Chapter 3:

Functions of Several Variables

(Multi Variables Functions)

ASSOC. PROF. DR. ROZLAN ALIAS

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

o Determine domain and range for multivariable functions.

o Sketch the graph of simple multivariable functions.
o Determine the limit of multivariable functions and check its continuity.
o Find partial derivatives and mixed derivatives.
o Use chain rules and implicit differentiation.
 Domain and Range

Domain – the set of values D for which a function is defined.

Range - the set of values to which D is sent by the function.

Domain,
D {x : a  x  b, xR}
Range,
R { y : c  y  d , yR}
 3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable
• y= f(x) Linear Function
𝑦=2 𝑥
 
• Eg
𝑦=𝑥
 
• A=  r2

 
3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Linear Function

𝑥+2 𝑦=6
 

 
3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Quadratic Function

𝑦= 𝑥 2+ 2
   
For

 
For

𝑦=𝑥 2
 
3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Quadratic Function
 
For

+1
 
 
For

𝑦=( 𝑥 − 1)2
 
3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Equation of left- hand y  x
2
y  of
Equation of right –hand side x2
side of Is
  √𝑦
𝑥=
 
𝑥=− √𝑦 invers 2
e yx
functi
Here,
on of
input is
y,
output
is x
 3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Upper part x  y
2
Not a Is
function of actually
since one x inverse
correspon 2 y  x2
function
ding to
 𝑥= 𝑦
of
two y.
 𝑦= √ 𝑥

Function is either one x

corresponds to one y or Many x to  
one y
 
 3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Lower part x  y
2

of 𝑦= 𝑥 3
 

 
𝑦=− √ 𝑥

   

 
 3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
,

𝑥2 + 𝑦 2=1
  Both 𝑥 2 𝑥2
  + =1
circle 9 4
and
ellipse
are not
functions
but
equations
 3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Upper Lower
circle
 𝑦= √ 1 − 𝑥 2
circle

 𝑦=− √ 1− 𝑥 2

   
 3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
Right circle
Left
    √1 − 𝑦
2 2
𝑥=− √1 − 𝑦 𝑥=
circle

When
swap x
and y When swap x and
variabl y variables, it is
es, it is same ywith
 1 x2
same
ywith
  1  x2
3.1 Revision: Function of one
variable( domain and range)
𝑦= 𝑒 𝑥
•For 
 

𝑦=ln
  ⁡(𝑥)
 
For
 3.2 Function of Several
Variables
• Function of two • Function of three
variables variables
• z= f(x, y) • w= f(x, y, z)
• Eg • Eg
• A= xy • V= lwh
• W = FD
• V = r2h
 3.2 Function of Several
Variables
Definition of Function of Two Variable

• Let D be a set of ordered pairs real numbers. If to each

ordered pair (x, y) in D there corresponds a unique real
number f(x, y), then f is called a function of x and y. The
set D is the domain of f and the corresponding set of values
for f(x,y) is the range of f.
• x & y : independent variables
• z : dependent variable
 3.2 Function of Several
Variables
Definition of Function of Three Variable

• Let D be a set of ordered triples real numbers. If to each

ordered triple (x, y, z) in D there corresponds a unique real
number f(x, y, z), then f is called a function of x, y and z.
The set D is the domain of f and the corresponding set of
values for f(x,y, z) is the range of f.
• x, y & z : independent variables
• w : dependent variable
 Domain and Range

For function of two variables,

z  f ( x, y)
Domain is the xy-plane,
D {( x, y): anyrestric tion,ifapplicable, xR, yR}
D {( x, y): xR, yR} D {( x, y):   x, y  }
Range

R {z : anyrestric tion,ifapplicable, zR}

 Domain and Range

For function of three variables,

w f ( x, y, z)
Domain is the xy-plane,
D {( x, y, z): anyrestric tion,ifapplicable, xR, yR, zR}
D {( x, y): xR, yR} D {( x, y):   x, y  }
Range

R {w: anyrestric tion,ifapplicable, wR}

 z
Y or f(x)

Range, R
d

Range,
R y
c Domain, D

x
x
a b
Domain, D

(b)
(a)
 3.2 Function of Several
Variables
• Similar definition can be given to four or n
variables where the domain consist of
ordered quadruples(x1, x2, x3, x4) and (x1, x2,
x3, x4, ...xn)
Common restrictions for some functions

Function Example Restriction Remarks

Root where n=2,4,6,… If f<0, the function will

n f f 0 become complex number
Reciprocal Any number divided by 0
1 f 0 is undefined.
f
sin or cos sin(f) or cos(f) No restriction f can be any real numbers

log or ln log f or ln f Log (or ln) for 0 or

negative number is
undefined
f 0
Exponent ef No restriction f can be any real numbers
3.3 Domain and Range

