Chapter 12: Problem 10
Find the gradient \(\nabla f\). $$ f(x, y, z)=x z \ln (x+y+z) $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The gradient \( \nabla f \) is \( \left( z \ln(x+y+z) + \frac{xz}{x+y+z}, \frac{-xz}{x+y+z}, x \ln(x+y+z) + \frac{xz}{x+y+z} \right) \).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Function
The function given is \( f(x, y, z) = xz \ln(x+y+z) \). Our goal is to find the gradient \( abla f \), which consists of the partial derivatives \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \), \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \), and \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial z} \).
02
Partial Derivative with respect to x
To find \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \), apply the product rule: differentiate \( xz \) to get \( z \), and differentiate \( \ln(x+y+z) \) to get \( \frac{1}{x+y+z} \cdot 1 \). This gives us: \[ \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} = z \ln(x+y+z) + \frac{xz}{x+y+z}. \]
03
Partial Derivative with respect to y
The derivative \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \) is found by differentiating \( f \) with respect to \( y \). The partial derivative of \( \ln(x+y+z) \) with respect to \( y \) is \( \frac{1}{x+y+z} \), and since \( f \) includes \( xz \) as a coefficient, we use: \[ \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} = \frac{-xz}{x+y+z}. \]
04
Partial Derivative with respect to z
For \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial z} \), again use the product rule: the partial derivative of \( x \) with respect to \( z \) is \( x \). This results in: \[ \frac{\partial f}{\partial z} = x \ln(x+y+z) + \frac{xz}{x+y+z}. \]
05
Combine to Form the Gradient
Combine these partial derivatives to get the gradient vector: \[ abla f = \left( z \ln(x+y+z) + \frac{xz}{x+y+z}, \frac{-xz}{x+y+z}, x \ln(x+y+z) + \frac{xz}{x+y+z} \right). \]
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Partial Derivatives
In multivariable calculus, partial derivatives are crucial for understanding how a function changes as we modify one variable while keeping the others constant. In our exercise, the function is \( f(x, y, z) = xz \ln(x+y+z) \). Partial derivatives measure the rate of change of \( f \) with respect to \( x \), \( y \), and \( z \), individually.
- Partial Derivative with Respect to \( x \): This involves focusing on how \( f \) changes as \( x \) changes, keeping \( y \) and \( z \) constant. It involves applying rules like the product rule and chain rule to differentiate complex expressions.
- Partial Derivative with Respect to \( y \): Here, we differentiate with respect to \( y \) considering it as the variable and \( x \), \( z \) as constants. The result tells us how sensitive \( f \) is to small changes in \( y \).
- Partial Derivative with Respect to \( z \): Similarly, this derivative highlights how \( f \) responds to changes in \( z \), while \( x \) and \( y \) remain unchanged.
Multivariable Calculus
The exercise is an excellent showcase of multivariable calculus, a field of mathematics that extends the concepts of single-variable calculus to functions with several variables. When dealing with functions like \( f(x, y, z) = xz \ln(x+y+z) \), multivariable calculus allows us to explore how changes in multiple inputs affect the output. Here are some essential aspects:
- Functions of Several Variables: These are functions that depend on more than one variable—in our case, three: \( x \), \( y \), and \( z \).
- Gradient: The gradient is the vector composed of all the partial derivatives. It points in the direction of the greatest rate of increase of the function. For \( f \), it consolidates the partial derivatives determined for each variable.
- Application: Multivariable calculus is crucial in fields such as physics and engineering where systems are often dependent on several variables simultaneously.
Product Rule
The product rule is a fundamental principle in calculus used to differentiate expressions formed by the multiplication of two or more functions. In the given function \( f(x, y, z) = xz \ln(x+y+z) \), applying the product rule is essential. Let's see how it works:
- When to Use: Use the product rule when differentiating a product of two functions. In our case, \( xz \) and \( \ln(x+y+z) \) are multiplied together.
- How to Apply: The rule states that \( \frac{d}{dx}[u(x)v(x)] = u'(x)v(x) + u(x)v'(x) \). Apply this to find the partial derivatives with respect to each variable.
- Differentiate \( xz \), keeping \( \ln(x+y+z) \) constant, and vice versa.
- For \( xz \ln(x+y+z) \), treating \( xz \) as \( u \) and \( \ln(x+y+z) \) as \( v \), the partial derivative results from differentiating both parts separately and combining them appropriately.
- Example: For \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \), use the product rule to differentiate \( xz \) and \( \ln(x+y+z) \) individually, then sum them as per the rule's guidance.