CHAPTER 61 TOTAL DIFFERENTIAL, RATES OF CHANGE

AND SMALL CHANGES

EXERCISE 251 Page 680

1. Find the total differential given: z = x 3 + y 2

∂z ∂z
Since z = x 3 + y 2 then dz = d x + d y = 3x 2 dx + 2y dy
∂x ∂y

2. Find the total differential given: z = 2xy – cos x

∂z ∂z
Since z = 2xy – cos x then dz = d x + d y = (2y + sin x)dx + 2x dy
∂x ∂y

x− y
3. Find the total differential given: z =
x+ y

x− y ∂z ( x + y )(1) − ( x − y )(1) 2y
Since z=
= then =
x+ y ∂x ( x + y)2 ( x + y)2
∂z ( x + y )(−1) − ( x − y )(1) −2 x
and = =
∂y ( x + y)2 ( x + y)2

∂z ∂z  2y   2x 
Thus, dz = dx+ d y =  d x − d y
∂x ∂y  ( x + y) 
2
 ( x + y)2 

4. Find the total differential given: z = x ln y

∂z ∂z x
Since z = x ln y then dz = d x + d y = ln y dx + dy
∂x ∂y y

x
5. Find the total differential given: z = xy + –4
y

1012 © 2014, John Bird

 1 −1
x 2
x ∂z 1
Since z = xy + – 4 then y+ 2
= =
y+
y ∂x y 2y x

∂z x
and x − x ( y −2 ) =
= x−
∂y y2

∂z ∂z  1   x
Thus, dz = dx+ d y = y+  d x +  x − 2  d y
∂x ∂y  2y x   y 

6. If z = f(a, b, c) and z = 2ab – 3b2c + abc, find the total differential, dz.

∂z ∂z ∂z
Since z = 2ab – 3b2c + abc then dz = da + db + dc
∂a ∂b ∂c

= (2b – 0 + bc)da + (2a – 6bc + ac)db + (0 – 3b2+ ab)dc

= (2b + bc)da + (2a – 6bc + ac)db + (– 3b2+ ab)dc

= b(2 + c)da + (2a – 6bc + ac)db + b(a – 3b)dc

7. Given u = ln sin(xy) show that du = cot(xy)[y dx + x dy]

Since u = ln sin(xy) then

∂u ∂u  1    1  
du = d x + d y =   y cos xy  d x +   x cos xy  d y
∂x ∂y  sin( xy )    sin( xy )  

= y cot(xy) dx + x cot(xy) dy

i.e. du = cot(xy)[ y dx + x dy ]

1013 © 2014, John Bird

EXERCISE 252 Page 682

1. The radius of a right cylinder is increasing at a rate of 8 mm/s and the height is decreasing at a

rate of 15 mm/s. Find the rate at which the volume is changing in cm3/s when the radius is

40 mm and the height is 150 mm.

Volume of cylinder, V = π r 2 h
d V ∂V d r ∂V d h
Rate at which volume is changing,= +
dt ∂r d t ∂h d t
dr dh
= ( 2π rh ) + (π r 2 )
dt dt

= [ 2π (40)(150) ] (8) + [π (40) 2 ] (−15)

= 96 000π – 24 000π = 72 000π mm3 /s

= 72π cm3 /s = +226.2 cm3 /s

2. If z = f(x, y) and z = 3x2y5, find the rate of change of z when x is 3 units and y is 2 units when x

is decreasing at 5 units/s and y is increasing at 2.5 units/s.

d z ∂z d x ∂z d y
If z = 3x2y5 then rate change of z,= +
d t ∂x d t ∂y d t

dx dy
= ( 6 xy 5 ) + (15 x 2 y 4 )
dt dt

dx dy
When x = 3, y = 2, = – 5 and = 2.5,
dt dt

dz
rate change of z,= 6(3)(2)5 ( −5 ) + 15 ( 3) ( 2 ) ( 2.5 )
2 4

dt
= –2880 + 5400 = 2520 units/s

3. Find the rate of change of k, correct to 4 significant figures, given the following data:

k = f(a, b, c); k = 2b ln a + c2e a ; a is increasing at 2 cm/s; b is decreasing at 3 cm/s;

c is decreasing at 1 cm/s; a = 1.5 cm, b = 6 cm and c = 8 cm.

