb{R^2}\to \mathbb{R^2}$ be a Schwartz function. If the eigenvalues of $Df$ all vanish, must $f$ be constant? It is clear that the condition on $Df$ forces $\nabla \cdot f =\text{Tr } Df=0$, so we may be write $f = \nabla \times g$,…
Ryan
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Compute $\iint_S \mathbf{F}\cdot d\mathbf{S}$ where $S$ is the surface that bounds the sphere $x^2+y^2+z^2=16$ and $\mathbf{F}=\langle z,y,x \rangle$

The problem is actually to verify the divergence theorem by computing both $\iiint_E \text{div } \mathbf{F\space} dV$, which was relatively easy to compute and gives $\frac{256\pi}{3}$. To find $\iint_S \mathbf{F}\cdot d\mathbf{S}$, I parametrized…
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Constants in multivariable integration

I'm reviewing multivariable integrals, and the constants are confusing me. If I have: $$ f(x, y) = \int \frac{\partial f(x,y)}{\partial x} dx $$ $$ f(x, y) = \int 2xy \,dx $$ factor out $y$ which is treated as a constant. $$ f(x, y) = y \int 2x…
maximus
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Lagrange multipliers/multivariable optimisation problem

Problem: Maximise the volume $V$ of a cuboid shaped box with closed top, fixed surface area $S$, and side lengths $x, y,$ and $z$ What I've got so far: $V=xyz$, $S=2(xy+yz+zx)$, $\nabla V = \lambda \nabla P$ and so $$ \left\{…
Pie
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