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Lecture 4 Maxima and Minima of Function of Two Variables

The document discusses local and absolute maxima and minima of functions of two variables. It defines local maxima and minima, and provides geometric interpretations. Absolute maxima and minima are also defined. Critical points are introduced as points where the first partial derivatives are zero or undefined. The second derivative test is presented to determine if a critical point is a local maxima, minima or saddle point. Several examples are worked through applying these concepts, finding critical points and classifying them. Practical problems involving finding shortest distances and maximum volumes are also presented.

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Alfez tintoiya
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138 views

Lecture 4 Maxima and Minima of Function of Two Variables

The document discusses local and absolute maxima and minima of functions of two variables. It defines local maxima and minima, and provides geometric interpretations. Absolute maxima and minima are also defined. Critical points are introduced as points where the first partial derivatives are zero or undefined. The second derivative test is presented to determine if a critical point is a local maxima, minima or saddle point. Several examples are worked through applying these concepts, finding critical points and classifying them. Practical problems involving finding shortest distances and maximum volumes are also presented.

Uploaded by

Alfez tintoiya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Maxima and Minima of

function of two variables


MATHEMATICS-I (UMA101T)
Definition 1 : LOCAL MAXIMA & LOCAL MAXIMUM
VALUE
• A function of two variables has a local maximum at (a, b)
if f(x, y) ≤ f(a, b) when (x, y) is near (a, b).

• This means that f(x, y) ≤ f(a, b) for all points (x, y) in some
disk with center (a, b).

 The number f(a, b) is called a local maximum value.


Definition 2 : LOCAL MINIMA & LOCAL MINIMUM VALUE
• If f(x, y) ≥ f(a, b) when (x, y) is near (a, b), then f has a local
minimum at (a, b).

 f(a, b) is a local minimum value .

Definition 3 : ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM & MINIMUM

• If the inequalities in Definitions 1 and 2 hold for all points (x,


y) in the domain of f, then f has an absolute maximum (or
absolute minimum) at (a, b).
Theorem 1 : LOCAL MAXIMUM & MINIMUM
• If f has a local maximum or minimum at (a, b) and the first-
order partial derivatives of f exist there, then

• GEOMETRIC INTERPRETATION
 If the graph of f has a tangent plane at a local maximum or
minimum, then the tangent plane must be horizontal.
Result : CRITICAL POINT
• A point (a, b) is called a critical point (or stationary point) of
f if either:

.

 One of these partial derivatives does not exist.


Result : CRITICAL POINTS
• Theorem 1 says that, if f has a local maximum or minimum at
(a, b), then (a, b) is a critical point of f.

• However, as in single-variable calculus, not all critical points


give rise to maxima or minima.

 At a critical point, a function could have a local maximum


or a local minimum or neither.
Example 1 : LOCAL MINIMUM

• Let f(x, y) = x2 + y2 – 2x – 6y + 14

• Then, fx(x, y) = 2x – 2
fy(x, y) = 2y – 6

 These partial derivatives are equal to 0


when x = 1 and y = 3.

 So, the only critical point is (1, 3).


Example 1 : LOCAL MINIMUM (Cont…)
• By completing the square, we find:

f(x, y) = 4 + (x – 1)2 + (y – 3)2

 Since (x – 1)2 ≥ 0 and (y – 3)2 ≥ 0, we have


f(x, y) ≥ 4 for all values of x and y.

 So, f(1, 3) = 4 is a local minimum.

 In fact, it is the absolute minimum of f.


Example 1 : LOCAL MINIMUM (Cont…)
• This can be confirmed geometrically from the graph of f,
which is the elliptic paraboloid with vertex (1, 3, 4).
Example 2 : EXTREME VALUES

• Find the extreme values of f(x, y) = y2 – x2

• Since fx = –2x and fy = –2y, the only critical point is (0, 0).

• Notice that, for points on the x-axis, we have y = 0.

 So, f(x, y) = –x2 < 0 (if x ≠ 0).

• For points on the y-axis, we have x = 0.

 So, f(x, y) = y2 > 0 (if y ≠ 0).


Example 2 : EXTREME VALUES (Cont…)
• Thus, every disk with center (0, 0) contains points where f
takes positive values as well as points where f takes negative
values.

 So, f(0, 0) = 0 can’t be an extreme value for f.

 Hence, f has no extreme value.

NOTE 1 : Example 2 illustrates the fact that a function need


not have a maximum or minimum value at a critical point.
MAXIMUM & MINIMUM VALUES
 The graph of f is the hyperbolic paraboloid z = y 2 – x2.

 It has a horizontal tangent plane (z = 0) at the origin.


MAXIMUM & MINIMUM VALUES (Cont…)
• You can see that f(0, 0) = 0 is:

 A maximum in the direction of the x-axis.


