Partial derivative

From Glossary of Meteorology



partial derivative

The ordinary derivative of a function of two or more variables with respect to one of the variables, the others being considered constants.

If the variables are x and y, the partial derivatives of F(x, y) are written ∂f/∂x and ∂f/∂y, or Dxf and Dyf, or fx and fy. The partial derivative of a variable with respect to time is known as the local derivative.


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