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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What is a differential form?

can someone please informally (but intuitively) explain what "differential form" mean? I know that there is (of course) some formalism behind it - definition and possible operations with differential forms, but what is the motivation of introducing…
46
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What does a triple integral represent?

From my understanding if the integrand is 1, then it gives you the volume of the region defined by the bounds. But what does the value of a triple integral represent if the integrand is a function for a surface in space?
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Why gradient vector is perpendicular to the plane

I know what gradient vector or $\nabla F$ is and I know how to prove that it is orthogonal to the surface (using calculation - not intuitive). In a particular case, in which we have a three variable function, I want to know why the gradient vector…
Sida
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Understanding the derivative as a linear transformation

It's been a while now I am studying multivariable calculus and the concept of differentiation in space (or higher dimension). I saw relative posts but one question remains. I can't understand the concept of linear transformation that we use to…
user113600
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Gradient and Jacobian row and column conventions

Say $f$ is a scalar valued function from $\mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}$. When I learnt about the gradient $\nabla f(\mathbf{x})$ I always thought of it as a column vector in the same space as $\mathbf{x}$. That way, the dot product $\nabla f \cdot…
Flash
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How (and why) would I reparameterize a curve in terms of arclength?

Let's say I have a helix: $\mathbf{r}(t) = \cos t \mathbf{i} + \sin t \mathbf{j} + t\mathbf{k}$ If I'm asked to "reparameterize" this function with respect to arclength starting at $(1,0,0)$ for increasing value of $t$... conceptually I don't know…
Finster
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How prove there exists a point $(x_{0},y_{0})$, such $\Delta f|_{(x_{0},y_{0})}\ge 0$

Question: Assume that the function $f(x,y)$ is twice continuously differentiable on $\mathbb R^2$, and $$f\big|_{\partial\Sigma}=0,\quad \text{where}\,\,\,\partial\Sigma=\{(x,y)\in\mathbb R^2:x^2+y^2=1\}, $$ and $$ \lim_{x\to\infty}f(x,0)=1. $$ Show…
math110
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Unique critical point does not imply global maximum/global minimum

I have actually two questions here, but both are very much related so I decided to put them both in this question. From Wikipedia I found the following example of a function that has a single critical point which is a local minimum, yet is not a…
spin
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Calculate the area on a sphere of the intersection of two spherical caps

Given a sphere of radius $r$ with two spherical caps on it defined by the radii ($a_1$ and $a_2$) of the bases of the spherical caps, given a separation of the two spherical caps by angle $\theta$, how do you calculate the surface area of that…
Mark
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Equivalent condition for differentiability on partial derivatives

I want to extend the concept of derivative of a real function of real variable to a function $f:A\subset \mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}^m$ with $A$ open. If $x_0 \in A$ then I say that $f$ has derivative $f'(x_0) \in \operatorname{Hom}(\mathbb{R}^n,…
user365
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1 answer

(Non-)Conservative Vector Fields

As anyone who has taken vector calculus (read: most of you) knows, if a vector field is conservative, then it is the gradient of a potential function. In other words, if the vector field is two dimensional, the potential function is a surface and as…
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Curl of a vector in spherical coordinates

The curl of a Vector function in curvilinear coordinate system is given by $$ \nabla \times A = \frac 1 {h_1 h_2 h_3} \begin{vmatrix} h_1 \hat e_1 & h_2 \hat e_2 & h_3 \hat e_3\\ \partial \over \partial x_1 & \partial \over \partial x_2 &…
S L
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13
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Solving quadratic vector equation

Hope it is a right place to ask how to solve the equation on $\mathbf x$: $$ \mathbf x^T \mathbf A\mathbf x + \mathbf x^T \mathbf b + c = 0. $$ where: $\mathbf x$ is an $n\times 1$ column vector $\mathbf A$ is an $n\times n$ matrix $\mathbf b$ is…
Serg
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Definition of the gradient for non-Cartesian coordinates

The gradient of a function $f: \mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}$ is defined as the vector of the partial derivatives: $$ \nabla f = \left(\frac{\partial f}{\partial x_1}, ..., \frac{\partial f}{\partial x_n}\right)$$ Recently, I have become somewhat…
koletenbert
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Surface integral over ellipsoid

I've problem with this surface integral: $$ \iint\limits_S {\sqrt{ \left(\frac{x^2}{a^4}+\frac{y^2}{b^4}+\frac{z^2}{c^4}\right)}}{dS} $$, where $$ S = \{(x,y,z)\in\mathbb{R}^3: \frac{x^2}{a^2} + \frac{y^2}{b^2} + \frac{z^2}{c^2}= 1\} $$
knrdk
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