- Difficulty
- Standard
- Suggested time
- 4 min
- Marks
- 3
Functions of two variables and partial derivatives practice question 5
Let . Find .
Hold fixed. The function is a product of and , and both factors contain : use the product rule.
With constant, , and by the chain rule.
An exact expression, or a decimal to two places.
Theory UBC Math 100 §15.1Key results
Worked solution
Strategy
Treat x as a constant and differentiate in y. Both factors depend on y, so the product rule applies, and the exponential needs the chain rule.
Working
Product rule. The chain rule on the exponential gives the factor x, the y-derivative of the exponent xy.
Substitute x = 2 and y = 1, so xy = 2.
Collect the multiples of e².
Answer
The answer is 8 e squared, about 59.11.
Check
The relative rate f_y/f is 2y/(x + y²) + x = 2/3 + 2 = 8/3 at (2, 1), and 8/3 of f(2, 1) = 3e² is 8e².
Where this goes wrong
Differentiating eˣʸ in y as eˣʸ, which gives 5e². The exponent is xy, and its y-derivative, x, multiplies the exponential.
Leans on
The chain rule for exponentials, from The chain rule and logarithms
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