數學系

SAMPLE MIDTERM
Course Code: MATH 2023
Course Title: Multivariable Calculus
Time Limit: 2 Hours

Instructions

• Do NOT open the exam until instructed to do so.

• This is a CLOSED BOOK, CLOSED NOTES exam.

• All mobile phones and communication devices should be switched OFF.

• Only calculators approved by HKEAA can be used.

• Answer ALL eight problems.

• You must SHOW YOUR WORK to receive credits in all problems except Problem #1.
Answers alone (whether correct or not) will not receive any credit.

• Some problems are structured into several parts. You can quote the results stated in
the preceding parts to do the next part, regardless of whether you can complete the
preceding parts or not. However, different parts in the same problem are not necessarily
co-related.

About this practice test

The purpose of this sample midterm is to let students get a rough idea of the
style of problems and the format of the exam. Do NOT expect the actual exam is
simply a minor variation of this sample exam. The level of difficulties, the point
allocation of each problem, and the choice of topics may be different from the
actual test. For better preparation of the test, students should extensively review
the course materials covered in class, in the lecture notes and in the lecture work-
sheets, and should have worked seriously on the Problem Sets and WebWorks.

Problem 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Max 25 10 8 10 10 15 12 10 100
Score
 FORMULAE TABLE

sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1
1 + tan2 θ = sec2 θ
1 + cot2 θ = csc2 θ
sin θ
tan θ =
cos θ
sin (θ ± φ) = sin θ cos φ ± cos θ sin φ
cos (θ ± φ) = cos θ cos φ ∓ sin θ sin φ
tan(θ ) ± tan(φ)
tan (θ ± φ) =
1 ∓ tan θ tan φ
sin (2θ ) = 2 sin θ cos θ
cos (2θ ) = cos2 θ − sin2 θ
= 1 − 2 sin2 θ
= 2 cos2 θ − 1
2 tan θ
tan (2θ ) =
1 − tan2 θ

For any C2 function f ( x, y) and z = f ( a + tu1 , b + tu2 ), we have:

d2 z
= f xx u21 + 2 f xy u1 u2 + f yy u22
dt2 " ! #
2 2
f xx f yy − f xy
f xy
= f xx u1 + u2 + 2
u22 if f xx 6= 0
f xx f xx
MATH 2023 Page 1 of 11 Sample Midterm

1. Answer the following conceptual questions. No justification is needed.

(a) Let Π be the plane in R3 whose equation is given by x + 2y + 3z = 1. Write down a /1
three-variable function g( x, y, z) such that Π is a level set of g.

ANSWER:

(b) Let Π be the plane in R3 whose equation is given by x + 2y + 3z = 1. Write down a /2

two-variable function f ( x, y) such that the plane Π is the graph of this function f .

ANSWER:

(c) Consider the parametric curve r(t) = (cos 2t) i + (sin 2t) j. Write down an arc-length /2
parametrization r(s) of this curve.

ANSWER:

(d) Let f ( x, y) be a C1 function such that ∇ f (0, 0) = 3i + 4j. Write down a unit vector u /2
such that Du f (0, 0) is maximized.

ANSWER:

(e) Let f ( x, y) be a C1 function. Suppose Π is the tangent plane to the graph z = f ( x, y) /2

at a point ( x0 , y0 , f ( x0 , y0 )). Write down an upward-pointing normal n to the plane
Π.

ANSWER:

(f) The following diagram shows the graph of the function f ( x, y) = x2 − y3 . The posi- /4
tive z-axis is pointing up. However, the labels for the x- and y-axes are missing.

i. On the diagram above, label the x- and y-axes.

ii. Mark a point P on the graph at which f x ( P) > 0 and f yy ( P) < 0.

Problem #1 continues on next page. . .

MATH 2023 Math 51, Autumn 2015 Final Page
Exam —2December
of 11 7, 2015 Page Sample
10 of 13 Midterm
9. (13 points)
(g) Let f ( x, (a)
y) Abe a C1 function.
differentiable The diagram
real-valued function below
f (x, y) is defined on theisxy-plane.
the plot The of the ofvector
gradient f at field ∇ f . /8
various points (x, y) is depicted by a vector in the plot below. 1
The ellipseConsider
in thethediagram is a level set g( x, y) = c of another C function g.
restriction of f to the curve shown on the plot.

A
E

D
B

At ∂
which
f of the points A, B, C, D, and/or E does the restriction of f to this curve ...
i. What is ∂x ( a, b ) when a = 2?
... attain a local maximum? ... attain a local minimum?
i.
(Each question should have one or more answers among A,B,C,D,E.)

ii. How many critical

Explain your point(s)
reasoning of f is/are there in the region −4 ≤ x ≤ 0 and
for each (required):
−4 ≤ y ≤ 4?

ii.
iii. Which of the point A, B, C, D and E has/have ( x, y)-coordinates solving the
following Lagrange’s Multiplier system? State all such point(s).

∇ f ( x, y) = λ∇ g( x, y), g( x, y) = c

iii.
iv. Suppose f ( x, y) represents the temperature at point ( x, y). Now you are located
at point A and want to cool down as quickly as possible. Which direction will
you go along?

iv.

