Calc 3 Help.

[Saint Kevin]

So yeah, what the heck IS the difference between a total differential, a total derivative, and an exact differential?

I REALLY need some help here. Maybe an engineer *Omega**coughcough*, or a scientist *technomancer**coughcough*, can help me out here. Seriously, even if you can't explain it, I'll take a link to something. I'm dying here. Thanks for the help.

P.S. If you're reading this between Wednesday, September 28th, and Monday, October 3rd, pray for my success on my tests and labs. I really need it this week.

Thanks all.

P.P.S. This is yet another example of why people who only need to take math up to algebra *Ashley**coughcough*, should never complain.

That is all.

[Technomancer]

Rather than write out my text book's page I'll direct you to:

Total Derivative
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/TotalDerivative.html

Total/Exact Differential
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ExactDifferential.html

Mathworld is an excellent site for looking up definitions. Best of luck on the test BTW.

PS. I'm actually an engineer (or at least that's what my degree is) as well, even if my research involves neural computation.

[Saint Kevin]

Much thanks. Actually yeah...I looked up cylindrical coordinates the other day on mathworld, and got TOO much back. Like 7 pages of stuff, most of it over my head anyway.