Part 1 PARTIAL DERIVATIVES MAT 295

Chapter 6

Equation of
Tangent Plane
and Linear
Approximation
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
 Define tangent plane
 Determine the equation of a tangent plane at a point
 Apply the concept of linear approximations

6.1 Introduction

One of the most fundamental notions in the study of derivatives of functions

of one variable is the idea of tangent line. The tangent line to a curve at a
point P (point of tangency) is a line which is perpendicular to the normal line
of the curve at the same point. Zooming in toward the point (two
dimensions), the curve becomes undistinguishable from its tangent line.
Here, the attempt is to develop the same idea in three dimensions. Zooming
in towards a point P on a surface, the tangent plane and the surface become
closer and closer to each other and undistinguishable.

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6.2 Equation of tangent plane

The tangent plane to a surface at a point P (point of tangency) is a plane in
which lie all the tangents at the point P to various curves drawn on the
surface through this point.
The normal to the surface is the plane which is perpendicular to the tangent
plane at the point of tangency.

Tangent P
Plane at P

P(1,2,-6)
P(0,0,0)

Figure 6.1 Tangent plane at a point P for two different elliptic paraboloids

Theorem
Suppose f has continuous partial derivatives. An equation of the tangent
plane to the surface represented explicitly as z = f(x, y) at the point
P ( x0 , y o , zo ) is p
z - z0  f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x  x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y  y 0 )

Thus giving,
z  fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0, y 0 )(y - y0 )  z0

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Steps : Writing Equation of Tangent plane at P ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )

(for Surface represented explicitly)

 Write the function in the form of z  f ( x, y )

 Determine f x and fy
 Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0  f ( x0 , y 0 )
 Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )
 Compute
z - z0  f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y0 )
 The equation of tangent plane at P is
z  fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )  z0

Example 1

Let z  f ( x, y )  x 2 - xy  y 3 . Find the equation of the tangent plane to

the graph at (2, -1).

Solution

 Write the function in the form of z  f ( x, y )

z  f ( x, y )  x 2 - xy  y 3

 Determine f x and fy

f x ( x, y )  2x - y fy ( x, y )  - x  3y 2

 Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0  f ( x0 , y 0 )

Point ( x0 , y 0 ) : (2, -1)

z0  f ( x0 , y 0 ) : z0  f (2 ,-1)  4  2 - 1  5

 Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )

f x (2 ,-1)  2(2) - (-1) fy (2 ,-1)  -2  3(-1)2

5 1
 Compute
z - z0  fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )
z  5  fx (2,1)(x - 2)  fy (2,1)(y - (-1))

z - 5  5( x - 2)  ( y  1)
z - 5  5 x - 10  y  1
 Hence, the equation of the tangent plane is
z  5x  y - 4

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Example 2

Find the equation of the tangent plane to the surface z  2x 2  y 2 at the

point P(1,1,3).

Solution

 Write the function in the form of z  f ( x, y )

z  f ( x, y )  2x 2  y 2

 Determine f x and fy

f x ( x, y )  4x fy ( x, y )  2y

 Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0 .

( x0 , y 0 ) : (1,1) and z0  3

 Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )

f x (1,1)  4(1)  4 fy (1,1)  2(1)  2

 Compute
z - 3  f x (1,1)(x - 1)  fy (1,1)(y - 1)

z - 3  4( x - 1)  2( y - 1)
z - 3  4 x - 4  2y - 2
 Hence, the equation of the tangent plane is
z  4x  2y - 3

Example 3
Find the equation of the tangent plane to the surface
f ( x, y )  y cos(x - y ) at x  2, y  2 .

Solution

 Write the function in the form of z  f ( x, y )

z  f ( x, y )  y cos(x - y)

 Determine f x and fy

f x ( x, y )  -y sin( x - y) fy ( x, y )  cos(x - y)  ysin(x - y)

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 Identify ( x0 , y 0 ) and z0  f ( x0 , y 0 )

x0  2, y 0  2 thus z0  f (2, 2)  2 cos 0  2

 Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )

f x (2,2)  -2sin0 fy (2,2)  cos 0  2sin0

0 1
 Compute
z - z0  f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )

z - 2  0( x - 2)  1( y - 2)
z-2 y -2
 Hence, the equation of the tangent plane is
zy

If the equation of a surface in a rectangular co-ordinate system is given in the

explicit form z  f ( x, y ) , where f ( x, y ) is a differentiable function, then the

equation of the tangent plane at the point P( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) of the surface is

z - z0  f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )

where z0  f ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) .

Equations of the Tangent Plane for an implicitly represented surface

Another convenient way of writing a surface given by z  f ( x, y ) is by using
the more general representation F ( x, y, z)  0 (level surfaces). The surface

z  f ( x, y ) can be rewritten by defining F as follows:

z  f ( x, y ) or z - f ( x, y )  0
let
F ( x, y, z)  f ( x, y ) - z , then F ( x, y, z)  0.

