 Solution

For a unit direction $\mathbf{v}$, the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality gives $\nabla f\cdot \mathbf{v}\le |\nabla f|$, with equality in the gradient direction. Its norm here is $\sqrt{4+9+1}=\sqrt{14}$, so the direction of fastest increase isThe maximal directional derivative itself is $\sqrt{14}$.