• Example 1
1 x  y Let f(x, y) =
(a) Evaluate f(2, 1), f(-4, 3) and f(2t, t2)
(b) Find domain and range of f.
Solution
(a) f(2, 1) = 1  2  1  0 (b) f is defined if 1- x + y  0 or
f(-4, 3) 1  (4)  3  2 2 yx–1
=
f(2t, t2)
\ D(f) = {(x, y): y  x – 1, (x, y)  R}
=
1  2t  t 2  (t  1) 2 | t  1 |
\ R(f) = {z=f(x, y) : z  0, z  R}
3.3 Domain and Range

Example 2
Find the domain of each of the following functions.
a) f(x, y) = x2 y b) f(x, y) = ln (x2 – y)

Solution

a) D(f) = {(x, y) : x R, y  0, (x, y)  R}

b) ln (x2 – y) is defined if x2 – y > 0
D(f) = {(x, y) : y < x2, (x, y)  R}
Example 3: Find the domain of the function: f  x , y   25  x 2  y 2

Solution: The domain of f(x, y) is the set of all points that satisfy the
inequality:

25  x  y  0
2 2 or 25  x 2  y 2

You may recognize that this is similar to the equation of a circle and
the inequality implies that any ordered pair on the circle or inside
the circle x  y  25 is in the domain.
2 2

y
The highlighted area is the
domain to f.
x
 Example 4: Find the domain of the function:

g  x , y , z   x 2  y 2  z 2  16

Solution:
Note that g is a function of three variables, so the domain is NOT an
area in the xy-plane. The domain of g is a solid in the 3-dimensional
coordinate system.

The expression under the radical must be nonnegative, resulting in

the inequality:
x 2  y 2  z 2  16  0 or x 2  y 2  z 2  16

This implies that any ordered triple outside of the sphere centered
at the origin with radius 4 is in the domain.
Example 5: Find the domain of the function: h  x , y   ln  xy 

Solution:
We know the argument of the natural log must be greater than zero.

So,

x y  0
This occurs in quadrant I and quadrant III. The domain is
highlighted below. Note the x-axis and the y-axis are NOT in the
domain.
y

x
 Graphs of Functions of Several Variables
As you learned in 2-dimensional space the graph of a function can be
helpful to your understanding of the function. The graph gives an
illustration or visual representation of all the solutions to the
equation. We also want to use this tool with functions of two
variables.

The graph of a function of two variables, z = f(x, y), is the set of

ordered triples, (x, y, z) for which the ordered pair, (x, y) is in the
domain.

*The graph of z = f(x, y) is a surface in 3-dimensional space.

The graph of a function of three variables, w = f(x, y, z) is the set of

all points (x, y, z, w) for which the ordered triple, (x, y, z) is in the
domain.

*The graph of w = f(x, y, z) is in 4 dimensions.

We can’t draw this graph or the graphs of any functions with 3 or

more independent variables.
Example 6: Find the domain and range of the function and then
sketch the graph.

z  f  x , y   25  x 2  y 2

Solution: From Example 1 we know the domain is all ordered pairs

(x, y) on or inside the circle centered at the origin with radius 5.

All ordered pairs satisfying the inequality: x  y  25

2 2

The range is going to consist of all possible outcomes for z.

The range must be nonnegative since z equals a principle square
root and furthermore, with the domain restriction:x  y  25 ,
2 2

the value of the radicand will only vary between 0 and 25.

Thus, the range is 0  z  5 .

Solution to Example 6 Continued:
Now let’s consider the sketch of the function: z  25  x 2  y 2

Squaring both sides and simplifying: z 2  25  x 2  y 2

x 2  y 2  z 2  25

A sphere with radius 5. This is helpful to sketching the function,

but we must be careful

The function z  25  x 2
 y 2
and the equation x 2  y 2  z 2  25

are not exactly the same. The equation does NOT represent z as a
function of x and y – meaning there is not a unique value for z for
each (x, y). Keep in mind that the function had a range of ,
which means the function is only the top half of the sphere. 0  z  5
As you have done before when sketching a surface in 3-dimensions
it may be helpful for you to use the traces in each coordinate plane.

1. The trace in the xy-plane, z = 0, is the equation:

0  25  x 2  y 2 or x 2  y 2  25 The circle centered at the

origin with radius 5 in the xy-
plane.

