## baldymcgee6 2 years ago Which formula based on partial derivatives provides the slope of the level curve z = f(x,y) ?

1. baldymcgee6

I know the answer... But I don't know why.

2. zepdrix

What is the answer? Maybe it'll refresh my memory ^^ heh

3. baldymcgee6

4. zepdrix

its ummm nambla i think.. \nambla

5. baldymcgee6

i thought it was \del

6. zepdrix

nabla*

7. baldymcgee6

i'll try :)

8. baldymcgee6

nope thats an upside down triangle

9. zepdrix

Yah that's the... del operator :o do you want the one with the vector arrow above it..? :o

10. baldymcgee6

\frac{ dy }{ dx } = -\frac{\del f /\del x}{\del f/\del y}

11. baldymcgee6

i mean like the one used on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partial_derivative

12. baldymcgee6

$\partial$

13. baldymcgee6

ahhh \partial

14. baldymcgee6

$\Huge\frac{ dy }{ dx } = -\frac{\partial f /\partial x}{\partial f/\partial y}$

15. zepdrix

$\huge \vec \nabla f(x,y)=\left<\frac{\partial f}{\partial x}, \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}\right>$

16. zepdrix

Oh sorry i didn't notice u already found it, hehe

17. baldymcgee6

oo, yours is fancy, i dont know what the nabla is though, thats okay...

18. zepdrix

Yah i been trying to figure out latex the last couple of weeks :) it's kinda interesting

19. baldymcgee6

very interesting.. i'm pressured to use it for one of my math classes, i try to avoid it.. :)

20. baldymcgee6

anyways, do you get the question?

21. zepdrix

the nabla thing is the "gradient" of f, it's the direction of greatest increase from a surface. It ummmmmm... i would try to draw a picture but i'm not sure i have the greatest understanding of it myself... :\ hmm

22. baldymcgee6

haha, thats okay.. i'll learn that when i get to that.