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We consider the relative Bruce-Roberts number $\mu_{BR}^{-}(f,X)$ of a function on an isolated hypersurface singularity $(X,0)$. We show that $\mu_{BR}^{-}(f,X)$ is equal to the sum of the Milnor number of the fibre $\mu(f^{-1}(0)\cap X,0)$ plus the difference $\mu(X,0)-\tau(X,0)$ between the Milnor and the Tjurina numbers of $(X,0)$. As an application, we show that the usual Bruce-Roberts number $\mu_{BR}(f,X)$ is equal to $\mu(f)+\mu_{BR}^{-}(f,X)$. We also deduce that the relative logarithmic characteristic variety $LC(X)^-$, obtained from the logarithmic characteristic variety $LC(X)$ by eliminating the component corresponding to the complement of $X$ in the ambient space, is Cohen-Macaulay.

We study the equisingularity of a family of function germs $\{f_t\colon(X_t,0)\to (\mathbb{C},0)\}$, where $(X_t,0)$ are $d$-dimensional isolated determinantal singularities. We define the $(d-1)$th polar multiplicity of the fibers $X_t\cap f_t^{-1}(0)$ and we show how the constancy of the polar multiplicities is related to the constancy of the Milnor number of $f_t$ and the Whitney equisingularity of the family.

Let $(X,0)$ be an isolated hypersurface singularity defined by $\phi\colon(\mathbb C^n,0)\to(\mathbb C,0)$ and $f\colon(\mathbb C^n,0)\to\mathbb C$ such that the Bruce-Roberts number $\mu_{BR}(f,X)$ is finite. We first prove that $\mu_{BR}(f,X)=\mu(f)+\mu(\phi,f)+\mu(X,0)-\tau(X,0)$, where $\mu$ and $\tau$ are the Milnor and Tjurina numbers respectively of a function or an isolated complete intersection singularity. Second, we show that the logarithmic characteristic variety $LC(X,0)$ is Cohen-Macaulay. Both theorems generalize the results of a previous paper by some of the authors, in which the hypersurface $(X,0)$ was assumed to be weighted homogeneous.