Partial and total differentiation

In summary, the operators ##\frac{\partial}{\partial x}## and ##\frac{d}{dx}## are different because they operate on different types of functions. While ##\frac{d}{dx}## operates on a function of a single variable, ##\frac{\partial}{\partial x}## operates on a function of two or more variables. This means that when comparing the two, it is like comparing apples and oranges. Additionally, while it is possible to talk about the total derivative of a function of two or more variables, it is not common to see a total differential with respect to x be different from the partial differential with respect to x of the same function.
  • #1
Jhenrique
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You can give me a good examples where ##\frac{\partial}{\partial x}## is different to ##\frac{d}{dx}## ?
 
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  • #2
Jhenrique said:
You can give me a good examples where ##\frac{\partial}{\partial x}## is different to ##\frac{d}{dx}## ?
Comparing these two operators is like comparing apples and oranges.

##\frac{d}{dx}## operates on a function of a single variable; e.g., f(x).
##\frac{\partial}{\partial x}## operates on a function of two or more variables; e.g., g(x, y).

If you are given a function of two or more variables, such as f(x, y), but each variable is a function of one variable alone; i.e., f(x(t), y(t)), then it makes sense to talk about the total derivative df/dt.
 
  • #3
But, I never see a total differential wrt x of a scalar or vector function f(x) be different of the partial differential wrt x of same scalar or vector function f(x).
 

1. What is the difference between partial and total differentiation?

Partial differentiation is the process of finding the rate of change of a function with respect to one variable while holding all other variables constant. Total differentiation is the process of finding the rate of change of a function with respect to all variables.

2. Why is partial differentiation useful?

Partial differentiation is useful because it allows us to analyze how a function changes when only one of its variables changes while all others are held constant. This is particularly relevant in multivariable calculus, where many functions depend on multiple variables.

3. How is partial differentiation calculated?

Partial differentiation is calculated by treating all variables except the one we are interested in as constants, then using the traditional rules of differentiation to find the derivative of the function with respect to that variable.

4. What are some practical applications of partial differentiation?

Partial differentiation is commonly used in economics, physics, and engineering to optimize functions and understand how changing one variable affects the overall system. It is also used in statistics to calculate partial derivatives of probability distributions.

5. Can partial differentiation be applied to functions with more than two variables?

Yes, partial differentiation can be applied to functions with any number of variables. However, the calculations can become more complex as the number of variables increases, making it more challenging to find the partial derivatives.

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