Chapter 14: Problem 116
True or false? Give reasons for your answer. If \(f(x, y)=e^{x+y},\) then the directional derivative in any direction \(\vec{u}\) (with \(\|\vec{u}\|=1\) ) at the point (0,0) is always less than or equal to \(\sqrt{2}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
True; the maximum directional derivative is \( \sqrt{2} \).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Problem
We need to determine whether the statement about the directional derivative of the function \( f(x, y) = e^{x+y} \) at the point (0,0) is correct. Specifically, we need to check if the directional derivative is always \( \leq \sqrt{2} \).
02
Calculate the Gradient
The gradient \( abla f \) of the function \( f(x, y) = e^{x+y} \) is given by the partial derivatives: \[ abla f = \left( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}, \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \right) = (e^{x+y}, e^{x+y}) \].At the point (0,0), this gives: \[ abla f(0,0) = (e^0, e^0) = (1, 1) \].
03
Recall the Directional Derivative Formula
The directional derivative of \( f \) in the direction of a unit vector \( \vec{u} = (u_1, u_2) \) is defined as: \[ D_{\vec{u}}f(x, y) = abla f \cdot \vec{u} = (\frac{\partial f}{\partial x}, \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}) \cdot (u_1, u_2) \].
04
Evaluate the Directional Derivative at (0,0)
Using the point (0,0), the directional derivative becomes: \[ D_{\vec{u}}f(0,0) = (1, 1) \cdot (u_1, u_2) = 1 \cdot u_1 + 1 \cdot u_2 = u_1 + u_2 \]. Since \( \|\vec{u}\| = 1 \), we know: \[ u_1^2 + u_2^2 = 1 \].
05
Determine the Maximum of the Directional Derivative
To find the maximum value of \( u_1 + u_2 \) given \( u_1^2 + u_2^2 = 1 \), we use the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality or recognize that cosine of the angle between \( (1, 1) \) and \( \vec{u} \) is maximized. This yields that the maximum occurs when \( u_1 = u_2 = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} \), giving \[ u_1 + u_2 = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} + \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} = \sqrt{2} \].Thus, the maximum directional derivative at (0,0) is \( \sqrt{2} \).
06
Conclusion
Since the maximum value of the directional derivative at (0,0) is \( \sqrt{2} \), the statement that the directional derivative is always \( \leq \sqrt{2} \) is true.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Gradient
The gradient of a function provides important information about the function's rate and direction of change. Think of it as a multi-variable generalization of the derivative for single-variable functions. Given a function \( f(x, y) \), the gradient \( abla f \) is a vector consisting of the partial derivatives with respect to each variable. For example, with \( f(x, y) = e^{x+y} \), the gradient is:
- \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} = e^{x+y} \)
- \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} = e^{x+y} \)
Unit Vector
A unit vector is a vector with a length (or magnitude) of 1. It is often used to specify a direction. In mathematical terms, a vector \( \vec{u} = (u_1, u_2) \) is a unit vector if:
- \( \| \vec{u} \| = 1 \)
- Which means \( u_1^2 + u_2^2 = 1 \)
Partial Derivatives
Partial derivatives are like the ordinary derivatives but limited to multi-variable functions. They measure the rate at which a function changes as one of its variables is varied, keeping all other variables constant. For a function \( f(x, y) \):
- The partial derivative with respect to \( x \) is \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \)
- The partial derivative with respect to \( y \) is \( \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \)
Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality
The Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality is a key concept in vector mathematics that places bounds on the dot product of two vectors. It states that for any vectors \( \vec{a} \) and \( \vec{b} \):
- \( |\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}| \leq \|\vec{a}\| \|\vec{b}\| \)