What is the image of $f(x,y,z)=\sqrt{16-x^2-y^2-z^2}$?

Question

Considering the function $$f(x,y,z)=\sqrt{16 - x^2 - y^2 - z^2}$$ I found that its domain is

$$D(f)= \{ (x,y,z) \in \mathbb R \} \setminus \{ x^2 - y^2 - z^2 \leq 16 \}$$

I'm not sure if the image is $[0,16]$, considering that square root has a restriction where its content must be $\geq 0$. Is it right?

After a few years I'm studying this subject and can't remember much about it.

Answer 1

Note that in spherical coordinates

$$f(x,y,z)=\sqrt{16-x²-y²-z²}=\sqrt{16-r^2}$$

with $0\le r\le4$ thus of course the image is $[0,4]$ since

$$0\le \sqrt{16-r^2} \le 4$$

Answer 2

We require $$16-x^2-y^2-z^2 \ge 0$$

Hence, we need $$x^2+y^2+z^2 \le 16$$

$$0\le \sqrt{16-x^2-y^2-z^2} \le \sqrt{16}=4$$

Remark: check your domain again.

Answer 3

Obviously $$f(x,y,z)=\sqrt{16 - x^2 - y^2 - z^2}\ge 0$$

On the other hand $$ 16 - x^2 - y^2 - z^2$$ is maximized when $$x=y=z=0$$

Thus the maximum range is $4$.

That is $$0\le f(x,y,z)\le 4$$