106k views
0 votes
Find the directional derivative of the function g(x, y, z) = (x⁴y³z)^(3/2) at the point (4, 3, 3) in the direction of the vector v = 4j - k?

User Elbik
by
8.3k points

1 Answer

2 votes

The directional derivative of g(x, y, z) at the point (4, 3, 3) in the direction of the vector v = 4j - k is 522/sqrt(17).

To find the directional derivative of the function:

1. Define the function and the direction vector:

Function: g(x, y, z) = (x⁴y³z)^(3/2)

Point: P = (4, 3, 3)

Direction vector: v = 4j - k

2. Calculate the gradient of the function:

The gradient of a scalar field represents the direction of the steepest ascent and its magnitude is the rate of change in that direction. It is calculated as:

∇g(x, y, z) = (∂g/∂x, ∂g/∂y, ∂g/∂z)

For our function:

∂g/∂x = 6x²y³z^(3/2)

∂g/∂y = 3x⁴y²z^(3/2)

∂g/∂z = 3x⁴y³z^(1/2)

Therefore, the gradient at point P:

∇g(P) = (144, 108, 54)

3. Normalize the direction vector:

To find the directional derivative, we need the unit vector in the direction of v.

u = v / ||v||

u = (4j - k) / ||4j - k||

||4j - k|| = sqrt(4^2 + 1^2) = sqrt(17)

u = (4/sqrt(17))j - (1/sqrt(17))k

4. Calculate the directional derivative:

The directional derivative is the dot product of the gradient and the normalized direction vector.

D_ug(P) = ∇g(P) · u

D_ug(P) = (144, 108, 54) · (4/sqrt(17))j - (1/sqrt(17))k

D_ug(P) = 576/sqrt(17) - 54/sqrt(17)

D_ug(P) = 522/sqrt(17)

Therefore, the directional derivative of g(x, y, z) at the point (4, 3, 3) in the direction of the vector v = 4j - k is 522/sqrt(17).

User MuhammadBassio
by
8.2k points