2. The trace in the yz-plane, x = 0, is the equation:

The circle centered at the
z  25  y 2 or y 2  z 2  25 origin with radius 5 in the yz-
plane.

3. The trace in the xz-plane, y = 0, is the equation:

The circle centered at the
z  25  x 2
or x  z  25
2 2
origin with radius 5 in the xz-
plane.
Along with sketching the traces in each coordinate plane, it may
be helpful to sketch traces in planes parallel to the coordinate
planes.

4. Let z = 3: 3  25  x  y or x  y  16
2 2 2 2

So on the plane z = 3, parallel to the xy-plane, the trace is a circle

centered at (0,0,3) with radius 4.

5. Let z = 4: 4  25  x  y or x  y  9
2 2 2 2

So on the plane z = 4, parallel to the xy-plane, the trace is a circle

centered at (0,0,4) with radius 3.
Here is a SKETCH with the three traces in the coordinate planes
and the additional two traces in planes parallel to the xy-plane.

Keep in mind that this is just a sketch. It is giving you a rough

idea of what the function looks like. It may also be helpful to use
a 3-dimensional graphing utility to get a better picture.

z=4

z=3
Here is a graph of the function using the 3-dimensional
graphing utility DPGraph.
z

x
Example 7: Sketch the surface: z  9  x  y
2 2

Solution: The domain is the entire xy-plane and the range is z  9 .

1. The trace in the xy-plane, z = 0, is the equation:

x2 y2  9 Circle

2. The trace in the yz-plane, x = 0, is the equation:

z  y 2  9 Parabola

3. The trace in the xz-plane, y = 0, is the equation:

z  x 2  9 Parabola
Solution to Example 7 Continued:

Traces parallel to the xy-plane include the following two.

4. The trace in the plane, z = 5, is the equation:

5  9x2 y2
or
Circle centered at (0, 0, 5) with
x2 y2  4 radius 2.

5. The trace in the plane, z = -7, is the equation:

7  9x2 y2
or
Circle centered at (0, 0, -7) with
x  y  16
2 2
radius 4.
Here is a sketch of the traces in z
each coordinate plane.
This paraboloid extends below the
xy-plane.

z  y 2  9

z  x 2  9
x2 y2  9

x
Here’s a graph of the surface using DPGraph.
 Level Curves

In the previous two examples, traces in the coordinate

planes and traces parallel to the xy-plane were used to
sketch the function of two variables as a surface in the
3-dimensional coordinate system.

When the traces parallel to the xy-plane or in other

words, the traces found when z or f(x,y) is set equal to a
constant, are drawn in the xy-plane, the traces are called
level curves. When several level curves, also called
contour lines, are drawn together in the xy-plane the
image is called a contour map.
 Example 8: Sketch a contour map of the function in Example 6,
z  f  x , y   25
using
 x 2 the
 y 2 level curves at c = 5,4,3,2,1 and 0.

Solution: c = a means the curve when z has a value of a.

c 5: 5  25  x 2  y 2  x2  y 2  0  Point at  0,0 

c  4: 4  25  x 2  y 2  x2  y 2  9  Circle with r  3

c  3: 3  25  x 2  y 2  x2  y 2  16  Circle with r  4

c 2: 2  25  x 2  y 2  x2  y 2  21  Circle with r  21

c 1: 1  25  x 2  y 2  x2  y 2  24  Circle with r  24

c 0: 0  25  x 2  y 2  x2  y 2  25  Circle with r  5

Solution to Example 8 Continued: Contour map with point (0, 0) for c
= 5 and then circles expanding out from the center for the remaining
values of c.

Note: The values of c were

uniformly spaced, but the level
curves are not.

When the level curves are

spaced far apart (in the center),
there is a gradual change in the
function values.

When the level curves are close

together (near c = 5), there is a
steep change in the function
values.
Example 9: Sketch a contour map of the function,z  f  x , y   x  2y
2 2

using the level curves at c = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8.

Solution: Set the function equal to each constant.

c  0 : 0  x 2  2y 2  Point at  0,0 

x2 y2
c  2 : 2  x  2y
2 2
 Ellipse :  1
2 1

x2 y2
c  4 : 4  x  2y
2 2
 Ellipse :  1
4 2

x2 y2
c  6 : 6  x  2y
2 2
 Ellipse :  1
6 3

x2 y2
c  8 : 8  x 2  2y 2  Ellipse :  1
8 4
Solution to Example 9 Continued: Contour map with point (0, 0) for c
= 0 and then ellipses expanding out from the center for the
remaining values of c.
Example 9 Continued:

z  f  x , y   x 2  2. y 2
Here is a graph of the surface