Exercise · ZW-DIFFERENTIABILITY-SEVERAL-VARIABLES-001 · ★☆☆ Basic

Let \(f(x,y)=x^2y\). Use the tangent plane at \((1,2)\) to approximate \(f(1.1,\,1.9)\).

Choose one option.

Show answer
  • B. \(2.3\)

Explanation

Here \(f(1,2)=2\), \(f_x=2xy=4\) and \(f_y=x^2=1\). So \(L=2+4(0.1)+1(-0.1)=2.3\). A wrong sign on \(\Delta y\) would give \(2.5\).

Study Multivariable calculus in ZWMath →

Review the concept: Differentiability in several variables

A function \(f(x,y)\) is differentiable at a point \((a,b)\) if its graph has a tangent plane there: the error of the linear approximation is negligible compared with the distance to the point.

\[\lim_{(h,k)\to(0,0)}\frac{f(a+h,b+k)-f(a,b)-f_x(a,b)\,h-f_y(a,b)\,k}{\sqrt{h^2+k^2}}=0\]

More practice problems: differentiability in several variables

ZW-DIFFERENTIABILITY-SEVERAL-VARIABLES-002 →