 A minimum in the direction of the y-axis.
SADDLE POINT
• Near the origin, the graph has the shape of a saddle.
 So, (0, 0) is called a saddle point of f.
Theorem 2 : SECOND DERIVATIVES TEST
• Suppose that:

 The second partial derivatives of f are continuous on a


disk with center (a, b).

 fx(a, b) = 0 and fy(a, b) = 0


[that is, (a, b) is a critical point of f].
Theorem 2 : SECOND DERIVATIVES TEST (Cont…)
• Let D = D(a, b) = fxx(a, b) fyy(a, b) – [fxy(a, b)]2

a) If D > 0 and fxx(a, b) > 0, f(a, b) is a local minimum.

b) If D > 0 and fxx(a, b) < 0, f(a, b) is a local maximum.

c) If D < 0, f(a, b) is neither a local maximum nor minimum.

NOTE 2: In case of c

• The point (a, b) is called a saddle point of f.

• The graph of f crosses its tangent plane at (a, b).


SECOND DERIVATIVES TEST (Cont…)

NOTE 3:

 If D = 0, the test gives no information:

 f could have a local maximum or local minimum at (a, b), or


(a, b) could be a saddle point of f.
SECOND DERIVATIVES TEST (Cont…)
NOTE 4 :
 To remember the formula for D, it’s helpful to write it
as a determinant:

f xx f xy 2
D  f xx f yy  ( f xy )
f yx f yy
SECOND DERIVATIVES TEST (Summary)

D(a, b) fxx(a, b) Conclusion

0 any inconclusive
_ any saddle

+ + minimum
_ _ maximum
Example : 3

Find the local maximum and minimum values and saddle points of
f(x, y) = x4 + y4 – 4xy + 1

We first locate the critical points:

fx = 4x3 – 4y

fy = 4y3 – 4x

Setting these partial derivatives equal to 0, we obtain:

x3 – y = 0

y3 – x = 0
Example : 3 (Cont…)

 To solve these equations, we substitute y = x 3 from the first


equation into the second one.
 This gives:
9
0 x  x
8
 x( x  1)
4 4
 x( x  1)( x  1)
2 2 4
 x( x  1)( x  1)( x  1)
 So, there are three real roots: x = 0, 1, –1
Example : 3 (Cont…)
• The three critical points are:
(0, 0), (1, 1), (–1, –1)

• Next, we calculate the second partial derivatives and D(x, y):

fxx = 12x2 fxy = – 4 fyy = 12y2

• D(x, y) = fxx fyy – (fxy)2

= 144x2y2 – 16
Example : 3 (Cont…)
• As D(0, 0) = –16 < 0, it follows from case c of the Second
Derivatives Test that the origin is a saddle point.
That is, f has no local maximum or minimum at (0, 0).

• As D(1, 1) = 128 > 0 and fxx(1, 1) = 12 > 0, we see from case


a of the test that f(1, 1) = –1 is a local minimum.

• Similarly, we have D(–1, –1) = 128 > 0 and f xx(–1, –1) = 12 >
0.
So f(–1, –1) = –1 is also a local minimum.
Example : 3 (Cont…)
• The graph of f is shown here.
Example : 4 (unsolved)
Find the local maximum and minimum values of

ANS: critical point : (0,0) local maximum value : 1


Example : 5 (unsolved)
Find and classify the critical points of the function

6x3

ANS: Critical points : (5,0), (-5,0), (3,4) and (-3,-4)


(5,0) : local minimum
(-5,0) : local maximum
(3,4) : saddle
(-3,-4) : saddle
Practical Example : 6 (unsolved)
Find the shortest distance from the point (1, 0, –2) to the plane x +
2y + z = 4.

Hint : The distance from any point (x, y, z) to the point (1, 0, –2) is:
2 2 2
d  ( x  1)  y  ( z  2)

• However, if (x, y, z) lies on the plane x + 2y + z = 4,


then z = 4 – x – 2y.
d  ( x  1) 2  y 2  (6  x  2 y ) 2
• Thus, we have: 11 5
• Critical point :
( 6 , 3 )
• ANS:
5
6 6
Practical Example : 7 (unsolved)
A rectangular box without a lid is to be made from 12 m 2 of
cardboard.
Find the maximum volume of such a box.
Hint: Let the length, width, and height of the box
(in meters) be x, y, and z.
 Then, its volume is: V = xyz
Practical Example : 8 (unsolved) (Cont…)
• We can express V as a function of just two variables x and y by using
the fact that the area of the four sides and the bottom of the box is:
2xz + 2yz + xy = 12
• Solving this equation for z, we get:

z = (12 – xy)/[2(x + y)]

12  xy 12 xy  x 2 y 2
• So, the expression for V becomes: V  xy 
2( x  y ) 2( x  y )

• Critical Point : (2, 2, 1)


• ANS: 4 m3

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