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Maxima and Minima of Functions of Two Variables Calculus 3

This document discusses locating relative maxima, minima, and saddle points of functions of two variables. It presents the theorem for determining the type of critical point based on the signs of the second order partial derivatives. Three examples are worked through, finding the critical points and using a table to determine whether each point corresponds to a maximum, minimum, or saddle point based on the theorem. An exercise at the end asks the reader to analyze two additional functions.

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Mark Angelo Policios
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400 views4 pages

Maxima and Minima of Functions of Two Variables Calculus 3

This document discusses locating relative maxima, minima, and saddle points of functions of two variables. It presents the theorem for determining the type of critical point based on the signs of the second order partial derivatives. Three examples are worked through, finding the critical points and using a table to determine whether each point corresponds to a maximum, minimum, or saddle point based on the theorem. An exercise at the end asks the reader to analyze two additional functions.

Uploaded by

Mark Angelo Policios
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Maxima and Minima of Functions of Two Variables

Locate relative maxima, minima and saddle points of functions of two variables. Several examples
with detailed solutions are presented. 3-Dimensional graphs of functions are shown to confirm the
existence of these points. More on Optimization Problems with Functions of Two Variables in this
web site.
Theorem
Let f be a function with two variables with continuous second order partial derivatives fxx, fyy and
fxy at a critical point (a,b). Let
D = fxx(a,b) fyy(a,b) - fxy2(a,b)
a. If D > 0 and fxx(a,b) > 0, then f has a relative minimum at (a,b).
b. If D > 0 and fxx(a,b) < 0, then f has a relative maximum at (a,b).
c. If D < 0, then f has a saddle point at (a,b).
d. If D = 0, then no conclusion can be drawn.
We now present several examples with detailed solutions on how to locate relative minima,
maxima and saddle points of functions of two variables. When too many critical points are found,
the use of a table is very convenient.
Example 1: Determine the critical points and locate any relative minima, maxima and saddle points
of function f defined by
f(x , y) = 2x2 + 2xy + 2y2 - 6x
.
Solution to Example 1:
Find the first partial derivatives fx and fy.
fx(x,y) = 4x + 2y - 6
fy(x,y) = 2x + 4y
The critical points satisfy the equations fx(x,y) = 0 and fy(x,y) = 0 simultaneously. Hence.
4x + 2y - 6 = 0
2x + 4y = 0
The above system of equations has one solution at the point (2,-1).
We now need to find the second order partial derivatives f xx(x,y), fyy(x,y) and fxy(x,y).
fxx(x,y) = 4

fyy(x,y) = 4
fxy(x,y) = 2
We now need to find D defined above.
D = fxx(2,-1) fyy(2,-1) - fxy2(2,-1) = ( 4 )( 4 ) - 22 = 12
Since D is positive and fxx(2,-1) is also positive, according to the above theorem function f has a
local minimum at (2,-1).
The 3-Dimensional graph of function f given above shows that f has a local minimum at the point
(2,-1,f(2,-1)) = (2,-1,-6).

Example 2: Determine the critical points and locate any relative minima, maxima and saddle points
of function f defined by
f(x , y) = 2x2 - 4xy + y4 + 2
.
Solution to Example 2:
Find the first partial derivatives fx and fy.
fx(x,y) = 4x - 4y
fy(x,y) = - 4x + 4y3
Determine the critical points by solving the equations f x(x,y) = 0 and fy(x,y) = 0 simultaneously.
Hence.
4x - 4y = 0
- 4x + 4y3 = 0
The first equation gives x = y. Substitute x by y in the equation - 4x + 4y 3 = 0 to obtain.
- 4y + 4y3 = 0
Factor and solve for y.
4y(-1 + y2) = 0
y = 0 , y = 1 and y = -1
We now use the equation x = y to find the critical points.
(0 , 0) , (1 , 1) and (-1 , -1)
We now determine the second order partial derivatives.
fxx(x,y) = 4

fyy(x,y) = 12y2
fxy(x,y) = -4
We now use a table to study the signs of D and fxx(a,b) and use the above theorem to decide on
whether a given critical point is a saddle point, relative maximum or minimum.
critical
(0,0)
point (a,b)

(1,1)

(-1,1)

fxx(a,b)

fyy(a,b)

12

12

fxy(a,b)

-4

-4

-4

-16

32

32

saddle
point

relative
minimum

relative
minimum

A 3-Dimensional graph of function f shows that f has two local minima at (-1,-1,1) and (1,1,1) and
one saddle point at (0,0,2).

Example 3: Determine the critical points and locate any relative minima, maxima and saddle points
of function f defined by
f(x , y) = - x4 - y4 + 4xy
.
Solution to Example 3:
First partial derivatives fx and fy are given by.
fx(x,y) = - 4x3 + 4y
fy(x,y) = - 4y3 + 4x
We now solve the equations fy(x,y) = 0 and fx(x,y) = 0 to find the critical points..
- 4x3 + 4y = 0
- 4y3 + 4x = 0
The first equation gives y = x3. Combined with the second equation, we obtain.
- 4(x3)3 + 4x = 0
Which may be written as .
x(x4 - 1)(x4 + 1) = 0
Which has the solutions.

x = 0 , -1 and 1.
We now use the equation y = x3 to find the critical points.
(0 , 0) , (1 , 1) and (-1 , -1)
We now determine the second order partial derivatives.
fxx(x,y) = -12x2
fyy(x,y) = -12y2
fxy(x,y) = 4
The table below shows the signs of D and fxx(a,b). Then the above theorem is used to decide on
what type of critical points it is.
critical
(0,0)
point (a,b)

(1,1)

(-1,1)

fxx(a,b)

-12

-12

fyy(a,b)

-12

-12

fxy(a,b)

-16

128

128

saddle
point

relative
maximum

relative
maximum

A 3-Dimensional graph of function f shows that f has two local maxima at (-1,-1,2) and (1,1,2) and
a saddle point at (0,0,0).

Exercise: Determine the critical points of the functions below and find out whether each point
corresponds to a relative minimum, maximum, saddle point or no conclusion can be made.
1. f(x , y) = x2 + 3y2 -2xy - 8x
2. f(x , y) = x3 - 12x + y3 + 3y2 - 9y
Answer to Above Exercise:
1. relative maximum at (1,1) and (-1,-1) and a saddle point at (0,0)
2. relative maximum at (2,-3), relative minimum at (2,1), saddle points at (-2,-3) and (-2,1).
More on partial derivatives and mutlivariable functions. Multivariable Functions

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