Hill - Partial Derivatives

In this applet we can view slices and tangent lines in the x and y directions of a "hill" which is part of the graph of the function with formula f(x,y)=16-x²-4y². Click in the xy plane at the desired input point. The check boxes allow viewing of slices, tangents, and lines parallel to the coordinate axes.

For example, by drawing in the tangents and reading the slope information at the bottom of the applet, we see that at the initial point Marines descending the hill in the positive y direction would have twice the drop to deal with as those descending in the positive x direction.

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USNA Mathematics Department
Comments to: Professor Carol G. Crawford, at cgc@nadn.navy.mil or Professor Mark D. Meyerson, at mdm@nadn.navy.mil