Scribd
Upload
102 views6 pages

Higher Partial Derivatives, and Optimization

The document discusses optimization problems involving functions of two variables. It examines whether functions have global maxima or minima, and if so, where they occur. It also discusses finding the maximum or minimum value of a function over a specified region. Examples analyze functions like f(x,y)=x^2-2y^2 and g(x,y)=x^2y^2 to determine if and where they have global extrema. The document also considers constrained optimization problems, like finding the maximum volume of a box contained in a region above the plane 3x+2y+z=1.

Uploaded by

Ghassen Rojbi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
102 views6 pages

Higher Partial Derivatives, and Optimization

The document discusses optimization problems involving functions of two variables. It examines whether functions have global maxima or minima, and if so, where they occur. It also discusses finding the maximum or minimum value of a function over a specified region. Examples analyze functions like f(x,y)=x^2-2y^2 and g(x,y)=x^2y^2 to determine if and where they have global extrema. The document also considers constrained optimization problems, like finding the maximum volume of a box contained in a region above the plane 3x+2y+z=1.

Uploaded by

Ghassen Rojbi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Week 19 - Higher Partial Derivatives, and Optimization

Hughes-Hallett Section 15.2


TEST PREPARATION PROBLEMS
Do the functions in Exercises 3-7 have global maxima and minima?
3. f (x, y) = x2 2y 2
The function doesnt have a global max, because f + as x . The function has
no global min because f as y
4. g(x, y) = x2 y 2
The function has a global min at (x, y) = (0, 0), because g 0 and g(x, y) = 0 only at
(0, 0). It has no global max because g + as we move away from the origin in any
direction.
5. h(x, y) = x3 + y 3
h has no global max, because h + as x . It has no global min, because h
as x .
6. f (x, y) = 2x2 7y 2
f has a global max at (0, 0), because f is negative everywhere else. It has no global min,
because f as x .
7. f (x, y) = x2 /2 + 3y 3 + 9y 2 3x
This one is trickier. However, the y 3 term is the most important one. If we fix x = 0,
then f + as y , and f as y . Therefore f has no global min or
max.
In Exercises 8-10, find the global maximum and minimum of the function on 1 x 1,
1 y 1 , and say whether it occurs on the boundary of the square. [Hint: Use
graphs.]
9. z = x2 y 2
The contours of this function are circles, centered on the origin. The global max is at
(0, 0). If we are limited to the square around the origin, the function will reach a global
min at the points furthest from the origin, or at the corners of the square. These points
are (-1, -1), (-1, 1), (1, -1), (1, 1).
In Exercises 11-13, estimate the position and approximate value of the global maxima and
minima on the region shown.
11.

MATH 122 - Section H-H 15.2 Solutions

Global max inside the the highest contour, z = 30, close to (0, 0).
Global min inside the z = 21 contour, neanear (2.5, 5).
12.


 
, 2 , and it looks like another repeat at the same height,
,0 .
2
2
 
Global min inside the negative contours, near
, .
2

Global max at

13.

Global max occurs at z 10, near (5, 5).


Global min occurs inside the contours with levels z = 2, 1, 0..., near (1, 4).
There is a local max inside the z = 6 contour, but since the function is higher near (5,
5), it is not a global maximum.
21. Two products are manufactured in quantities q1 and q2 and sold at prices of p1 and p2 ,
respectively. The cost of producing them is given by
C = 2q12 + 2q22 + 10

MATH 122 - Section H-H 15.2 Solutions

(a) Find the maximum profit that can be made, assuming the prices are fixed.
(b) Find the rate of change of that maximum profit as p1 increases.
(a)
Revenue R = p1 q1 + p2 q2
Profit = P = R C = p1 q1 + p2 q2 2q22 2q22 + 10
We take derivatives and look for critical points by setting them equal to zero.
Set

and

P
= p1 4q1 = 0
q1
p1
gives q1 =
4

P
= p2 4q2 = 0
q2
gives q2 =

p2
4

This gives us a single critical point that depends on the prices:


p p 
2
1
,
(q1 , q2 ) =
4 4
To check that this is a maximum, we use the second derivative test.
2P
= 4 < 0
q12
2P
= 4
q22
2P
=0
q1 q2
So D = (4)(4) 0 > 0

Thus, by the second derivative test, P has a local maximum value at


Since P is quadratic in q1 and q2 , this is a not just a local maximum, but a global
maximum.
Finally, we compute the actual profit at those quantities,
P =

p2 p2
p21 p22 2p21 2p22
+

+ 10 = 1 + 2 + 10
4
4
16
16
8
8

is the maximum profit.


(b) The rate of change of the maximum profit as p1 increases is
(max P )
2p1
p1
=
=
p1
8
4
At the maximum profit production level, every dollar of increase to the price p1 will
increase profits by 25 cents.

MATH 122 - Section H-H 15.2 Solutions

24. An open rectangular box has volume 32 cm3 . What are the lengths of the edges giving the
minimum surface area?
If we let x and y be the length and width of the box, and z be the height, the total surface
area is
S = bottom + 2 sides + 2 ends
= xy + 2xz + 2yz
Since we need the volume to be 32 cm3 , then we must have 32 = xyz, so we can simplify
32
z=
xy
32y
32x
+2
xy
xy
64 64
+
= xy +
y
x
S
64
Set
=y 2 =0
x
x
64
gives y = 2
x
64
S
=x 2 =0
and setting
y
y
64
gives x = 2
y
S = xy + 2

Putting both constraints and x and y together, we get


y=

64
64
y4
=
=


2
x2
64
64
y2

so y = 0 or y 3 = 64
y = 4 cm

Knowing that y = 4 gives x = y642 = 4 cm as well (not surprising, given the symmetry of
the box). Finally, that means that the height is z = 32/xy = 2 cm.
It is straightforward to check, using the second derivative test, that this is a local minimum
for S. Checking that it is a global minimum is more than we have seen in this course.
25. A closed rectangular box with faces parallel to the coordinate planes has one bottom corner
at the origin and the opposite top corner in the first octant on the plane
3x + 2y + z = 1
What is the maximum volume of such a box?

MATH 122 - Section H-H 15.2 Solutions

The volume of the box is given by


V = xyz
To reduce the problem to 2 variables, we use the fact that z is constrained by the planes,
so
z = 1 3x 2y
so
V (x, y) = xy(1 3x 2y) = xy 3x2 y 2xy 2
We now look for critical points,
V
= y 6xy 2y 2 = 0
x
1 2y
y 2y 2
=
gives x =
6y
6
V
Setting
= x 3x2 4xy = 0
y
x 3x2
1 3x
gives y =
=
4x
4
Setting

Putting the first and second equations together gives


x=

1 2y
1 2(1 3x)/4
=
6
6
2 + 6x
6x = 1
4
24x = 4 2 + 6x

18x = 2
1
x=
9
1 3x
1
and then y =
=
4
6
1
Finally, this gives
 us z= 1 3x 2y = 3 . Thus, we should place the corner of the box
1 1 1
at (x, y, z) =
, ,
.
9 6 3
To verify that this is a local maximum for the volume, we use the second derivative test:

2V
= 6y
x2
2V
= 4x
y 2
2V
= 1 6x 4y
xy

MATH 122 - Section H-H 15.2 Solutions

At the point (x, y, z) =


1 1 1
, ,
,
9 6 3
2V
= 6y = 1
x2
4
2V
= 4x =
y 2
9
2
V
6 4
1
=1 =
xy
9 6
3
4
1
1
D = (1)( ) ( )2 = > 0
9
3
3

and since Vxx < 0, the critical point is a local maximum for the volume.

You might also like