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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Is the vector tangent to the surface?

Is the vector $(0, 0, -1)$ tangent to the surface $\mathbf{r} (u, v) = (2 \cos{v}, 3 \sin{v}, u)?$ What I've done: The normal vector to the surface is $\mathbf{N} = (-3 \cos{v}, 2 \sin{v}, 0),$ so I want to see if $\mathbf{N} \cdot (0, 0, -1) = 0.$…
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How to know Iif a given vector is tangent or normal to a parametric surface $S$?

I am given a parametric surface $S,$ defined by $\mathbf{r} (u, v) = (x(u, v), y(u, v), z(u, v)),$ and a vector $\mathbf{a} = (a_{1}, a_{2}, a_{3}).$ I need to detrmine if the vector is tangent or normal to the surface. Now, what did I try to do?…
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Finding a Jacobian determinant of transformation

I want to find the Jacobian determinant of the transformation: $$\begin{align} \left(\begin{array}\\x\\y\\z\end{array}\right) = \left(\begin{array}\\\frac23 & \frac{-2}3 & \frac13\\\frac23 & \frac{-2}3 & \frac{-1}3\\\frac23 & \frac23 & \frac13…
user142198
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How to define the limits of this double integral?

I have the vector field $\mathbf{F}(x, y) = y \mathbf{i} - x \mathbf{j}$ and the surface $S$ bounded by $x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 9$ with $z \geq 0,$ and need to verify the Stokes theorem. The line integral is easy to calculate and is $- 2 \pi.$ But I am…
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A problem regarding the intersection of a cylinder and a line

Let $N,S$ be the poles of $S^2$. If $C$ is the cylinder with base $x^2+y^2=1$ we define $f:S^2\{N,C\}\to C$ by $f(p)=\vec{op}\cap C$ being $\vec{op}$ the ray from $(0,0,0)$ directed at $p$. Prove that $f$ is a diffeomorphism and show that $f$…
Cure
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How to compute $\int_{[-1,1]\times \cdots \times [-1,1]} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}}e^{-\frac{1}{2}(a^Tx-b)^2}dx$?

The integrand is nothing but a Gaussian/Normal distribution of $b$, where $b \in \mathbb{R}$ and $a,x \in \mathbb{R}^p$. Is there a way to compute the integral without expanding the square, which has $(1+p)^2$ terms? Also,how about…
David Tan
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How to find a vector field which "curls" to another?

A vector field $\mathbf{F}$ is called solenoidal if $\mathbf{\nabla} \cdot \mathbf{F}=0$, and this is an equivalent condition to the existance of some vector field $\mathbf{A}$ such that $\mathbf{\nabla} \times \mathbf{A}=\mathbf{F}$. Why is this…
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Open / Closed domain

I was calculating a domain of a function $f(x,y)$ and I need to say if the domain is an open set or closed set, and if it is bounded. At the end of my calculations, I got $xy \geq 1$, which is the correct domain. The final answer in the book said it…
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Integration help, hints or tips appreciated

Can anyone help me integrate this integral? I'm stumped. $$\int^y_0\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{x(y-x)}}dx$$
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Show $T(r, \theta) = (r \cos \theta , r \sin \theta)$ is injective

So I need to show $r = r'$ and $\theta = \theta '$ using: $$r \cos \theta = r' \cos \theta ' $$ and $$r \sin \theta = r' \sin \theta '$$ I don't know how to solve this system of equations because we have 4 unknown variables with 2 equations and we…
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How do you know when you'e found all the critical points? Is there a rule?

For example, for $f\left(x,y\right)=y^3+3x^2y-6x^2-6y^2+2$, $f_x\left(a,b\right)=$ $6xy-12x$ and $f_y\left(a,b\right)=$ $3y^2+3x^2-12y$ How many critical points am I looking for? How do I know when I've found them all?
aicccia
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Parametrisation of an ellipse in polar coordinates

If we have an ellipse with equation $x^2/a^2+y^2/b^2=1$ then if we were to change this into polar coordinates then would the parametrisation be $x=ar\cos(\theta)$ and $y=br\sin(\theta)$? Also what would the parametrisation of a hyperbola be?
user134785
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When to use spherical and when to use cylindrical coordinates?

How do we know when to use spherical coordinates and when to use cylindrical coordinates? What do we base it on, the surface or the equation of the function we are given? e.g in a question I'm given $z^{2}=x^{2}+y^{2}+1,z>0$ and…
user134785
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Need to extremize the function $f(x,y)=x^2+y^2$.

Determine the points on the curve $$x^4+y^4=1$$ that are closest and furthest away from the origin. Explain why this corresponds to extremizing the function $f(x,y)=x^2+y^2$ under the condition $x^4+y^4=1$. I don't understand this question at all…
user134785
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Inverse of a two variable function?

How can I find the inverse of the following bijective function: $$ F(x,y) = (x-y^2, x + y - y^2) $$ I usually do inverses by using the matrix method, but I have no clue on how to face this problem