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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Line Integral and area between curves

What is the difference between Area between two curves and line integral and similarly the difference between volume between two surfaces and surface integral. Can we reduce line integrals to area between two curves?
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All line integrals in the world are zero...?

Using Stokes' theorem, the line integral of a vector field gives a surface integral of the curl of the vector field, and after that, if we apply Gauss' divergence theorem in that, it gives a volume integral of the divergence of the curl of that…
Sahil
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Given a surface $z=f(x,y)$ is $\nabla (f(a,b))$ always perpendicular to the surface at the point $(a,b,f(a,b))$

Given a surface $z=f(x,y)$ is $\nabla (f(a,b))$ always perpendicular to the surface at the point $(a,b,f(a,b))$. I see many problems using this gradient function to find a normal vector to a surface so it is most likely true I guess but I can't seem…
Marlo P
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Is $\emptyset$ in $R^n$ an open set?

The complement of $\emptyset$ in $R^n$ is $R^n$ itself, which is an open set itself. So, $\emptyset$ should be a closed set, by definition of closed set. However, Tom M. Apostol's book says it is an open set. Am I going wrong somewhere in my…
Arkya
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Prove that $\{(x,y,z) \in \mathbb{R}^3 \mid z^2-x^2-y^2-1>0 \}$ is an open set in $3$-space.

Prove that $\{(x,y,z) \in \mathbb{R}^3 \mid z^2-x^2-y^2-1>0 \}$ is an open set in $3$-space. I'm getting no clue as to how to proceed in order to prove this formally.
Arkya
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When to type a function in bold?

Is it convention to bold any function with more than one output? For example, $\textbf{f}:\textbf{R}^2 \mapsto \textbf{R}^3$ or $f: \textbf{R}^2 \mapsto \textbf{R}^3$ $\textbf{f}(\textbf{x})$ or $f(\textbf{x})$
Fgilan
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Why don't we consider $\mathbb{R}^3$ to be an affine space?

When we're introduced to $\mathbb{R}^3$ in multivariable calculus, we first think of it as a collection of points. Then we're taught that you can have these things called vectors, which are (equivalence classes of) arrows that start at one point and…
Eli Rose
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Find intersection of the two surfaces $x^2-y^2-z^2=1$ and $x+y=1$

Find intersection of this two surfaces $$x^2-y^2-z^2=1$$ and $$x+y=1.$$ I know that the first is hyperboloid of two sheet and the second is plane, but how can i find the intersection? Is it possible do calculus in one variable? How?
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Books for multivariable Calculus.

I have several books for advanced calculus, but in each of the book there is little portion of two variable calculus. I like to study mutlivariable calculus, specially derivative as a linear transformation from $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ to $\mathbb{R}^{m}.$…
neelkanth
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Find a scalar field that satisfies the following conditions.

QUESTION Find a scalar field $f$ that satisfies the following conditions: Partial derivatives equal to $0$. $f'(\vec x,\vec v)=3$, for $\vec v=\left(\frac {\sqrt2} 2,\frac {\sqrt2} 2\right)$. ATTEMPT $\frac {\partial f} {\partial x}=0\implies…
YoTengoUnLCD
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Multivariable limit one-sided path

After looking at this answer Problem with multivariable calculus: $\lim_{(x,y)\to (0,0)} \frac{x^3 + y^3}{x^2 + y}$ I wondered if you have a limit $$\lim_{(x,y)\to(0,0)}f(x,y)$$ And you found paths such that the limit is equal to something $0$ in…
kingW3
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On the nature of saddle points

Given the function: $D(x,y)=f_{xx}f_{yy}-f^2_{xy}$ If $D(a,b)<0$ then this implies $(a,b)$ is a saddle point. There are three possible ways for $D<0$: 1)If $f_{xx}f_{yy}<0$. This case is represented in the following three images: This is a…
Omar Nagib
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When can a differential be replaced with a gradient (del) operator?

I'm going through some old engineering lecture notes. I've already spotted some errors in the notes. In an important part of a derivation, the lecturer did the following: $Tds = du + pd(1/\rho)$ can be rewritten as $T\nabla s = \nabla u +…
Eric
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Simple questions about the line integral.

I learned very recently about line integrals in my class, and I've been given the definition: $$\int _\Gamma \vec {F} \cdot \vec {ds}=\int _a^b \vec F(\vec \alpha(t))||\alpha'(t)||dt$$ Where $\alpha$ is an injective parametrization of $\Gamma$. My…
YoTengoUnLCD
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Direction where the directional derivative is maximal

I am given the following function: $$ f(x,y)=\sqrt[3]{x^2 y } $$ at (0,0), and need to find the directions $\vec{v}$ for which the directional derivative $D_\vec{v} f (0,0)$ is maximal. I know the answer should be $ (\pm \sqrt{\frac{2}{3}},…
georgia
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