Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Chapter 3

Higher Order
Partial
Derivatives
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

Identify and compute the second order partial derivatives

Identify the notation and equality of mixed partial derivatives

Determine higher order partial derivatives

3.1 Introduction
Previously in chapter 2, the discussion involved definition of functions of two
variables and rules of partial derivatives. The differentiation for functions of
two variables involving exponential function, trigonometric function and others
was also covered.
In Chapter 3, the discussion will be regarding higher order derivatives. Similar
to functions of single variable, the higher order derivatives of functions of
more than one variable can also be determined. However, note that in
functions of several variables there are more options to be considered.

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

3.2 Notation
This section is the extended of partial derivatives of first order derivative.
Since functions of one variable had higher order derivatives the same concept
applies to functions of more than one variable. However, since there are
more than one variable there will be more options to be considered.
Assume the case of a function of two variables, f x, y . Since both of the first
order partial derivatives are also functions of x and y then each of them can
be differentiated with respect to x or y. This means that for the case of a
function of two variables there will be a total of four possible second order
derivatives. Listed below are the possibilities with their notations respectively.
a)

c)

2f
x 2

f
f xx
x x

b)

2f
f

f xy
yx y x

d)

2f

y 2

f
fyy
y

2f
f
fyx

xy x y

The second and third order partial derivatives are often called mixed partial
derivatives since the derivatives are with respect to more than one variable.
Note as well that the order that the derivative is taken in is given by the
notation. If the subscripting notation is used, for example f xy then the
differentiation is done from left to right. In other words, in this case,
differentiate the function with respect to x first and then y. While, when
referring to the fractional notation,

2f
f
or
the procedure is done
yx
y x

oppositely. In this case the operation is done from right to left.

So far the discussion is regarding second order derivatives. There are of
course higher order derivatives as well. Here are examples of the third and
fourth order partial derivatives of function of two variables. Some possibilities
are:
a)

c)

3f
x 3

4f
y 4

2f
f xxx
x x 2

3f

f
y 3 yyyy

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b)

d)

3f
y 2x

4f
y 2x 2

2f

f
yx xyy

3f

f
yx 2 xxyy

Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

3.3 Higher Order Partial Derivatives

Theorem
Let f be a function of two variables. If f xy and f yx are continuous everywhere,
then f xy fyx for all values of x and y.

Steps : Higher order partial derivatives

Determine the order

Perform the first order partial derivatives
Then get the second partial derivatives and so on

Example 1
Find the second-order partial derivatives of f ( x, y ) 4x 4 y 3x 2 y 3

Solution

Determine the order

f xx

f xy

f yx

fyy

Determine the first order partial derivatives w.r.t x

fx 16 x 3 y 6xy 3

To determine f xx repeat the differentiation with the same variable x,

and letting y be the constant
f xx 48 x 2 y 6y 3

To determine f xy repeat the differentiation with variable y, and letting

x be the constant
f xy 16 x 3 18 xy 2

Determine the first order partial derivatives w.r.t y and then the second
order partial derivatives
fy 4 x 4 9 x 2 y 2
fyy 18 x 2 y
fyx 16 x 3 18 xy 2
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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

Example 2
a) Let f ( x, y ) y 2e x x ln y . Find

3f
y 2 x

b) Find f xy if f ( x, y ) ln( e 2y sec 4x ) .

Solution

a) f ( x, y ) y 2e x x ln y
Differentiate with respect to x.
f
y 2e x ln y
x

Then differentiate with respect to y once.

2f
f

yx y x
2 x

y e ln y
y
1
2ye x
y

Differentiate with respect to y again.

2f

yx
y 2x

1
2ye x

y
y
3f

2e x

1
y2

b) f ( x, y ) ln( e2y sec 4x )

4 sec 4 x tan 4 x
(e 2 y sec 4 x )
4 sec 4 x tan 4 x

e 2 y sec 4 x

fx

f xy

fx
y
4 sec 4 x tan 4 x
y e 2 y sec 4 x

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MAT 295

Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

f xy 4 sec 4 x tan 4 x

1
2y
e sec 4 x
y

4 sec 4 x tan 4 x e 2 y sec 4 x

2e 2y

8e 2y sec 4 x tan 4 x

2y

sec 4 x

Example 3
Show that the function C

h2 h4

satisfies the equation:

2L 8L3

2C

h 2C

where c is a constant
L2 L h 2

Solution

Rewrite C as
C

h 2L1 h 4L3

2
8

Differentiate C with respect to h and consider L as a constant.

