Mathematical tools for intermediate economics classes
Iftekher Hossain

Calculus of Multivariable Functions

Section 3

Second-order Partial Derivatives

Practise questions

1. Find the first-order and second-order partial derivatives for the following functions:

  1. \(f(x) = x^{2} + 4xy + y^{2}\)
  2. \(f(x,y) = x^{2}(3x + 2y)\)
  3. \(f(x,y) = 10x^{2}y - 5xy^{2}\)
  4. \(f(x,y) = x^{0.4}y^{0.4}\)
  5. \(f(x,y) = x^{0.4}y^{0.6}\)
  1. \(f_{x} = 2x + 4y\)

      \(\;f_{y} = 4x + 2y\)

     \(f_{xx} = 2\)

     \(f_{yy} = 2\)

     \(f_{xy} = f_{yx} = 4\)

  2. \(f_{x} = 9x^{2} + 4xy\)

      \(\;f_{y} = 2x^{2}\)

     \(f_{xx} = 18x + 4y\)

     \(f_{yy} = 0\)

     \(f_{xy} = f_{yx} = 4x\)

  3. \(f_{x} = 20xy - 5y^{2}\)

      \(\;f_{y} = 10x^{2} - 10xy\)

     \(f_{xx} = 20y\)

     \(f_{yy} = -10x\)

     \(f_{xy} = f_{yx} = 20x - 10y\)

  4. \(f_{x} = 0.4x^{-0.6}y^{0.4}\)

      \(\;f_{y} = 0.4x^{0.4}y^{-0.6}\)

     \(f_{xx} = -0.24x^{-1.6}y^{0.4}\)

     \(f_{yy} = -0.24x^{0.4}y^{-1.6}\)

     \(f_{xy} = f_{yx} = 0.16x^{-0.6}y^{-0.6}\)

  5. \(f_{x} = 0.4x^{-0.6}y^{0.6}\)

      \(\;f_{y} = 0.6x^{0.4}y^{-0.4}\)

     \(f_{xx} = -0.24x^{-1.6}y^{0.6}\)

     \(f_{yy} = -0.24x^{0.6}y^{-1.6}\)

     \(f_{xy} = f_{yx} = 0.24x^{-0.6}y^{-0.4}\)



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