FUNCTIONS OF TWO

VARIABLES

Absolute Maximum and Minimum

Definition:
A function f(x,y) has an absolute maximum (or global maximum)
at (a,b) if f(a,b) f(x,y) for all (x,y) in D, where D is the domain of
f(x,y). The number f(a,b) is called maximum value of f on D.
Similarly, f(x,y) has an absolute minimum (or relative maximum)

at (a,b) if f(a,b) f(x,y) for all (x,y) in D and the number f(a,b) is
called the minimum value of f on D.

The maximum and minimum values of f are called the extreme

values of f.

Local Maximum and Minimum

Definition:
A function f(x,y) has a local maximum at (a,b) if
f(a,b) f(x,y) when (x,y) is near (a,b).
Similarly, f(x,y) has a local minimum at (a,b) if
f(a,b) f(x,y) when (x,y) is near (a,b).

Local Extrema

Point (a,b,f(a,b)) is a (local) maximum

Local Extrema

Point (a,b,f(a,b)) is a (local) minimum

Critical Points
An interior point of the domain of a function f(x,y) where:
Both f x and f are zero
y
or
Where one or both of f x and

fy

Dont exist

is called a critical point of f(x,y).

Local Extrema exist only at the critical points or at the

boundary points of the domain

Saddle Point
A differentiable function f(x,y) has a saddle point at a critical
point (a,b) if there are domain points (x,y) near (a,b) where
f(x,y) > f(a,b) and domain points (x,y) where f(x,y) < f(a,b).
The corresponding point (a,b,f(a,b)) on the surface z = f(x,y)
is called a saddle point of the surface.

Point (a,b,f(a,b)) is a saddle point

LOCAL EXTREMA

Second Derivative Test

If f(x,y) and its first and second derivatives are continuous near
a critical point (a,b) then
f has local maximum at (a,b) if

f xx f yy f xy 0 and f xx 0

f has local minimum at (a,b) if

f xx f yy f xy 0 and f xx 0

f has saddle point at (a,b) if

f xx f yy f xy 0

Saddle point at (a,b) is (a,b,f(a,b))

Test fails at (a,b) if

f xx

f xy

f xy

f yy

f xx f yy f xy 0

f xx f yy f xy

Example

Locate and identify the critical points of the following

function
3

y
f ( x, y )
x2 y
3

Example

Solution

Locate and identify the critical points of the following

function
3

y
f ( x, y )
x2 y
3

Step I: Find the critical points

f x 2 x

, fy y2 1

f x -2 x 0

x0

f y y2 1 0

y 1

Critical points are (0,1) and (0,-1)

Step II: Find the Second derivatives

f xx 2

f xy 0

f yy 2 y

D f xx f yy f xy2 2(2 y ) 0 4 y

Step III: Test the critical points

At (0,1)

0,1,
3

D -4y -4(1) 4 0
1
2
f (0,1) 0 1
3
3

Is a saddle point

At (0,-1)

D -4(1) 4 0
f xx (0,1) 2 0
(1) 3
2
f (0,1)
0 1
3
3

0,-1,
3

Is a maximum point

Example

Locate and identify the critical points of the following

function

f ( x, y ) 4 xy x 4 y 4

Example

Locate and identify the critical points of the following

function

f ( x, y ) 4 xy x 4 y 4
Solution

Step I: Find the critical points

f x 4 y 4 x3

, fy 4x 4 y3

f x 4 y 4 x3 0

y x3

f y 4 x 4 y 3 0 x x9 0
x(1 x 8 ) 0 x 0,1,1
Critical points are (0,0), (1,1) and (-1,-1)
Step II: Find the Second derivatives

f xx 12 x 2

f xy 4

f yy 12 y 2

D f xx f yy f xy2 12 x 2 (12 y 2 ) 16 144 x 2 y 2 16

Step III: Test the critical points

D 144 x 2 y 2 16 -16 0

At (0,0)

0,0,0

f (0,0) 0
Is a saddle point

At (1,1)

D 144 x 2 y 2 16 128 0
f xx 12 x 2 12 0

1,1,2

f (1,1) 2
Is a maximum point

At (-1,-1)

D 144 x 2 y 2 16 128 0
f xx 12 x 2 12 0

- 1,-1,2

f (1,1) 2
Is a maximum point

Example

Locate and identify the critical points of the following

function

1
1
f ( x, y ) xy
x
y

Example

Locate and identify the critical points of the following

function

Solution

1
1
f ( x, y ) xy
x
y

Step I: Find the critical points

f x 1 / x 2 y

, fy x 1/ y 2

f x 1 / x 2 y 0

y 1/ x2

f y x 1/ y 2 0 x x4 0
x(1 x 3 ) 0 x 0,1
Critical point is (1,1)
Note: The point (0,0) is not in the domain of f(x,y), so it cant be critical point.

