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MAT 295
Chapter 6
Equation of
Tangent Plane
and Linear
Approximation
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
6.1 Introduction
One of the most fundamental notions in the study of derivatives of functions
of one variable is the idea of tangent line. The tangent line to a curve at a
point P (point of tangency) is a line which is perpendicular to the normal line
of the curve at the same point. Zooming in toward the point (two
dimensions), the curve becomes undistinguishable from its tangent line.
Here, the attempt is to develop the same idea in three dimensions. Zooming
in towards a point P on a surface, the tangent plane and the surface become
closer and closer to each other and undistinguishable.
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MAT 295
Tangent
Plane at P
P
P(1,2,-6)
P(0,0,0)
Figure 6.1 Tangent plane at a point P for two different elliptic paraboloids
Theorem
Suppose f has continuous partial derivatives. An equation of the tangent
plane to the surface represented explicitly as z = f(x, y) at the point
P ( x0 , y o , zo ) is
z - z0 f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x x0 ) fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y y 0 )
Thus giving,
z fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) fy ( x0, y 0 )(y - y0 ) z0
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MAT 295
Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0 f ( x0 , y 0 )
Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )
Compute
z - z0 f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y0 )
The equation of tangent plane at P is
z fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 ) z0
Example 1
Let z f ( x, y ) x 2 - xy y 3 . Find the equation of the tangent plane to
the graph at (2, -1).
Solution
Determine f x and fy
f x ( x, y ) 2x - y
fy ( x, y ) - x 3y 2
Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0 f ( x0 , y 0 )
Point ( x0 , y 0 ) : (2, -1)
z0 f ( x0 , y 0 ) : z0 f (2 ,-1) 4 2 - 1 5
Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )
f x (2 ,-1) 2(2) - (-1)
fy (2 ,-1) -2 3(-1)2
Compute
z - z0 fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )
z 5 fx (2,1)(x - 2) fy (2,1)(y - (-1))
z - 5 5( x - 2) ( y 1)
z - 5 5 x - 10 y 1
MAT 295
Example 2
Find the equation of the tangent plane to the surface z 2x 2 y 2 at the
point P(1,1,3).
Solution
Determine f x and fy
fy ( x, y ) 2y
f x ( x, y ) 4x
Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0 .
( x0 , y 0 ) : (1,1)
z0 3
and
Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )
fy (1,1) 2(1) 2
f x (1,1) 4(1) 4
Compute
z - 3 f x (1,1)(x - 1) fy (1,1)(y - 1)
z - 3 4( x - 1) 2( y - 1)
z - 3 4 x - 4 2y - 2
Example 3
Find
the
equation
of
the
tangent
plane
to
the
surface
f ( x, y ) y cos(x - y ) at x 2, y 2 .
Solution
Determine f x and fy
fy ( x, y ) cos(x - y) ysin(x - y)
f x ( x, y ) -y sin( x - y)
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MAT 295
Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0 f ( x0 , y 0 )
x0 2, y 0 2 thus z0 f (2, 2) 2 cos 0 2
Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )
fy (2,2) cos 0 2sin0
f x (2,2) -2sin0
0
Compute
z - z0 f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )
z - 2 0( x - 2) 1( y - 2)
z-2 y -2
where z0 f ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) .
or
z - f ( x, y ) 0
let
F ( x, y, z) f ( x, y ) - z , then F ( x, y, z) 0.
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MAT 295
Theorem
If F is differentiable at P ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) , then an equation of the tangent plane to
the
given
surface
given
by
F ( x, y, z) 0
at
P ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
is
Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
Evaluate Fx , Fy and Fz at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
Compute:
Example 4
Fx ( x0of
, y0the
, z0 )(tangent
x xo ) F
y0 ) Fz ( x0 , ygiven
z0 ) 0
Find an equation
plane
y ( x 0 , yto
0 , zthe
0 )(yhyperboloid
0 , z0 )(zby
z 2 2x 2 2y 2 12
Solution
Determine Fx , Fy and Fz
Fx ( x, y, z) 4x
Fy ( x, y, z) 4y
Fz ( x, y, z) 2z
Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
(1, -1, 4)
Evaluate Fx , Fy and Fz at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
Fy (1,1,4) 4
Fx (1,1,4) 4
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Fz (1,1,4) 8
Compute
Fx ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(x x0 ) Fy ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(y y 0 ) Fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(z z0 ) 0
4( x - 1) 4( y 1) 8( z - 4) 0
4 x 4 4 y 4 8z - 32 0
4 x 4 y 8z - 32 0
x y 2z - 8 0
Example 5
Find an equation of the tangent plane to the ellipsoid
4x 2 9y 2 z 2 - 49 0
Solution
Determine Fx , Fy and Fz
Fx ( x, y, z) 8x
Fy ( x, y, z) 18y
Fz ( x, y, z) 2z
Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
(1, -2, 3)
Evaluate Fx , Fy and Fz at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
Fx (1,-2,3) 8
Fy (1,-2,3) -36
Fz (1,-2,3) 6
Compute
F0 ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(x x0 ) Fy ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(y y 0 ) Fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(z z0 ) 0
8( x - 1) - 36( y 2) 6( z - 3) 0
8 x - 8 - 36 y - 72 6z - 18 0
8x - 36 y 6z - 98 0
or 4 x - 18y 3z - 49 0
Warm up exercise
Given that f ( x, y ) x y . Find the equation of the tangent plane
of f at (1,4).
