Correcting Mistakes in Partial Differential Equations

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
4 replies · 2K views
aruwin
Messages
204
Reaction score
0
I have calculated 3 times and I still don't get the answer. The answer should be 0.
Here's the question and my work. Which part am I wrong?


f(x,y) = 1/√(1-2xy+y^2)

Prove that ∂/∂x{(1-x^2)*∂f/∂x} + ∂/∂y{(y^2)*∂f/∂y} = 0
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1926.jpg
    IMG_1926.jpg
    27.3 KB · Views: 483
Physics news on Phys.org
The powers "-1/2" in the very first step for both fx and fy should be "+1/2".
 
haruspex said:
The powers "-1/2" in the very first step for both fx and fy should be "+1/2".

I think my first partial derivative is correct.

because the power of the original function is +1/2 so when we differentiate it,it becomes
1/2 - 1 = -1/2

But I don't get 0 for the final answer
 
Sorry, you're right. The mistakes are in the last line.
In fact, hardly any of the last line looks right to me!
E.g. the first term should be (writing g = 1/f):
[-2xyg3 + 3y2(1-x2)g]/g6
No?
 
haruspex said:
Sorry, you're right. The mistakes are in the last line.
In fact, hardly any of the last line looks right to me!
E.g. the first term should be (writing g = 1/f):
[-2xyg3 + 3y2(1-x2)g]/g6
No?

Yeah, I know what went wrong now :D I used the quotient rule incorrectly.
Thanks, I have solved this! :)
 
Last edited: