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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Second differential at extremum

As we learned in calculus, if a function $f:\mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is twice differentiable, and has a local maximum at point $x_0$, then $f'(x_0) = 0$ and $f''(x_0) \leq 0$. In addition, it's not hard to show. What I have trouble with is…
Hawii
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Equation 8.39 to 8.41 in the book Neuronal Dynamics

In the book neuronal dynamics chapter 8.4 (https://neuronaldynamics.epfl.ch/online/Ch8.S4.html), the authors derive the Fokker-Planck equation for a noisy neuron. Starting from equation 8.39: $ p(u, t+\Delta t) = [1- \Delta t \sum_{k} v_k(t)]…
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How to prove mathematically that two planes parallel to a third plane are parallel

Without relying on geometrical intuition and purely using vector calculus, how do we show that two planes parallel to a third plane are parallel? I assume three dimensional space.
user93849
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Finding a vector that has 0 curl and 0 div

SO as stated, I am trying to find a vector $\vec F$such that $$\nabla \times \vec F=0$$ $$\nabla \cdot \vec F=0$$ The way I go about it is: Becasue curl is 0, we know that $\vec F=\nabla f$ so the divergence equation then becomes $$\nabla…
yankeefan11
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Contraction mapping proof question

I'm reading Wendell Fleming's book Functions of Several Variables, and on page 144, he states the following lemma: Suppose $\phi: \mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}^n$ is continuous on some neighborhood $\Omega$ of $0$, and such that $$\|\phi (t)\| \leq c…
Eric Auld
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Question on double integrals.

Suppose we are given $\int_0^1 \int_0^1 f(x,y) dx dy $ and it converges but $\int_0^1 f(x,y) dx$ nor $\int_0^1 f(x,y) dy$ can be done in closed form. Also we cannot use symmetry. In that case I do not know how to do the double integral because the…
mick
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The normal vector to a surface given by parametric equations

This is a problem I haven't thought about or encountered in many years but has popped up again incidentally, so please correct anything ahead if something is incorrect. If we are given the condition that $\{f(x,y,z) = 0\}$ for some differentiable…
user93334
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Find a unit vector parallel to both of the planes $8x+y+z = 1$ and $x-y-z=0$

Find a unit vector that is parallel to both the plane $8x+y+z = 1$ and the plane $x-y-z=0$. I found the normal vectors to be: $(8,1,1)$ and $(1,-1,-1)$ I took the cross product. $(8,1,1)\times(1,-1,-1) = \begin{vmatrix} i & j & k \\ 8 & 1 & 1 \\…
Ozera
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What's theorem can we use to derive a function given by a integral?

Let $U\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ be a open set and $u\in C^2(U)$ a harmonic function. Suppose the following function is well defined. $$\phi(r)=\int_{\partial B(0,1)}u(x+rz)\;dS(z)$$ I know that $$\phi'(r)=\int_{\partial B(0,1)}\frac{\partial…
Pedro
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How could this be $E=-\nabla\varphi-\frac{\partial A}{\partial t}$?

I know how to derive the formula, but, in view of freedom, the left hand side $E$ has 3 components while the right hand side provides 1 constraint from $\varphi$ and 3 from $A$. I mean, why does a 3 variables unknown vector needs 4 constraints to…
Shuchang
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A limit in two variables with absolute value

I have to calculate (if it exists) the following limit: $$\lim_{(x,y)\rightarrow(0,0)}\frac{\ln(1+|xy|)}{x^{2}+y^{2}}.$$ What I did is simply to consider that $\ln(1+\theta)\sim\theta$ as $\theta\rightarrow 0$. So I have the limit:…
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Find local minima, maxima, and saddle points for $f(x,y) = \sin x + \cos y + \cos(x-y)$ when $0\le x\le\frac\pi2$ and $0\le y\le\frac\pi2$

What I have done for this problem: I differentiated $f(x,y)$ with respect to $x$ and $y$. Then, I set $f_x$ and $f_y$ to $0$ to find stationary points. $$f(x,y) = \sin(x) + \cos(y) + \cos(x-y)$$ $$f_x = \cos(x) - \sin(x-y)$$ $$f_y = -\sin(y) +…
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Find an equation for the line that is parallel to the plane $2x - 3y + 5z - 10 = 0$ and passes through the point (-1, 7, 4)

"Find an equation for the line that is parallel to the plane $2x - 3y + 5z - 10 = 0$ and passes through the point (-1, 7, 4)" I'm just learning this and am pretty confused on how to do this problem. In class we went over distance between vectors,…
Ozera
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Differentiation in multivariable analysis.

I read somewhere that if $F:U\in \Bbb{R}^n\to \Bbb{R}^m$ is differentiable at $X$ (where $X\in U$), then there exists an $m \times n$ matrix $A$ such that $$F(X+h)=F(X)+A\circ h+G(h)\|h\|$$ where $G(h)\to 0$ as $h\to 0$ (and as $\|h\|\to 0$). $A$…
user67803
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Multivariable Calc. Integration by Parts

$$ \iint_S f(\nabla \times \mathbf{A}) \cdot d\mathbf{S} = \oint_{\partial S} f \mathbf{A} \cdot d\mathbf{r} - \iint_S \mathbf{A} \times (\nabla f) \cdot d\mathbf{S} $$ Is anything wrong with this. My textbook says it should be $$ \iint_S f(\nabla…