Directional Derivative Equal to Zero

In summary, the problem is asking for the directional derivative of f(x,y) at (1,1) to be equal to zero. To find this, we can use the formula ##D_uf = \nabla{f}\cdot{{\bf{u}}}## and set it equal to zero. The gradient of f is given by ##\nabla{f} = \left\langle\frac{4xy^2}{{(x^2 + y^2)}^2},\frac{-4{x^2}y}{{(x^2 + y^2)}^2}\right\rangle## and at (1,1) it is equal to ##\left\langle{
  • #1
Parmenides
37
0
The problem states:

"In what direction is the directional derivative of [tex]f(x,y) = \frac{x^2 - y^2}{x^2 + y^2}[/tex] at (1,1) equal to zero?"

I know that ##D_uf = \nabla{f}\cdot{{\bf{u}}}##. I believe the problem simply is asking for me to determine what vector ##{\bf{u}}## will yield zero. Thus:
[tex]\nabla{f} = \left\langle\frac{4xy^2}{{(x^2 + y^2)}^2},\frac{-4{x^2}y}{{(x^2 + y^2)}^2}\right\rangle[/tex]
At the point (1,1), we get ##\nabla{f} = \left\langle{1},{-1}\right\rangle##. From here, I think that a vector taken with the dot product of ##\left\langle{1},{-1}\right\rangle## to give zero would be ##\left\langle{1},{1}\right\rangle##. I'm not sure if it's that simple though because I could also say that ##\left\langle{0},{0}\right\rangle## gives zero, too. Perhaps my justification is flawed? Much appreciated.
 
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  • #2
Assuming your derivative is right it looks good except why would you say <0,0> gives zero? Also besides <1,1>, what about its opposite?
 
  • #3
Assuming your derivative is right it looks good except why would you say <0,0> gives zero? Also besides <1,1>, what about its opposite?

True. I guess I was thinking that the problem was seeking a single answer. As for the former, ##\left\langle{0},{0}\right\rangle \cdot \left\langle{1},{-1}\right\rangle = 0##, but I suppose that's not really even a "direction" at all... ><
 
  • #4
Parmenides said:
True. I guess I was thinking that the problem was seeking a single answer. As for the former, ##\left\langle{0},{0}\right\rangle \cdot \left\langle{1},{-1}\right\rangle = 0##, but I suppose that's not really even a "direction" at all... ><

While it's true that ##\left\langle{0},{0}\right\rangle \cdot \left\langle{1},{-1}\right\rangle = 0##, what point ##(x,y)## have you found where ##\nabla f(x,y) = \langle 0,0\rangle##?
 

1. What is a directional derivative?

A directional derivative is a measure of the instantaneous rate of change of a function in a specific direction. It represents the slope of the function in the direction of the vector.

2. How is the directional derivative calculated?

The directional derivative is calculated by taking the dot product of the gradient of the function and the unit vector in the direction of interest. This can be expressed mathematically as Duf(x,y) = ∇f(x,y) · u, where ∇f(x,y) is the gradient and u is the unit vector.

3. What does it mean when the directional derivative is equal to zero?

When the directional derivative is equal to zero, it means that the function is not changing in the direction of interest. This could indicate a local maximum, minimum, or saddle point on the function.

4. Can the directional derivative be negative or positive?

Yes, the directional derivative can be negative, positive, or zero. A negative directional derivative indicates that the function is decreasing in the direction of interest, while a positive directional derivative indicates that the function is increasing in that direction.

5. How is the directional derivative used in real-world applications?

The directional derivative is used in many fields, including physics, engineering, and economics, to model and analyze change. It is particularly useful in optimization problems, where the goal is to find the maximum or minimum value of a function.

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