Maxima and Minima

The phrase “for all (x, y) near (a,b)”

Maxima and Minima means for all (x, y) in some open
disc with (a, b) at its center.

At (a, b, f(a,b))
there exists a relative maximum
if for all (x, y) near (a,b)
f ( a , b )  f ( x, y )

At (a, b, f(a,b))
there exists an absolute maximum
if for all (x, y) in the domain of f

f (a, b)  f ( x, y)

z  1   x2  y 2 
 Maxima and Minima

At (a, b, f(a,b))
there exists a relative minimum
if for all (x, y) near (a,b)
f ( a , b )  f ( x, y )

At (a, b, f(a,b))
there exists an absolute minimum
if for all (x, y) in the domain of f
f ( a , b )  f ( x, y )

z  1   x2  y 2 
 z  x2  y 2 Maxima and Minima

At (a, b, f(a, b))

there exists a saddle point
if there exists a relative minimum at (a, b) along some slice through that point
and
a relative maximum along another slice through that point.
 Maxima and Minima
To locate candidates for relative extrema and saddle points in the interior
of the domain of f,
 Set each partial derivative equal to 0
f f f
 0,  0, ... , 0
x1 x2 xn

 Solve for the system for x1, x2, … xn.

Then check to insure the resulting (x1, x2, … xn) are in the interior of the
domain of f.

Critical Points:
• The points at which the partial derivatives of f are equal to zero.
• These critical points are the only candidates for any relative
extrema and saddle points.
 Maxima and Minima
Suppose (a, b) is a critical point in the interior of the domain of the function
f of two variables. Let H be the quantity:
H (a, b)  f xx (a, b) f yy (a, b)  [ f xy (a, b)]2
If H is positive:
• f has a relative minimum at (a, b) if fxx(a, b) > 0
• f has a relative maximum at (a, b) if fxx(a, b) < 0

If H is negative:
• f has a saddle point at (a, b)

If H = 0:
• The test is inconclusive.
 f ( x, y )  1  x 2  x  3 y 2  y Maxima and Minima
Find relative
extrema &
saddle points
1. Find the critical points.

f x  2 x  1 2 x  1  0  x   1
2
f y  6 y  1 6 y  1  0  y  1
6

2. Evaluate H.
f x  2 x  1  f xx  2 and f xy  0

f y  6 y  1  f yy  6
H (a, b)  f xx (a, b) f yy (a, b)  [ f xy (a, b)]2

 
H  1 , 1  2(6)  [0]2  12  0
2 6
f xx  2  0  rel. max.

          16   4 3
2 2
f  1 , 1  1  1   1 3 1
2 6 2 2 6
 f ( x, y )  x 2  xy  8 y 2 Maxima and Minima
Find relative
extrema &
saddle points
1. Find the critical points.

2x  y  0  y  2x
fx  2x  y
 x  16 y  0   x  16(2 x)  0  31x  0  x  0
f y   x  16 y
y  2 x  y  2(0)  y  0

2. Evaluate H.
f x  2 x  y  f xx  2 and f xy  1
f y   x  16 y  f yy  16

H (a, b)  f xx (a, b) f yy (a, b)  [ f xy (a, b)]2

H  0, 0   2(16)  [1]2  31  0

f xx  2  0  rel. min.
f  0, 0    0   0  0   8  0   0
2 2
 Maxima and Minima
f ( x, y )  x 3  6 xy  y 3
f x  3x 2  6 y
1. Find the critical points. f y  3y2  6x

1
3x 2  6 y  0  3x 2  6 y    x 2  y
2
2
  
1  3
3 y2  6x  0  3    x2   6x  0  x4  6x  0
 2   4
3x  0  x  0
1  1 
 3x  x3  2  0   3x  x3  2  0  1 3
4  4  x 20
4
1 3
1 2 1 x 2
x 0y  x  y   0   0   0, 0 
2
4
2 2
x3  8
1 1
x  2  y  x 2  y   2   0   2, 2 
2

2 2 x2
 Maxima and Minima
f ( x, y )  x 3  6 xy  y 3
2. Evaluate H.
f x  3x 2  6 y  f xx  6 x and f xy  6
f y  3 y 2  6 x  f yy  6 y

H (a, b)  f xx (a, b) f yy (a, b)  [ f xy (a, b)]2

(0,0):
H  0, 0   0(0)  [6]2  36  0  Saddle Point f (0, 0)  03  6  0  0   03  0

(2,2):
H  2, 2   12(12)  [6]2  108  0 f (2, 2)  23  6  2  2   23  8
f xx  12  0  Rel. Min