Deriving Partial Derivatives of Z with Respect to r and θ

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on deriving the partial derivatives of Z with respect to r and θ, where Z is defined as a function of x and y, with x = r cos(θ) and y = r sin(θ). The user successfully computed the derivatives ∂z/∂r and ∂z/∂θ, leading to the equations ∂z/∂r = (cos θ) ∂z/∂x + (sin θ) ∂z/∂y and ∂z/∂θ = (-r sin θ) ∂z/∂x + (r cos θ) ∂z/∂y. The user seeks to express ∂z/∂x and ∂z/∂y in terms of ∂z/∂r and ∂z/∂θ, specifically as ∂z/∂x = cos θ ∂z/∂r - (1/r) sin θ ∂z/∂θ and ∂z/∂y = sin θ ∂z/∂r + (1/r) cos θ ∂z/∂θ.

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sinbad30
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I am given Z = f (x, y), where x= r cosθ and y=r sinθ

I found

∂z/∂r = ∂z/∂x ∂x/∂r + ∂z/∂y ∂y/∂r = (cos θ) ∂z/∂x + (sin θ) ∂z/∂y and

∂z/∂θ = ∂z/∂x ∂x/∂θ + ∂z/∂y ∂y/∂θ= (-r sin θ) ∂z/∂x + (r cos θ) ∂z/∂y

I need to show that

∂z/∂x = cos θ ∂z/∂r - 1/r * sin θ ∂z/∂θ and

∂z/∂y = sin θ ∂z/∂r + 1/r * cos θ ∂z/∂θ

Any ideas?

Thanks
 
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sinbad30 said:
I am given Z = f (x, y), where x= r cosθ and y=r sinθ

I found

∂z/∂r = ∂z/∂x ∂x/∂r + ∂z/∂y ∂y/∂r = (cos θ) ∂z/∂x + (sin θ) ∂z/∂y and

∂z/∂θ = ∂z/∂x ∂x/∂θ + ∂z/∂y ∂y/∂θ= (-r sin θ) ∂z/∂x + (r cos θ) ∂z/∂y

I need to show that

∂z/∂x = cos θ ∂z/∂r - 1/r * sin θ ∂z/∂θ and

∂z/∂y = sin θ ∂z/∂r + 1/r * cos θ ∂z/∂θ

Any ideas?

Thanks

∂z/∂r = (cos θ) ∂z/∂x + (sin θ) ∂z/∂y

∂z/∂θ = (-r sin θ) ∂z/∂x + (r cos θ) ∂z/∂y

It is two equations for the "unknowns" ∂z/∂x and ∂z/∂y. Multiply the first equation by r(cosθ), the second one with (sinθ) and subtract them. What do you get?

ehild
 
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