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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supremum of a multivariable function

Here is a question that I have been working on but having trouble with. Let $f(x)=e^{-|x|^2}$, where $x \in \mathbb{R}^n$ and $|x|$ the usual euclidean norm of $x$. Prove that for every $\epsilon >0$ there is a positive number $M$ such that…
Cousin
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Evaluate $\lim\limits_{(x,y)\to (0,0)}\frac{\sin(xy^2)}{x}$

Evaluate $$\lim_{(x,y)\to (0,0)}\frac{\sin(xy^2)}{x}$$ $$\lim_{(x,y)\to (0,0)}\frac{\sin(xy^2)}{x}=\lim_{(x,y)\to (0,0)}\frac{\sin(xy^2)}{xy^2}y^2$$ now $$\lim_{(x,y)\to (0,0)}\frac{\sin(xy^2)}{xy^2}\cdot \lim_{(x,y)\to (0,0)} y^2=1\cdot…
gbox
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Differentiability at a point theorem for function of two variables

I came across this theorem in calculus: If fx and fy exist near (a,b) and are continous at (a,b) then f(x, y) is differentiable at (a,b) What confuses me is that when I look at solutions to questions that require you to use the above theorem, the…
rert588
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For what $\alpha$ does $\iint_D\frac{1}{(x+y)^{\alpha}}\ dxdy$ converge?

For what values of $\alpha$ does $$\iint_D\frac{1}{(x+y)^{\alpha}}\ dxdy$$ converge? $D=\{0\leq y \leq 1-x, \quad 0 \leq \ x \leq 1\}.$ The double integral can be written as $$\int_{0}^{1}\left(\int_{0}^{1-x} \frac{1}{(x+y)^{\alpha}} \…
Parseval
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Proving AM-GM with the method of Lagrange multipliers

In my calculus book, there is a question that basically says "use the method of Lagrange multipliers on $f(x,y,z)=xyz$ with constraint $g(x,y,z)=x+y+z=C$, $C$ being a constant, and use this to prove AM-GM for three variables." The next question…
atreju
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Define all constant $a$ values in way that function $f(x,y)$ has critical point in $(0,0)$

Problem Define all constant $a$ values in way that function $f(x,y)$ has critical point in $(0,0)$ whe: $$ f(x,y)=(4x^2+axy+y^2)(a+x) $$ Attempt to solve I wan to find out all constant $a$ values in a way that this function has zero gradient in…
Tuki
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Surface integral over hemisphere $z = \sqrt{R^2 - x^2 - y^2}$

Evaluate: $$\iint_S y\,dS,$$ where $S$ is the hemisphere defined by $z = \sqrt{R^2 -x^2 - y^2}.$ Attempt:I found two tangents, a normal and said $$dS = \frac{R}{\sqrt{R^2 -x^2 - y^2}} dx\,dy$$ In polars, $y = r\sin\theta,$ so I believe I should…
CAF
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Computing error limits with total differential.

Problem Tower height is measured with angle measurement from two points $A$ and $B$ which are in same same direction (relative to the tower). Measured angles are $50\pm1$ degree,$35\pm 1$ degree and length between points $A$ and $B$ is measured…
Tuki
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How do you invert this function $f(x,y)=\left( \frac{x}{x^2+y^2},\frac{y}{x^2+y^2}\right)$?

Does there exist an inverse of the following function with given domain? $$f(x,y)=\left( \frac{x}{x^2+y^2},\frac{y}{x^2+y^2}\right), \quad (x,y) \in \mathbb{R}^2$$ $$(\mathbb{R}^2= \{ (x,y):x,y \text{ are real numbers}, \text{ excluding }…
Desmoz
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A particular way of writing a polynomial.

Notice that by Taylor's theorem If the function $f : \mathbb{R}^{n} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is $ k+1$ times continuously differentiable in the closed ball B, then one can derive an exact formula for the remainder in terms of (k+1)-th order…
user29999
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Use Stokes' Theorem to evaluate line integral

For the vector field $\mathbf{F}(x,y,z) = \langle 5y+\sin x, z^2+\cos y, x^3\rangle$, I need to find the integral using Stokes' Theorem $\int_C\mathbf{F}\cdot\mathrm{d}\mathbf{r}$ where $C$ is the curve $\mathbf{r}(t)=\langle \sin t, \cos t, 2\sin…
user122049
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Intuition with graphs of parametarizations

I have trouble intuitively understanding why a certain graph belongs to a parametarization in a certain number of parameters. When I ask myself why the graph of the function $f(x) = y$ is a curve, it's because if it were a surface it would fail the…
zagortenay333
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value of $f$ at a local minimum in the rectangular region $R : \{(x,y) \in \Bbb{R}^2 : |x| < 1.5 , |y|<1.5\}$?

Let for $f(x,y) = kxy - x^2y - xy^3$ for $(x,y) \in \Bbb{R}^2$ where $k$ is a real constant.The directional derivative of $f$ at the point $(1,2)$ in the direction of the unit vector $u = (-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}},-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}})$ is…
BAYMAX
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Domain and range of a multivariable function

I have this exercise $$z={2x\over y+5}$$, and I am supposed to obtain the domain and range. I understand that the domain is all the pair of $(x,y)$ except $y=-5$ , then the exercise said that the range is $z=R$ I dont understand why z accept all…
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Total derivative vs chain rule

The total derivative as I understand it would be a linear map along the lines on the wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_derivative However in some instances it looks alot like a chain rule or people use the chain rule to compute…
user517104