and it is now a matter of (tedious) calculus to arrive at the right result.
and it is now a matter of (tedious) calculus to arrive at the right result.
This is the task of exercises 3 and 4, which finally compute the Laplacian
This is the task of exercises 3 and 4, which lead you to compute the Laplacian
in polar coordinates.
in polar coordinates.
!!! warning Inverse function theorem
!!! warning "Inverse function theorem"
In this calculation one might be tempted to use the inverse
In this calculation, one might be tempted to use the inverse
function theorem to compute derivatives like
function theorem to compute derivatives like
$\frac{\partial \varphi}{\partial x}$ from the much simpler
$\frac{\partial \varphi}{\partial x}$ from the much simpler
$\frac{\partial x}{\partial \varphi}$. Note though that here we
$\frac{\partial x}{\partial \varphi}$. However, note that here we
are dealing with functions depending on several variables, so the
are dealing with functions depending on several variables, so an appropriate
*Jacobian* has to be used (see [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse_function_theorem)). A direct calculation is in this particular case more easy.
*Jacobian* has to be used (see [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse_function_theorem)). A direct calculation is in this particular case considerably easier.
Note that this procedure also carries over to other coordinate systems,
Note that this procedure also applies to transformations to other coordinate systems,
although the calculations can become quite tedious. In these cases,
although the calculations can become quite tedious. In conventional cases,
it's usually best to look up the correct form.
it is usually advised to look up the correct form.