1014 © 2014, John Bird

Since k = 2b ln a + c2ea

d k ∂k d a ∂k d b ∂k d c
then rate of change of k, = + +
d t ∂a d t ∂b d t ∂c d t

 2b da db dc
=  + c 2 ea  + ( 2 ln a ) + ( 2c e a )
 a  dt dt dt

 (2)(6) 2 1.5 
= + 8 e  (2) + ( 2 ln1.5 ) (−3) + ( 2(8) e1.5 ) (−1)
 1.5 

= 589.656 – 2.433 – 71.707

= 515.5 cm/s

4. A rectangular box has sides of length x cm, y cm and z cm. Sides x and z are expanding at rates

of 3 mm/s and 5 mm/s, respectively, and side y is contracting at a rate of 2 mm/s. Determine the

rate of change of volume when x is 3 cm, y is 1.5 cm and z is 6 cm.

Volume of rectangular box = xyz cm3

d V ∂V d x ∂V d y ∂V d z
Rate of change of volume, = + +
dt ∂x d t ∂y d t ∂z d t

dx dy dz
= ( yz ) + ( xz ) + ( xy )
dt dt dt

= (1.5)(6)(0.3) + (3)(6)(– 0.2) + (3)(1.5)(0.5)

= 2.7 – 3.6 + 2.25 = 1.35 cm3 /s

5. Find the rate of change of the total surface area of a right circular cone at the instant when the

base radius is 5 cm and the height is 12 cm if the radius is increasing at 5 mm/s and the height is

decreasing at 15 mm/s.

Total surface area of a cone, A = πrl + π r 2 = π r ( r 2 + h2 ) + π r 2 (see diagram of cone below)

1015 © 2014, John Bird

Rate of change of surface area,
d A ∂A d r ∂A d h
= +
d t ∂r d t ∂h d t
=
 1 dr   d h
( r 2 + h2 ) (π )  + 2π r  1
1 1
(π r )  ( r 2 + h 2 ) 2 (2r ) + + (π r )  ( r 2 + h 2 ) 2 (2h)  
− −

 2   dt  2  d t

 π r2  d r  π rh  d h
= + π ( r + h ) + 2π r 
2 2 + 
 ( r 2 + h2 )  d t  ( r 2 + h2 )  d t
 π (5) 2   π (5)(12) 
= +π ( 52 + 122 ) + 2π (5)  (0.5) +   (−1.5) in centimetre
 ( 52 + 122 )   ( 52 + 122 ) 

units
 25π   60π 
= + 13π + 10π  (0.5) +   (−1.5)
 13   13 

= (78.298)(0.5) + (14.50)(–1.5)

= 39.149 – 21.75

= 17.4 cm 2 /s

1016 © 2014, John Bird

EXERCISE 253 Page 684

1. The power P consumed in a resistor is given by P = V2/R watts. Determine the approximate

change in power when V increases by 5% and R decreases by 0.5% if the original values of V

and R are 50 volts and 12.5 ohms, respectively.

Since power, P = V2/R = V 2 R −1 then

∂P ∂P
approximate change in power, δ P ≈ δV + δ R
∂V ∂R
2V
≈ δ V + (−V 2 R −2 )δ R
R
2V V2
≈ δV − δ R
R R2
2V V2
≈ (0.05V ) − (−0.005 R )
R R2
V2 V2
≈ (0.10) + 0.005
R R
V2 502
≈ (0.105) ≈ (0.105) ≈ +21 watts
R 12.5

2. An equation for heat generated H is H = i2Rt. Determine the error in the calculated values of H

if the error in measuring current i is +2%, the error in measuring resistance R is –3% and the

error in measuring time t is + 1%.

∂H ∂H ∂H
Since H = i2Rt then δ H ≈ δi + δR+ δt
∂i ∂R ∂t
≈ ( 2iRt ) (0.02i ) + ( i 2t ) (−0.03R) + ( i 2 R ) (0.01t )

≈ 0.04 i 2 Rt − 0.03 i 2 Rt + 0.01i 2 Rt

≈ (0.04 – 0.03 + 0.01) H

≈ 0.02 H

i.e. the error in H is +2%

1017 © 2014, John Bird

 1
3. f r = represents the resonant frequency of a series-connected circuit containing
2π LC

inductance L and capacitance C. Determine the approximate percentage change in f r when L is

decreased by 3% and C is increased by 5%.

