Mutlivariable Epsilon Delta Proofs

In summary, like many people on this forum, I am seemingly having trouble grasping the concepts of Epsilon Delta proofs and the logic behind them. I have read the definition and I realize for e>0 there is a d>0 such that...The limit L of f at (0,0) exists if there for every e exists a ball B (with radius d) around (0,0), so that all function values for points in B differs from L with less than e.
  • #1
patata
10
0
Like many people on this forum, i am seemingly having a lot of trouble grasping the concepts of Epsilon Delta proofs and the logic behind them. I have read the definition and i realize for e>0 there is a d>0 such that...

0<sqrt((x-1)^2 - (y-b)^2) < d then f(x,y) - L <e (excuse my use of proper symbols on this forum...i don't know how!)

The textbook has an example lim (x,y) -> (0,0) x^2y/x^2 + y^2 but i am completely oblivious to how they arrive to the conclusion that the limit equals 0!

I can follow it until 0<sqrt(x^2 + y^2)<d then | f(x,y) - 0 | < e but after that my eyes glaze over and I am lost no matter how many times i read it. If anybody could walk me through the process of finding these limits, i would greatly appreciate it.

As a side note, i tried reading other threads for help and attempted to convert the questions i tried into polar coordinates but i still couldn't seem to get the right answers doing that =( thanks!
 
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  • #2
Now, as a general advice for multi-variable limit study, change into polar coordinates!

Why?

Because the "delta" refers to the DISTANCE between the arbitrary point (say, (x,y)), and the fixed point of study, say (0,0).

But this means that our requirement for the existence of the limit can be reformulated as follows:
"The limit L of f at (0,0) exists if there for every e exists a ball B (with radius d) around (0,0), so that all function values for points in B differs from L with less than e"

In your case, transform x and y by means of
[tex]x=r\cos\theta,y=r\sin\theta[/tex]
where r is the radial variable.

Therefore, we have:
[tex]\frac{x^{2}y}{x^{2}+y^{2}}=\frac{r^{2}\cos^{2}{\theta} r\sin\theta}{r^{2}}=r\cos^{2}\theta\sin\theta[/tex]

Now, IF 0 is to be the limit of this expression at (0,0) (in Cartesian coordinates), it means that this must be the limit of the expression as r tends to 0!

We easily see that this is the case.
 
  • #3
Thank you for the quick and speedy reply! I understand the case for x^2y but i made a typo and the example for the book is x^3y...

If i convert this to polar coordinates i get

r^3Cos^3(theta) x rSin(theta) / r^2 (Cos^2(theta)Sin^2(theta)

However, i am getting stuck here, are there any ways to simplify Sin(theta)/Sin^2(Theta) or is it just Sin^-1(theta)

P.s. any links on how to format the maths in my posts correctly would be greatly appriciated ^^ they look very sloppy in comparison to the above! thanks for all the help.
 

1. What is a multivariable epsilon delta proof?

A multivariable epsilon delta proof is a mathematical technique used to rigorously prove the convergence of a function of two or more variables. It involves manipulating the variables and their corresponding delta values to show that the function approaches a specific limit as the variables approach a certain value.

2. Why are multivariable epsilon delta proofs important?

Multivariable epsilon delta proofs are important because they provide a rigorous and systematic way to prove the convergence of multivariable functions. This is crucial in many areas of mathematics, physics, and engineering where the behavior of functions with multiple variables needs to be understood and analyzed.

3. What are the key components of a multivariable epsilon delta proof?

The key components of a multivariable epsilon delta proof include the definition of the limit, the use of delta and epsilon values, and the manipulation of variables to show convergence. It also involves breaking down the function into simpler parts and using algebraic and mathematical techniques to prove convergence.

4. How do you know when a multivariable function has converged?

A multivariable function has converged when its values approach a specific limit as its variables approach a certain value. In a multivariable epsilon delta proof, this is demonstrated by showing that for any given epsilon (small positive number), there exists a corresponding delta (small positive number) such that the function's output is within epsilon distance of the limit when the variables are within delta distance of the specified value.

5. What are some tips for successfully completing a multivariable epsilon delta proof?

Some tips for successfully completing a multivariable epsilon delta proof include understanding the definition of the limit, carefully choosing the delta and epsilon values, breaking down the function into simpler parts, and using algebraic and mathematical techniques to manipulate the variables and prove convergence. It is also important to pay attention to details and to clearly explain each step of the proof.

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