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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Find a diffeomorphism between two sets

I'm having a problem with this multivariate calculus problem. Here it is: find a diffeomorphism between set $S = \{ (x,y) \in \mathbb{R}^2: 2
hnCas
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Question on lagrange multipliers

Maximize $f(x,y,z) = x^4 + y^4 + z^4$ subject to $g(x,y,z) = x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 1$ it is required that $$\partial_xf = \lambda \partial_xg$$ $$4x^3 = (2x) \lambda \implies x^2 = y^2 = z^2 = \frac{\lambda}{2}$$ $$x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = \frac{ 3 \lambda}{2}…
Cactus BAMF
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Why $Dom(f)$ needs to be open for $Df(a)$ to work?

M. Spivak in Calculus on Manifolds defined differentiability as: $f:\mathbb R^n\to\mathbb R^m$ is differentiable at $a\in\mathbb R^n$ if there exists a linear transformation $\lambda:\mathbb R^n\to\mathbb R^m$ such that…
Jave
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How does a bounded irrotational vector field imply continuity of the scalar potential

Supose we have a vector field $E:R^3\rightarrow R^3$ with the property $\nabla\times E=0 \Longleftrightarrow E=-\nabla \phi$ where $\phi:R^3\rightarrow R$ How does the boundedness of $E$ imply the continuity of $\phi$ I can solve this physically…
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continuity of a multivariable function2

I'm studying the continuity of the function $$ f(x,y) = \left\{ \begin{array}{l l} \frac{x^2y^2}{x^2+y^2} & \quad , \quad(x,y)\neq(0,0)\\ 0 & \quad , \quad(x,y)=(0,0) \end{array} \right.$$ in the point $(x,y)=(0,0)$. It's clear to…
Anne
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The shortest distance from a point to the graph of the function

To compute the distance from the point (5,5) to the graph of xy=4. I choose an arbitrary point (u,v) on the graph of $xy=4$. I get $d(u,v)=\sqrt{(u-5)^2+(v-5)^2}$ again $(u,v)$ satisfies equation of hyperbola so that $uv=4$. Now what shall i do…
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If the total differential is a scalar, how can it also be a covector used to calculate the directional derivative at a point?

In multivariable calculus, the gradient of a function $f(x,y)$ at a given point is the covariant vector: $$\vec\nabla_f=\begin{bmatrix}\frac{\partial f}{\partial x},\frac{\partial f}{\partial y}\end{bmatrix}$$ while the corresponding contravariant…
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A "cracked glass" Riemann Sum - Double integrals

For a 1-dimensional domain, you can partition a segment $(a,b)$ into uneven intervals, choose sample points in the uneven intervals, and form an integral in the limit that the uneven intervals go to $0$. For a 2-dimensional domain, it would be…
DWade64
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Representation of a sphere as $\left\{\theta \in [0,2\pi], \phi \in [0,\pi], R\in [0, r]\right\}$

In spherical coordinates, a sphere can be described as $S = \left\{\theta \in [0,2\pi], \phi \in [0,\pi], r\in [0, R]\right\}$ by letting $x = r\sin \pi \cos \theta, ~ y= r \sin \phi \sin \theta,$ and $z= r\cos \phi$ in the equation $x^2+y^2+z^2 =…
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Find the mass of the parallelepipid

"A parallelepiped is described by the vectors $(2,2,3),(2,4,3)$ and $(0,1,5)$ given that the density $= 2x+2y$, find the mass of the parallelepiped." I can find the volume just fine, but setting up the integral to find the mass is giving me a lot of…
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Proving that the common normal between any two smooth curves corresponds to a stationary point of their distance apart.

I would highly appreciate any clues as I can't think of a starting point other than to intuitively claim that it "makes sense" and finding examples for which it works... And could this proof be extended to curves that can't be represented as…
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Is the quarter disk diffeomorphic to the half disk?

I am having trouble with the following easy question: consider a quarter of an open disk. Is there a diffeomorphism between it and half of an open disk? I think not since this would make the square $[0,1]\times[0,1]$ a manifold with boundary. The…
Apoha
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How to draw level curves for x/x^2+y^2

I wish to draw the levels curves for: $f(x,y)=\frac{x}{x^{2}+y^{2}}$ I have started by using the definition: $\frac{x}{x^{2}+y^{2}}=k$ From there using algebra, and the completion to a square technique, I…
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How to prove $\textbf{n}d^2\sigma=\frac{\partial r}{\partial u} \times \frac{\partial r}{\partial v}dudv$

How to prove $$\textbf{n}d^2\sigma=\frac{\partial r}{\partial u} \times \frac{\partial r}{\partial v}dudv$$ where $\sigma$ is an open surface that has a smooth parameterization $\textbf{r}(u,v)$ and $\textbf{n}$ is the unit vector normal to the…
Student
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Proving that $\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial x\partial y}=\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial y\partial x}$

I am trying to prove the following Given a function $f:\Bbb{R}^2\to \Bbb{R}^2$ whose second derivatives are continuous, $$\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial x\partial y}=\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial y\partial x}$$ I am aware that proofs for this are…
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