1 1 −1 −1 ∂f r ∂f
Since f r = = L 2C 2 then δ f r ≈ δ L + r δC
2π LC 2π ∂L ∂C

 1 − 32 − 12   1 − 32 − 12 
− L C  −2C L 
≈ 2  δ L +  δ C
 2π   2π 
   
 − 32 − 12   − 32 − 12 
−L C  (−0.03L) −  C L
≈  (0.05C )
 4π   4π 
   
1 1 1 1
− − − −
0.03L 2 C 2 0.05C 2 L 2
≈ −
4π 4π
 1   1 
≈ 0.015   − 0.025  
 2π LC   2π LC 
i.e. δ f r ≈ (0.015 − 0.025) f r ≈ −0.01 f r

i.e. the approximate percentage change in f r is –1%

4. The second moment of area of a rectangle about its centroid parallel to side b is given by

I = bd3/12. If b and d are measured as 15 cm and 6 cm, respectively, and the measurement errors

are +12 mm in b and –1.5 mm in d, find the error in the calculated value of I.

bd3 ∂I ∂I
Since I = then δI ≈ δb + δd
12 ∂b ∂d

 d3   3bd 2   63   3(15)(6) 2 
≈   ∂b +   ∂d ≈   (1.2) +   (−0.15)
 12   12   12   12 

≈ 21.6 – 20.25 = 1.35

i.e. error in I = +1.35 cm 4

1018 © 2014, John Bird

5. The side b of a triangle is calculated using b2 = a2 + c2 – 2ac cos B. If a, C and B are measured as

3 cm, 4 cm and π/4 radians, respectively, and the measurement errors which occur are +0.8 mm,

–0.5 mm and +π/90 radians, respectively, determine the error in the calculated value of b.

1
b2 = a2 + c2 – 2ac cos B from which, b = ( a 2 + c 2 − 2ac cos B ) 2
∂b ∂b ∂b
Approximate error in b, δ b ≈ δa + δc + δ B
∂a ∂c ∂B
1 1

≈  ( a 2 + c 2 − 2ac cos B ) 2 (2a − 2c cos B  ∂a
−

2 

1 1

+  ( a 2 + c 2 − 2ac cos B ) 2 (2c − 2a cos B  ∂c
−

2 

1 1

+  ( a 2 + c 2 − 2ac cos B ) 2 (2ac sin B  ∂B
−

2 

 −
1

1  π  π
≈   32 + 42 − 2(3)(4) cos  (6 − 8cos  (0.8)
2

2  4 4
 
 −
1

 1  π  2 π
3 + 4 − 2(3)(4) cos  (8 − 6 cos ( −0.5)
 2 
+ 2 2
4 4
 
 −
1

 1  π  2 π  π 
3 + 4 − 2(3)(4) cos  (24sin
 2   
+ 2 2
4 4   90 
 
≈ (0.17645)(0.343146)(0.8) + (0.17645)(3.75736)(–0.5)
π 
+ (0.17645(16.97056)  
 90 
i.e. approximate error in b ≈ 0.04844 – 0.3315 + 0.10453 = –0.179 cm

1 L
6. Q factor in a resonant electrical circuit is given by: Q = . Find the percentage change in
R C

Q when L increases by 4%, R decreases by 3% and C decreases by 2%.

1 L 1 1
−
Since Q factor, Q = = R −1 L2 C 2 then
R C

1019 © 2014, John Bird

 ∂Q ∂Q ∂Q
percentage change in Q, δ Q ≈ δR+ δL+ δC
∂R ∂L ∂C
1
−
1
 1 − 1  −1 1
 1 −3 
≈ − R −2 L2 C 2 δ R + R −1  L 2  C 2 δ L + R −1 L 2  − C 2  δ C
2   2 

1 L 1 1 L
≈− δR+ δL− δC
R2 C 2 R LC 2R C 3

1 L 1 1 L
≈− (−0.03R) + (0.04 L) − (−0.02C )
R2 C 2 R LC 2R C 3

1 L  0.04 0.02 
≈  0.03 + +  ≈ 0.06 Q
R C  2 2 

Hence, the approximate percentage change in Q is +6%

C d
7. The rate of flow of gas in a pipe is given by: v = 6
, where C is a constant, d is the diameter
T5
of the pipe and T is the thermodynamic temperature of the gas. When determining the rate of

flow experimentally, d is measured and subsequently found to be in error by +1.4%, and T has

an error of –1.8%. Determine the percentage error in the rate of flow based on the measured

values of d and T.

1 5
C d −
Flow rate, v = 6
= Cd 2T 6
T5
∂v ∂v
Approximate error in flow rate, δ v ≈ δ d + δT
∂d ∂T
 1 −1 
 (C ) d 2 
2   5 − 116  
≈ 6  (0.014 d ) +  C d  − T   (−0.018T )
 T5    6 
 

C d  C d  5 
≈  6  (0.007) +  6 5   (0.018) 
 T   T  6 
5

≈ (0.007 + 0.015)v

≈ 0.022v

i.e. the percentage error in the rate of flow is +2.2%

1020 © 2014, John Bird