Since f ( x, y ) - z  0 , the left hand side of the equation can be treated as

F ( x, y, z)  0 ,or, F is a function of three variables x, y and z. In this case,
the surface is written implicitly. When the equation of a surface is
represented implicitly where,
F ( x, y, z)  0 and F ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )  0 ,
the equation of the tangent plane can be determined by
Fx ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(x  xo )  Fy ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(y  y 0 )  Fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(z  z0 )  0

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Theorem
If F is differentiable at P ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) , then an equation of the tangent plane to

the given surface given by F ( x, y, z)  0 at P ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) is

Fx ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(x  xo )  Fy ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(y  y 0 )  Fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(z  z0 )  0

Steps : Writing Equation of Tangent plane at P ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )

(for Surface represented implicitly)

 Write the function in the form of F ( x, y, z)  0

 Determine Fx , Fy and Fz
 Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
 Evaluate Fx , Fy and Fz at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
 Compute:

Fx ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(x  xo )  Fy ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(y  y 0 )  Fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(z  z0 )  0

Example 4

Fx ( x0of
Find an equation , y0the x  xo )  F
, z0 )(tangent y ( x 0 , yto
plane 0 , zthe  y0 )  Fz ( x0 , ygiven
0 )(yhyperboloid  z0 )  0
0 , z0 )(zby

z 2  2x 2  2y 2  12
at the point (1, -1, 4).

Solution

 Write the function in the form of F ( x, y, z)  0

F ( x, y, z)  z 2  2x 2  2y 2  12  0

 Determine Fx , Fy and Fz

Fx ( x, y, z)  4x Fy ( x, y, z)  4y Fz ( x, y, z)  2z

 Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
(1, -1, 4)

 Evaluate Fx , Fy and Fz at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
Fx (1,1,4)  4 Fy (1,1,4)  4 Fz (1,1,4)  8

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 Compute

Fx ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(x  x0 )  Fy ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(y  y 0 )  Fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(z  z0 )  0

4( x - 1)  4( y  1)  8( z - 4)  0
4 x  4  4 y  4  8z - 32  0
4 x  4 y  8z - 32  0
x  y  2z - 8  0

Example 5
Find an equation of the tangent plane to the ellipsoid

4x 2  9y 2  z 2 - 49  0
at the point (1, -2, 3).

Solution

 Write the function in the form of F ( x, y, z)  0

F ( x, y, z)  4x 2  9y 2  z 2 - 49  0

 Determine Fx , Fy and Fz

Fx ( x, y, z)  8x Fy ( x, y, z)  18y Fz ( x, y, z)  2z

 Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )
(1, -2, 3)
 Evaluate Fx , Fy and Fz at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )

Fx (1,-2,3)  8 Fy (1,-2,3)  -36 Fz (1,-2,3)  6

 Compute
F0 ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(x  x0 )  Fy ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(y  y 0 )  Fz ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )(z  z0 )  0

8( x - 1) - 36( y  2)  6( z - 3)  0
8 x - 8 - 36 y - 72  6z - 18  0
8x - 36 y  6z - 98  0
or 4 x - 18y  3z - 49  0

Warm up exercise

Given that f ( x, y )  x y . Find the equation of the tangent plane

of f at (1,4).

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6.3 Linear approximations (Tangent Plane

Approximation)

(a) (b) (c)

2 2
Figure 6.2.The surface of elliptic paraboloid f ( x, y )  x  y appears to be near to
its tangent plane as we zoom in towards (1,1,2)

Let’s take a surface f ( x, y )  x 2  y 2 . It can be shown that the equation of

the tangent plane of this surface at point (1,1,2) is z  2x  2y - 2 or
z( x, y )  2x  2y - 2 . Figure 6.2 illustrates the surface together with its
tangent plane at (1,1,2) appearing to coincide as we zoom in towards the
point (1,1,2). Or in other words as we move towards that point, f ( x, y ) is
almost equal to z( x, y ) . The tangent plane z( x, y ) is a linear function of two
variables, hence is called the linearization of f at (1,1,2) denoted as L( x, y ) .
Thus,
f ( x, y ) ≈ z( x, y )  L( x, y )  2x  2y - 2 .
L( x, y ) is also called the linear approximation or the tangent plane
approximation of f at (1, 1).

Definition
Let z  f ( x, y ) . The equation of the tangent plane of f at ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) where

z0  f ( x0 , y 0 ) is

z  z0  Fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x  x0 )  Fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y  y 0 )

z  Fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  Fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )  z0

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z or L( x, y ) is called the linearization of f at ( x0 , y 0 ) and L( x, y ) can be used

to approximate f in the vicinity of ( x0 , y 0 ) , thus

f ( x  x, y  y ) ≈L( x  x, y  y ) .

Obviously, the accuracy of f improves as ( x  x, y  y ) is nearer to ( x, y )

(or, x and y are small).