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MAT 295
MAT 295
(a)
(b)
(c)
2
Definition
Let z f ( x, y ) . The equation of the tangent plane of f at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) where
z0 f ( x0 , y 0 ) is
z z0 Fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x x0 ) Fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y y 0 )
z Fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) Fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 ) z0
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MAT 295
Example 6
If f ( x, y ) x 2 3xy - y 2 ,
a) Find the tangent plane of f at (1, 1, 3).
b) Find the linear approximation of f at (1, 1, 3) and use it to estimate
f(1.01, 0.98). Hence compare it with the exact value of f(1.01, 0.98).
Solution
a)
Determine f x and fy
fy ( x, y ) 3x - 2y
f x ( x, y ) 2x 3y
Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) = (1,1,3)
Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )
fy (1,1) 1
fx (1,1) 5
Compute
z - z0 f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )
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MAT 295
z - 3 5( x - 1) ( y - 1)
z 5x y - 3
Example 7
Find the linearization of f ( x, y ) xe xy at (1,0) and use it to approximate
f(1.1,-0.1).
Solution
Determine f x and fy
fy ( x, y ) x 2e xy
f x ( x, y ) e xy xye xy
Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
z0 f (1,0) (1)e0 1, so ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) = (1,0,1)
Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )
fy (1,0) 1
fx (1,0) 1
Compute
z - z0 fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 ) fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )
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MAT 295
z - 1 1( x - 1) 1( y - 0)
zxy
Let L( x, y ) x y .
Hence, the linear approximation of f at (1,0,1) is
L( x, y ) x y .
Warm up exercise
Given that f ( x, y ) x y . Use the tangent plane approximation
of f at (1,4) to estimate f(0.99,4.01).
Exercise 6
Equation of Tangent Plane and Linear Approximation
1.
Find an equation of the tangent plane to the given surface at the specified point.
a) z 4x 2 - y 2 2y,
(-1, 2, 4)
b) f ( x, y ) 4 - x 2 - 2y 2 ,
(1, -1, 1)
c) f ( x, y ) y ln x,
(1, 4, 0)
2
2
d) z e x - y ,
(1, -1,1)
e) f ( x, y ) y cos(x - y ),
(2, 2, 2)
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2.
MAT 295
3.
Find an equation of the tangent plane to the following implicitly defined surface
at the given point.
4.
a) x y z 9,
(3, 3, 3)
b) x 2 y 2 z 2 9,
(1, 2, 2)
c) x 2 y 2 z 2 9,
(1, 2, 4)
d) xyz 10,
(1, 2,5)
e) xy z
(-2,-3,6)
Find the linear approximation L(x, y) of the following function at the given (x, y)
values. Hence, use it to estimate f ( x, y ) .
5.
a) f ( x, y ) 20 - x 2 - 7y 2 ,
(2,1),
f(1.95, 1.08)
b) f ( x, y ) e x cos xy,
(0,0) ,
f(0.1, 0.101)
c) f ( x, y, z ) x 2 y 2 z 2 ,
(3,2,6),
6.
Suppose that the profit for a firm selling two products at prices p and q,
respectively, is given by
P ( p, q ) 100,000 5000 p 10,000q - 50 p 2 - 100q 2 10 pq.
Thus, when p 100 and q 50 , the total profit of the firm is RM 400,000. Use
linear approximation to estimate the effect of increasing RM1 in the price of p
and increasing RM0.20 in the price of q.
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