Vector valued function &

vector field
Objectives

Students should be able to

 calculate directional derivatives for functions of multi-variables
 calculate the gradient vector of functions of multi-variables
 identify vector field
Directional derivatives

Recall that if 𝑧 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) then the partial derivatives 𝑓𝑥 and 𝑓𝑦 are defined as
𝜕𝑓 𝑓 𝑥0 +ℎ,𝑦0 −𝑓(𝑥0 ,𝑦0 )
𝑓𝑥 𝑥0 , 𝑦0 = 𝜕𝑥ቃ = lim
(𝑥0 ,𝑦0 ) ℎ→0 ℎ

𝜕𝑓 𝑓 𝑥0 ,𝑦0 +ℎ −𝑓(𝑥0 ,𝑦0 )

𝑓𝑦 𝑥0 , 𝑦0 = 𝜕𝑥ቃ = lim
(𝑥0 ,𝑦0 ) ℎ→0 ℎ

and represent the rates of change of z in the x- and y-direction, that is, in the direction of the
unit vectors i and j.
Directional derivatives for functions of
two variables

 The directional derivative of f at (𝑥0 , 𝑦0 ) in the direction of a unit vector 𝐮 = 𝑎, 𝑏 is

𝑓 𝑥0 +ℎ𝑎,𝑦0 +ℎ𝑏 −𝑓(𝑥0 ,𝑦0 )
𝐷𝐮 𝑓(𝑥0 , 𝑦0 ) = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

if this limit exists.

 Remark: The partial derivatives of f with respect to x and y are special cases of the directional
derivative.
Directional derivatives for functions of
two variables

 If f is a differentiable function of x and y, then f has a directional derivative in the direction of any unit
vector 𝐮 = 𝑎, 𝑏 and 𝑦
𝐷𝐮 𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑓𝑥 𝑥, 𝑦 𝑎 + 𝑓𝑦 𝑥, 𝑦 𝑏 𝐮
1
If the unit vector 𝐮 makes an angle  with the positive x-axis, then we can write 𝜃
𝐮 = cos 𝜃 , sin(𝜃) and the above formula becomes
𝐷𝐮 𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑓𝑥 𝑥, 𝑦 cos(𝜃) + 𝑓𝑦 𝑥, 𝑦 sin(𝜃) 𝑥

u is a vector
of length 1
Example

Find the directional derivative 𝐷𝐮 𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 if

𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 − 3𝑥𝑦 + 4𝑦 2
𝜋
and u is the unit vector given by angle 𝜃 = 6 . What is 𝐷𝐮 𝑓 1,2 ?

 Solution:
𝜋 𝜋
 𝐷𝐮 𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑓𝑥 𝑥, 𝑦 cos 6
+ 𝑓𝑦 𝑥, 𝑦 sin 6
3 1
= 3𝑥 2 − 3𝑦 + (−3𝑥 + 8𝑦)
2 2
3 1 13−3 3
𝐷𝐮 𝑓 1,2 = 3(1)2 −3(2) + −3 1 + 8 2 = .
2 2 2
The gradient vector for functions of
two variables

 If f is a function of two variables x and y, then the gradient of f is the vector function grad f or f
defined by
𝜕𝑓 𝜕𝑓
𝛻𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑓𝑥 𝑥, 𝑦 , 𝑓𝑦 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝜕𝑥 𝐢 + 𝜕𝑦 𝐣
Example

 Let 𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = sin 𝑥 + 𝑒 𝑥𝑦 . Find 𝛻𝑓(0,1)

 Solution:
 𝛻𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑓𝑥 , 𝑓𝑦 = cos 𝑥 + 𝑦𝑒 𝑥𝑦 , 𝑥𝑒 𝑥𝑦
 𝛻𝑓 0,1 = cos 0 + (1)𝑒 0 , 0 = 2,0
Directional derivatives and the
gradient vector for functions of three
variables
 For functions of three variables, the directional derivatives and the gradient vector are defined in a similar
manner.
 The directional derivative of f at (𝑥0 , 𝑦0 , 𝑧0 ) in the direction of a unit vector 𝐮 = 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 is
𝑓 𝑥0 +ℎ𝑎,𝑦0 +ℎ𝑏,𝑧0 +ℎ𝑐 −𝑓(𝑥0 ,𝑦0 ,𝑧0 )
𝐷𝐮 𝑓(𝑥0 , 𝑦0 , 𝑧0 ) = lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

if this limit exists.

 The gradient vector, denoted by 𝛻𝑓 or grad f, is
𝜕𝑓 𝜕𝑓 𝜕𝑓
𝛻𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑓𝑥 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 , 𝑓𝑦 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 , 𝑓𝑧 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝜕𝑥 𝐢 + 𝜕𝑦 𝐣 + 𝜕𝑧 𝐤
Example

 Let 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 . Find the gradient vector of 𝑓.

 Vector field
A vector field is an assignment of a
vector to each point in a subset of space. A
vector field in the plane (for instance), can
be visualised as: a collection of arrows
with a given magnitude and direction, each
attached to a point in the plane. Vector
fields are often used to model, for example,
the speed and direction of a moving fluid
throughout space, or the strength and
direction of some force, such as the
magnetic or gravitational force, as it
changes from point to point.

Vector
Vector field

 Let D be a set in R2 (a plane region). A vector field on R2 is a function F that assigns to each point
(x, y) in D a two-dimensional vector F(x, y).
 Let E be a subset of R3. A vector field on R3 is a function F that assigns to each point (x, y, z) in E a
three-dimensional vector F(x, y, z).
Example

 A vector field on R2 is defined by 𝐅 𝑥, 𝑦 = −𝑦𝐢 + 𝑥𝐣 . Sketch F(x, y) for the following

set of points: {(1, 0), (2, 2), (3, 0), (0, 1), (2, 2)}.
y
 Solution: ? ?

(x, y) F(x, y)
(1, 0) 0,1 F = 0,1
(2, 2) ? x
1
(3, 0) ?
(0, 1) ?
(2, 2) ?
Remark

 A gradient vector is really a vector field because it assigns to each point a vector 𝛻𝑓.
 Thus, the gradient vector is often called the gradient vector field.
 A vector field F is called a conservative vector field if there exist a function f such that
𝐅 = 𝛻𝑓. In this situation, f is called a potential function for F.