Step II: Find the Second derivatives

f xx 2 / x 3

f xy 1

f yy 2 / y 3

D f xx f yy f xy2 (2 / x 3 )(2 / y 3 ) 1 4 / x 3 y 3 1
Step III: Test the critical points

At (1,1)

D 4 / x3 y 3 1 3 0
f xx 2 / x 3 2 0
f (1,1) 2

1,1,2

Is a minimum point

ABSOLUTE EXTREMA

Example

Find the absolute extremum of the function

f ( x, y ) x 2 xy y 2 6 x 2
defined in the region R:

R ( x, y ) : 0 x 5,3 y 0
y
A

x
C

Example

Find the absolute extremum of the function

f ( x, y ) x 2 xy y 2 6 x 2
defined in the region R:
Solution

R ( x, y ) : 0 x 5,3 y 0
y

Interior points

f x 2x y 6

, fy 2 y x

f y 2 y x 0 x 2 y
f x 2 x y 6 0 3y - 6 0

Critical point is (4,-2)

f (4,2) (4) 2 4(2) (2) 2 6(4) 2 10

x
C

Boundary points
1: Along AB: y=0

f ( x,0) x 2 6 x 2
df
2x 6 0 x 3
dx

Critical point on AB is (3,0)

f (3,0) (3) 2 6(3) 2 7

End points of AB

f (0,0) (0) 2 6(0) 2 2

f (5,0) (5) 2 6(5) 2 3

2: Along BC; x=5

f (5, y ) y 2 5 y 3
df
2 y 5 0 y 5 / 2
dy
Critical point on BC is (5,-5/2)

f (5,5 / 2) (5 / 2) 2 5(5 / 2) 3 37 / 4
End points of BC

f (5,0) (0) 2 5(0) 3 3

f (5,3) (3) 2 5(3) 3 9

3: Along CD; y=-3

f ( x,3) x 2 9 x 11
df
2x 9 0 x 9 / 2
dx
Critical point on AC is (9/2,-3)

f (9 / 2,3) (9 / 2) 2 9(9 / 2) 11 37 / 4
End points of CD

f (5,3) (5) 2 9(5) 11 9

f (0,3) (0) 2 9(0) 11 11

2: Along AD; x=0

f (0, y ) y 2 2
df
2y 0 y 0
dy

Critical point on AD is (0,0)

f (0,0) 0 2 2
2

End points of AD

f (0,3) (3) 2 11

f (0,0) 0 2 2 2

Absolute Maximum

f (0,3) 11

Absolute Minimum

f (4,2) 10

x
C

Example

Find the absolute extremum of the function

f ( x, y ) 2 x 2 4 x y 2 4 y 1
defined in the region R bounded by lines x=0,y=2 and y=2x.

y
B(0,2)

A(0,0)

C (1,2)

Example

Find the absolute extremum of the function

f ( x, y ) 2 x 2 4 x y 2 4 y 1
defined in the region R bounded by lines x=0,y=2 and y=2x.
Solution

Interior points

f x 4x 4

y
B(0,2)

, fy 2 y 4

f x 4x 4 0 x 1
fy 2y 4 0 y 2

A(0,0)

Critical point is (1,2) BUT (1,2) IS NOT AN INTERIOR POINT

C (1,2)

Boundary points
1: Along AB; x=0

f (0, y ) y 2 4 y 1
df
2y 4 0 y 2
dy

Critical point on AB is (o,2)

f (0,2) (2) 2 4(2) 1 3

End points of AB

f (0,0) (0) 2 4(0) 1 1

f (0,2) (2) 2 4(2) 1 3

2: Along BC; y=2

f ( x,2) 2 x 2 4 x 3
df
4x 4 0 x 1
dx
Critical point on BC is (1,2)

f (1,2) 2(1) 2 4(1) (2) 2 4(2) 1 5

End points of BC

f (0,2) 2(0) 2 4(0) 3 3

f (1,2) 2(1) 2 4(1) 3 5

3: Along AC; y=2x

f ( x,2 x) 6 x 2 12 x 1
df
12 x 12 0 x 1
dx

Critical point on AC is (1,2)

f (1,2) 2(1) 2 4(1) (2) 2 4(2) 1 5

End points of AC

B(0,2)

C (1,2)

f (0,0) 6(0) 2 12(0) 1 1

f (1,2) 2(1) 2 4(1) 3 5
Absolute Maximum

f (0,0) 1

Absolute Minimum

f (1,2) 5

A(0,0)

Example

Find the absolute extremum of the function

f ( x, y ) x 2 xy 2 x y / 2
defined in the region R bounded by lines y x 2 and

y 2. x 2

Example

Find the absolute extremum of the function

f ( x, y ) x 2 xy 2 x y / 2
y 2. x 2

defined in the region R bounded by lines y x 2 and

y
A(1,1)

y x2
B(1,1)

x
y 2 x2

Example

Find the absolute extremum of the function

f ( x, y ) x 2 xy 2 x y / 2
y 2. x 2

defined in the region R bounded by lines y x 2and

Solution

Interior points

f x 2x y 2 , fy x 1/ 2
f y x 1/ 2 0 x 1/ 2
f x 2x y 2 0

A(1,1)

y 1

Critical point is (1/2,1)

f (1 / 2,1) (1 / 2) 2 (1 / 2)1 2(1 / 2) 1 / 2 3 / 4

y x2
B(1,1)

x
y 2 x2

Boundary points
1: Along

y x2

f ( x, x 2 ) x 3 x 2 / 2 2 x
df
3 x 2 x 2 0 x 1,2 / 3
dx
Critical point on

y x2

are (-1,1) and (2/3,4/9)

f (1,1) (1) 3 (1) 2 / 2 2(1) 3 / 2

f (2 / 3,4 / 9) (2 / 3) 3 (2 / 3) 2 / 2 2(2 / 3) 22 / 27

2: Along

y 2 x2

f ( x, 2 x ) x 3 x / 2 1
2

df
3 x 2 3 x 0 x 0,1
dx
Critical point on

y 2 x 2 are

(0,2) and (1,1)

y x2

f (0,2) (0) 3 3(0) 2 / 2 1 1

A(1,1)

f (1,1) (1) 3 3(1) 2 / 2 1 1 / 2

Absolute Maximum

f (1,1) 3 / 2

Absolute Minimum

f (0,2) 1

B(1,1)

x
y 2 x2