Final answer:
The total differential of the function z = x cos(y) − y cos(x) is found by taking the partial derivatives with respect to x and y, resulting in dz = (cos(y) + y sin(x))dx + (−x sin(y) − cos(x))dy.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the total differential of the function z = x cos(y) − y cos(x), we need to calculate the partial derivatives of z with respect to x and y and then combine them into the differential equation.
The partial derivative of z with respect to x is:
∂z/∂x = cos(y) + y sin(x)
And the partial derivative of z with respect to y is:
∂z/∂y = −x sin(y) − cos(x)
Combining these into the total differential, we get:
dz = (∂z/∂x)dx + (∂z/∂y)dy
dz = (cos(y) + y sin(x))dx + (−x sin(y) − cos(x))dy
This equation represents the total differential of the given function.