Directional derivative tangent to a curve

In summary, the problem at hand is to find the directional derivative of z in the direction of the tangent to the curve y=x^2+2x-1 at the point (0,1), given the implicit function xz^2-yz+cos(xy)=2. To solve this, the negative of the gradient of z must be multiplied by the unit vector of the tangent at the point. The unit vector can be found by dividing the tangent vector, in this case 2x+2, by its magnitude.
  • #1
MeMoses
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Homework Statement



Given xz^2-yz+cos(xy)=2 which defines z implicitly in terms of x and y, find the directional derivative of z in the direction of the tangent to the curve y=x^2+2x-1 at the point (0,1) in the direction of decreasing x

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I'm fairly positive I just take the negative of the gradient of z multiplied by the unit vector of the tangent of the curve, all at the point. I have the gradient of z but what is the unit vector of the tangent? I think the tangent would be 2x+2 but I know it has to be divided by something to be a unit vector. This is where my notes become inconsistent and I'm not sure what to do
 
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  • #2
If you draw in the tangent vector to the curve, you should be able to see that [itex]\tan \theta = dy/dx[/itex], where [itex]\theta[/itex] is the angle the vector makes with the horizontal axis.
 

What is a directional derivative tangent to a curve?

A directional derivative tangent to a curve is a measure of how a function changes in a particular direction, along a curve. It gives the rate of change of the function at a specific point along the curve, in the direction of the tangent line at that point.

How is the directional derivative tangent to a curve calculated?

The directional derivative tangent to a curve is calculated using the dot product of the gradient vector of the function and the unit vector in the direction of the tangent line. This gives the rate of change of the function in the direction of the tangent line.

What is the significance of the directional derivative tangent to a curve?

The directional derivative tangent to a curve is important in understanding the behavior of a function along a curve. It helps to determine the direction in which the function is changing the most at a given point, and can be used to optimize functions in multivariable calculus.

How does the directional derivative tangent to a curve relate to the gradient vector?

The directional derivative tangent to a curve is the projection of the gradient vector onto the direction of the tangent line. This means that the directional derivative is the rate of change of the function in the direction of the steepest increase, which is represented by the gradient vector.

Can the directional derivative tangent to a curve be negative?

Yes, the directional derivative tangent to a curve can be negative. A negative value indicates that the function is decreasing in the direction of the tangent line, while a positive value indicates that the function is increasing in that direction.

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