Steps : Finding linear approximation

 Find the equation of the tangent plane of

z  f ( x, y ) at ( x0 , y 0 )
 Let L( x, y )  z (the equation of tangent plane)
 Approximate f ( x, y ) using L( x, y )

Example 6

If f ( x, y )  x 2  3xy - y 2 ,
a) Find the tangent plane of f at (1, 1, 3).
b) Find the linear approximation of f at (1, 1, 3) and use it to estimate
f(1.01, 0.98). Hence compare it with the exact value of f(1.01, 0.98).

Solution
a)
 Find the equation of the tangent plane of f at (1,1,3)

f ( x, y )  x 2  3xy - y 2

 Determine f x and fy

f x ( x, y )  2x  3y fy ( x, y )  3x - 2y

 Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) = (1,1,3)

 Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )

fx (1,1)  5 fy (1,1)  1

 Compute
z - z0  f x ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )

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z - 3  5( x - 1)  ( y - 1)
z  5x  y - 3
 Hence, the equation of the tangent plane of f at (1,1,3) is
z  5x  y - 3

b) Referring to a), the linear approximation of f at (1,1,3) is z  5x  y - 3.

 Let L( x, y )  5x  y - 3 .
Hence, the linear approximation of f at (1,1,3) is L( x, y )  5x  y - 3 .

 Therefore, approximate f ( x, y ) using L( x, y )

f (1.01, 0.98)  L(1.01, 0.98)  5(1.01)  (0.98) - 3  3.03

The exact value of f (1.01, 0.98) is

f (1.01, 0.98)  (1.01)2  3(1.01)(0.98) - (0.98)2  3.0291

The estimated value is accurate up to two decimal places.

Example 7

Find the linearization of f ( x, y )  xe xy at (1,0) and use it to approximate

f(1.1,-0.1).

Solution
 Find the equation of tangent plane of f at (1,0)

f ( x, y )  xe xy

 Determine f x and fy

f x ( x, y )  e xy  xye xy fy ( x, y )  x 2e xy

 Identify ( x0 , y 0 , z0 )

z0  f (1,0)  (1)e0  1, so ( x0 , y 0 , z0 ) = (1,0,1)

 Evaluate f x and fy at ( x0 , y 0 )

fx (1,0)  1 fy (1,0)  1

 Compute
z - z0  fx ( x0 , y 0 )(x - x0 )  fy ( x0 , y 0 )(y - y 0 )

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z - 1  1( x - 1)  1( y - 0)
zxy
Therefore, the equation of the tangent plane of f at (1, 0,1) is
zxy
 Let L( x, y )  x  y .
Hence, the linear approximation of f at (1,0,1) is
L( x, y )  x  y .

 Therefore, approximate f ( x, y ) using L( x, y )

f (1.1, - 0.1) ≈ L(1.1,  0.1)

 1.1  (-0.1)  1

The exact value of f (1.1, - 0.1) is

f (1.1, - 0.1)  (1.1)e(1.1)(-0.1)

 0.98542

Warm up exercise

Given that f ( x, y )  x y . Use the tangent plane approximation

of f at (1,4) to estimate f(0.99,4.01).

Exercise 6

Equation of Tangent Plane and Linear Approximation

1. Find an equation of the tangent plane to the given surface at the specified point.

a) z  4x 2 - y 2  2y, (-1, 2, 4)

b) f ( x, y )  4 - x 2 - 2y 2 , (1, -1, 1)

c) f ( x, y )  y ln x, (1, 4, 0)
2 2
d) z  e x - y , (1, -1,1)
e) f ( x, y )  y cos(x - y ), (2, 2, 2)

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2. Find the equation of the tangent plane to the surface z  x 2  xy  3y 2 at

x  1, y  1.

3. Find an equation of the tangent plane to the following implicitly defined surface
at the given point.
a) x  y  z  9, (3, 3, 3)

b) x 2  y 2  z 2  9, (1, 2, 2)

c) x 2  y 2  z 2  9, (1, 2, 4)
d) xyz  10, (1, 2,5)
e) xy  z (-2,-3,6)

4. Find the linear approximation L(x, y) of the following function at the given (x, y)
values. Hence, use it to estimate f ( x, y ) .

a) f ( x, y )  20 - x 2 - 7y 2 , (2,1), f(1.95, 1.08)

b) f ( x, y )  e x cos xy, (0,0) , f(0.1, 0.101)

c) f ( x, y, z )  x 2  y 2  z 2 , (3,2,6), f(3.02, 1.97, 5.99)

5. Find the linear approximation of the function f ( x, y )  ln xy at P(1,2). Then, use

it to estimate f(1.01,2.02).

6. Suppose that the profit for a firm selling two products at prices p and q,
respectively, is given by

P ( p, q )  100,000  5000 p  10,000q - 50 p 2 - 100q 2  10 pq.

Thus, when p  100 and q  50 , the total profit of the firm is RM 400,000. Use
linear approximation to estimate the effect of increasing RM1 in the price of p
and increasing RM0.20 in the price of q.

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