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Re: substitution of functions in derivatives

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg3413] Re: substitution of functions in derivatives
  • From: villegas (Robert Villegas)
  • Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 01:45:03 -0500
  • Organization: Wolfram Research, Inc.
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

In article <4h8s8f$om1 at dragonfly.wolfram.com> pyl at ccr.jussieu.fr (lagr e)  
writes:


> I have a problem with mathematica and the rules:
> suppose that I use a function in an expression like:
> 
> f=a u[x,y]
> 
> next I derivate it:
> 
> df=D[f,x]
> now, I'd like to substitute u[x,y] and to give it the good value say  
Cos[x,y]:
> 
> df/.u[x_,y_]->Cos[x y]
> 
> the result that I want is of course  -(a*y*Sin[x*y])


Here are a couple of straightforward ways to do this.

Start with the definitions.

In[1]:= f = a u[x, y]

Out[1]= a u[x, y]

In[2]:= df = D[f, x]

           (1,0)
Out[2]= a u     [x, y]



Method 1:  Temporarily define u as a function
=============================================

In[3]:= Block[{u}, u[x_, y_] := Cos[x y] ; df]

Out[3]= -(a y Sin[x y])



Method 2:  Substitute a pure function for u
===========================================

In[4]:= df /. u -> Function[{x, y}, Cos[x y]]

Out[4]= -(a y Sin[x y])



Method 1 works because if there is a definition for u in effect, and
you evaluate an expression containing derivatives of u, the derivatives
will automatically differentiate the formula for u.


Method 2 works because any derivative operator, such as the
Derivative[1, 0] that acts on u in your df, will automatically
act on a pure function, differentiating the formula contained in
the body.


A variant of Method 2 could use a pure function with Slot variables:

In[5]:= df /. u -> (Cos[#1 #2]&)

Out[5]= -(a y Sin[x y])



Robby Villegas

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