C
h 2L1 h 4L 3

h h 2
8
hL1

Differentiate
2C
h 2

C
with respect to h again.
h

2 1 h 3L 3
hL

2
h 2

L1

h 3L 3
2

3h 2L 3
2

1 3h 2

L 2L3

Then differentiate w.r.t L.

C
h 2L1 h 4L 3

L L 2
8

h 2L 2 3h 4L 4

2
8
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MAT 295

Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

2C
L2

2 h 2L 2 3h 4L 4

2
8
L2

h 2L 3

h2
L3

3h 4L5
2

3h 4
2L5

Identify relationship between

2C
L2

2C
h 2

and

2C
L2

2 h 2L 2 3h 4L 4

2
8
L2

h 2L 3

MAT 295

h2
L3

3h 4L 5
2

3h 4

2L5
2
h 1 3h 2

L L 2L3
2

h 2C

L h 2

Warm up exercise
Let f ( x, y ) x 3 y 5 2x 2 y x
(i) Find the partial derivative for f x
(ii) After you get the answer at i), differentiate the answer with respect to y.
(iii) Then, differentiate again with respect to y.
(iv) Now, state the notation (subscripting notation and fractional notation)
that denote the answer at (iii).

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

MAT 295

Exercise 3
1. Express the following derivatives in subscript notation.
a)

b)

3f
y 2x
2f
y 2 x 2

c)

d)

4f
x 4
5f
x 2 y 3

2. Find all the second order partial derivatives:

a) f ( x, y ) x 4 7x 3 y 5

c) f ( x, y ) x 3 y sin xy

b) f (u, v ) tan(u 3v )

d) u(s, t ) e s sin t

3. Find all the indicated partial derivatives. Then, express the derivatives in del
notation:
a) f ( x, y ) 6x 3 y 5 x 3 y 2 , f xxx, fyyy , f xxy , f xyx
b) f ( x, t ) x 2e3t , fttt , ftxx
c) f (r , s, t ) ln( rs2t 3 ), frss
4.

If V ln( x 2 y 2 ), show that

2V
x 2

2V
y 2

0.

5. Given f(x,y) y 2e x y , find f xy y.

6. Find first and second order partial derivatives for:
a) f(x,y) x 2 y 3 x 4 y
7. Given i) w (3u v )5
a)
b)

8.

2w
uv

3w
u 2 v

f(x,y) 3x 2 2xy

b)
and

ii) w euv sinuv , find

3w
vuv

c)

3w

d)

uv 2

Let f(x,y) x 5 y 3 2xy2 e x , find

a) f xxx

c)

f xyx

b) fyyy

d)

f xyy

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Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

9.

MAT 295

Confirm that the mixed second-order partial derivatives of f are the same:
a) f(x,y) xy3 x 2 y

c)

f(x,y) e x siny

b) f(x,y) y 2e x y

d)

f(x,y)

2x y
x-y

10. Express the following derivatives in "" notation:

a)

fxxx

c)

f xy y

b)

f y y xx

d)

f xy y y

11. If f(x,y) x -3e5y , evaluate:

a)

3f
y 2x

0 ,1

b)

3f
x

0 ,1
3

c)

12. Show that the function satisfies Laplace's equation

4f
x 2y 2

2z
x 2

0 ,1

2z
y 2

0.

b) z e x siny e y cos x

a) z x 2 - y 2 2xy

2z
2z
y

0.
13. If z(x,y) tan -1 , find the value of
yx xy
x
x
14. Show that z e t sin where c is a constant, satisfies the heat equation
c

zt c 2 zxx .

15. Find

2f
if f ( x, y ) y 2 2xy sin y .
xy

2M 2M 2M

0.
16. If M ln( es et ) , show that
s 2 t 2 st

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