(h) Let f ( x, y) be a C2 function such that ( x0 , y0 ) is its critical point. Suppose we know: /2
 
2
f xx f yy − f xy ( x0 , y0 ) > 0 and f yy ( x0 , y0 ) < 0

What is the nature of the critical point ( x0 , y0 )? Circle the correct answer:
local minimum local maximum saddle not enough data

(i) Let f ( x, y) be a C2 function such that ( x0 , y0 ) is its critical point. Suppose we know: /2

f xx ( x0 , y0 ) = 25, f xy ( x0 , y0 ) = 5, f yy ( x0 , y0 ) = 1.

What is the nature of the critical point ( x0 , y0 )? Circle the correct answer:
local minimum local maximum saddle not enough data
MATH 2023 Page 3 of 11 Sample Midterm

2. Suppose u( x, y) and v( x, y) are C2 functions defined on R2 which satisfy the relations:

∂u ∂v ∂u ∂v
= and =− (*)
∂x ∂y ∂y ∂x

[FYI: It is so-called the Cauchy-Riemann relations in Complex Analysis.]

(a) Show that v( x, y) satisfies the Laplace equation: /4

∂2 v ∂2 v
+ 2 = 0.
∂x2 ∂y

(b) Suppose we define v( x, y) = x3 − 3xy2 + 10. Find a function u( x, y) such that u and /6
v satisfy the relation (*) above.
MATH 2023 Page 4 of 11 Sample Midterm

√
3. Consider the function f ( x, y) = 1 − x2 − y2 and the point P = ( a, 0, 0).
(a) Find the value of a such that the point P is on the graph of f . /1

(b) Find a downward-pointing normal vector n to the graph of f at P. /4

(c) Find an equation of the tangent plane to the graph of f at P. /3

MATH 2023 Page 5 of 11 Sample Midterm

4. The spherical coordinates (ρ, θ, ϕ) in R3 are related to the rectangular coordinates ( x, y, z)

by the following conversion rule:

x = ρ sin ϕ cos θ
y = ρ sin ϕ sin θ
z = ρ cos ϕ

Let f ( x, y, z) be a three-variable function. By the above conversion rule, f can also be

regarded as a function of (ρ, θ, ϕ).
(a) Using the chain rule, show that: /6

∂f ∂f ∂f
= −y +x
∂θ ∂x ∂y

(b) Suppose ∇ f ( x, y, z) is orthogonal to the vector −yi + xj for any ( x, y, z) in R3 . Show /4

that f does not depend on θ.
MATH 2023 Page 6 of 11 Sample Midterm

2 + y2 )
5. Consider the function f ( x, y) = e−(x .
(a) Find all critical point(s) of f ( x, y). /4

(b) For each critical point of f found in (a), determine whether it is a local maximum, a /6
local minimum or a saddle point.
MATH 2023 Page 7 of 11 Sample Midterm

6. Consider the function f ( x, y) = x2 + 2y2 − 4x. Let D be the semi-disk region (shaded in
the diagram below) defined by:

x≥0 and x2 + y2 ≤ 9.

The boundary of D has two components:

• L is the line segment joining (0, 3) and (0, −3); and

• Γ is the circular arc joining (0, 3) and (0, −3).

L D
x

−3 Γ

(a) Using Lagrange’s Multiplier, find the minimum value of f ( x, y) when ( x, y) is re- /8
stricted to the curve Γ.

Problem #6 continues on next page. . .

MATH 2023 Page 8 of 11 Sample Midterm

For easy reference: f ( x, y) = x2 + 2y2 − 4x.

(b) Find the minimum value of f ( x, y) when ( x, y) is restricted to the line L. /3

(c) Determine the minimum value of f ( x, y) over the solid region D. /4

MATH 2023 Page 9 of 11 Sample Midterm

7. Let c(t) be parametric curve in R3 such that |c(t)| = 1 at all time t. Define another
parametric curve r(t) by:
r ( t ) = f ( t ) c ( t ).
(a) Show that c(t) and c0 (t) are orthogonal at all time t. /3

q
2
(b) Using (a), or otherwise, show that |r0 (t)| = f (t)2 |c0 (t)| + f 0 (t)2 . /4

Problem #7 continues on next page. . .

MATH 2023 Page 10 of 11 Sample Midterm

(c) Using (b), or otherwise, find an arc-length parametrization q(s) of the following /5
curve:
3
q(t) = e−t [(sin t) i + (cos t) k]
5
[Typo in previous version]
MATH 2023 Page 11 of 11 Sample Midterm

8. Given a fixed point ( x0 , y0 , z0 ) in R3 , we denote its position vector by p = x0 i + y0 j + z0 k.

Let r(t) be the path of a particle in R3 . Given that r(t) − p is parallel to r00 (t) at all time t.
Define:
L p ( t ) : = ( r ( t ) − p ) × r 0 ( t ).
(a) Show that Lp (t) does not depend on t. /5

(b) Using (a), show that the path of the particle is contained in a single plane. /5
[Hint: consider the dot product Lp · (r(t) − p).]

End of Exam