4.6.

2 TAYLOR’S FORMULA FOR FUNCTIONS OF TWO VARIABLES

In this section, we extend Taylor’s formula introduced in Section 4.6, to functions of two
variables.

Taylor’s Formula for f ( x , y) at the point (a,b)

Suppose f ( x , y) and its partial derivatives are continuous throughout an open

rectangular region R centred at a point (a,b). Then throughout R

∂ f ∂ f
f ( a + h, b + k ) = f ( a , b) + h ( a , b) + k ( a , b) +
∂x ∂y

1⎛ 2 ∂ 2f ∂ 2f ∂ 2f ⎞
⎜h ( a , b ) + 2 hk ( a , b ) + k 2
2 ( a , b )⎟
2! ⎝ ∂ x 2
∂ x∂ y ∂y ⎠

1 ⎛ 3 ∂ 3f ∂ 3f ∂ 3f ∂ 3f ⎞
+ ⎜h + 3h k
2
+ 3hk 2
+k 3
⎟ +...
3! ⎝ ∂ x 3 ∂ x2∂ y ∂ x∂ y 2 ∂ y 3 ⎠ ( a ,b )

or

for ( x , y) ∈R

∂ f ∂ f
f ( x , y ) = f ( a , b) + ( x − a ) ( a , b) + ( y − b) ( a , b) +
∂x ∂y

1⎛ ⎞
2 2 2
∂ f ∂ f 2 ∂ f
2 ( a , b) + 2 x − a ( y − b) ( a , b) + ( y − b) 2 ( a , b) +...
⎜ ( x − a) 2 ( ) ⎟
2! ⎝ ∂x ∂ x∂ y ∂ y ⎠

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Example 15

Use Taylor’s formula to find a quadratic polynomial that approximates

f ( x , y) = sinh x sinh y near the origin.

Solution

The required quadratic polynomial

∂ f ∂ f
f ( x , y ) ≈ f ( 0,0) + ( x − 0) (0,0) + ( y − 0) (0,0)
∂x ∂y

1⎡ 2 ∂
2
f ∂ 2f ∂ 2f ⎤
+ ⎢( x − 0) ( 0,0) + 2 xy ( 0,0) + y 2
2 ( 0,0) ⎥ .
2! ⎣ ∂x 2
∂ x∂ y ∂y ⎦

f ( x , y ) = sinh x sinh y f (0,0) = sinh 0 sinh 0 = 0

∂ f ∂ f
= cosh x sinh y (0,0) = cosh 0 sinh 0 = 0
∂x ∂x

∂ f ∂ f
= sinh x cosh y (0,0) = sinh 0 cosh 0 = 0
∂y ∂y

∂ 2f ∂ 2f
= sin x sinh y (0,0) = 0
∂ x2 ∂ x2

∂ 2f ∂ 2f
= cosh x cosh y (0,0) = cosh 0 cosh 0 = 1
∂ x∂ y ∂ x∂ y

∂2f ∂ 2f
= sinh x cosh y (0,0) = 0
∂ y2 ∂ y2

Thus

1 2
f ( x , y ) ≈ 0 + ( x − 0).0 + ( y − 0).0 +
2!
[ ]
x .0 + 2 xy.1 + y 2 .0 ≈ xy

The quadratic polynomial is xy.

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Example 16

Use Taylor’s formula to find a quadratic polynomial that approximates e x ln (1 + y ) near

the origin.

Solution

Here

f (x, y ) = e x ln(1 + y ) f (0,0 ) = e 0 ln (1 + 0 ) = 1ln1 = 0

∂f ∂f
= e x ln (1 + y ) (0,0) = 0
∂x ∂x

∂f ex ∂f 0
= (0,0) = e = 1
∂y 1 + y ∂y 1+ 0

∂ 2f ∂ 2f
2
= e x ln (1 + y ) 2
(0,0) = e 0 ln1 = 0
∂x ∂x

∂ 2f ex ∂ 2f
= (0,0) = 1
∂ x∂ y 1 + y ∂ x∂ y

∂ 2f − ex ∂ 2f − e0
= (0,0) = = −1
∂y2 (1 + y )2 ∂y 2
(1 + 0)2

The required quadratic polynomial is

f (x, y ) ≈ 0 + (x − 0 ).0 + (y − 0 ).1 +

1
2!
[(x − 0)2 .0 + 2xy.1 + (y − 0)2 . − 1 ]

≈ y+
1
2
(
2xy − y 2 )

34
 1 2
≈ y + xy − y
2

Activity 8

Use Taylor’s formula for f (x , y ) at the origin to find a quadratic polynomial

approximation of f near the origin :

(i) f (x , y ) = e 2 x cos 3 y

(ii) f (x , y ) = cos (x + y )

1
(iii) f (x , y ) =
1− x − y

35