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 $$\iint_S f(x,y) = \int^b_a\int^d_c f(x,y) \mathrm{d}y \mathrm{d}x$$

35850 questions
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show continuity of $\frac{xy}{\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}$

How to show this function's continuity? My book's 'Hint' says $|xy| \leq \frac12(x^2+y^2)$ can be used. $ f(x,y) = \left\{ \begin{array}{l l} \frac{xy}{\sqrt{x^2+y^2}} & \quad , \quad(x,y)\neq(0,0)\\ 0 & \quad , \quad(x,y)=(0,0) …
plhn
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Partial derivative techniques

The question is as follows: $$ r = y^2, s = xy, t = -x^2, u = f(r,s,t)$$ , such that $f$ has continuous second order partial derivatives. Represent $u_{xy}$ in the following format.$$ u_{xy} = ...f_s(r,s,t)+...rf_{rs}(r,s,t)+…
Artemisia
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Steps to find gradient of this?

I don't understand how to get from .54 to .55, any help? Edit: Wolfram alpha gives the answer as this http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=grad+Ucos%28theta%29%28r%2Ba%5E2%2Fr%29 I can't seem to convert their answer to the answer needed even…
Paul
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Extrema test in Multivariable calculus

I'm trying to find extrema for a two variable problem: $$g(x,y) = x^3+(x+y)^2.$$ After finding the critical point $(0, 0)$ using the gradient function, I found the Hessian matrix which has determinant zero and hence the test is inconclusive. How…
gopi_rm
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Vector Analysis

Let $n\in\mathbb{N}$ and let $F_i:\mathbb{R}^n\rightarrow\mathbb{R}\,\forall i\in\{1,\dots,n\}$ be some functions which obey certain conditions (smooth, for example), such that $\forall \{i,j\}\subset\{1,\dots,n\},\,\partial_iF_j=\partial_jF_i$.…
PPR
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Calculating $\mathrm {div}(\hat a)$ for a sphere

I'm practicing for a (electromagnetism) test and in one of the practice questions, they ask to calculate: $\mathrm {div}(\hat a)$, where $\hat a$ is a unit vector perpendicular to a sphere's surface. Furthermore, it is given that the sphere has…
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Stokes' theorem and partial derivatives

Applying Stokes' theorem to a surface, I obtained the following equations, $$R_y - Q_z = xe^{y}-e^{x}\cos(z)$$ $$P_z - R_x = -2y\sin(z)-e^{y}$$ $$ Q_x-P_y = e^{x} \sin(z) - 2\cos(z)$$ where the field $$\vec F = 2y\cos(z)\hat i +e^{x} \sin(z) \hat j…
Artemisia
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Find a, b given a function satisfies the Laplace equation.

The function is $f(x,y,z)=e^{ax+by}\cos(5z)$. I am supposed to find a and b given that it satisfies Laplace equation: $f_{xx}+f_{yy}+f_{zz}=0$ So, I found each derivative and replaced it back into the equation: $\cos(5z)e^{ax+by}(a^2+b^2-25)=0$ So,…
John
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Inverse Function Theorem - Challenging question

I found the following question on the internet, and I think it would be useful to solve it as part as studying to my midterm: Let $f:\mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}^n $ having continuous partial derivatives up to first order , such that: $ \| f(x)- f(y)…
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Stokes' theorem for an annulus

From Wiki, I'm looking at this definition: "If the surface is not closed, it has an oriented curve as boundary. Stokes' theorem states that the flux of the curl of a vector field is the line integral of the vector field over this boundary. This path…
Mike Miller
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About partial derivative on the sphere...When this is true??? Please help

Let be f and g scalar functions on $\mathbb{R}^3$ and $f_{{x}_i}$ denotes partial differentiation of f with respect to the i-th Cartesian coordinate, when this equality is true: $$\int_{S^2(R)} f_{x_{i}}g(x)dx=-\int_{S^2(R)} f(x)g_{x_{i}}dx$$ where…
Hugus
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A very interesting problem of vector calculus

Consider the scalar fields $f(\theta, \phi)$ and $g(\theta, \phi)$ defined on the unit surface $S^2$, where $\theta$ is the co-latitude ($0$ at the north pole and $\pi$ at the south) and $\phi$ is the length. Show or a found counterexample such…
Hugus
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How to make sense of this calculus notation, Advanced College Level

I have $f(x)$=$(2x,e^x)$ what does this notation mean? Notation: $Df(\frac{∂}{∂x})$ Certainly $Df(x)$=$(2,e^x)$ but how can I replace $x$ with $\frac{∂}{∂x}$? Particularly, how can I make sense of $e^{\frac{∂}{∂x}}$
Faust
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Lipschitz function and differentiabily

I'm trying to prove this: $U \subset \Bbb R^n$. Let $f:U\rightarrow\Bbb R$ be a differentiable function. Then $\exists \;k\in\Bbb R, k\neq 0$ so that $\mid df_a(v)\mid \leq k \parallel v\parallel \;\forall \;a\in U, \forall \; v \in \Bbb R^n$ $\iff$…
Cath
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How could you express the following double integral in term of a single integral?

How could I express the $$\int\int e^{(x^2+y^2)^2} dA$$ in terms of a single integral with respect to r where D is a disk with center (0,0) and radius 1