Chapter 9: Problem 1
Suppose \((1,1)\) is a critical point of a function \(f\) with continuous second derivatives. In each case, what can you say about \(f ?\) \(\begin{array}{ll}{\text { (a) } f_{x x}(1,1)=4,} & {f_{x y}(1,1)=1, \quad f_{y y}(1,1)=2} \\ { (b) f_{x x}(1,1)=4,} & {f_{x y}(1,1)=3, \quad f_{y y}(1,1)=2}\end{array}\)
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Understand Critical Points
Hessian Determinant for Classification
Calculate Part (a)
Calculate Part (b)
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Hessian Determinant
- \(H = \begin{bmatrix} f_{xx} & f_{xy} \ f_{yx} & f_{yy} \end{bmatrix}\)
- \(D = f_{xx}f_{yy} - (f_{xy})^2\)
- If \(D > 0\) and \(f_{xx} > 0\), the point is a local minimum.
- If \(D > 0\) and \(f_{xx} < 0\), the point is a local maximum.
- If \(D < 0\), the point is a saddle point.
- If \(D = 0\), the test is inconclusive.
Second Derivatives
- \(f_{xx}\) and \(f_{yy}\) are the second partial derivatives with respect to \(x\) and \(y\), respectively. They indicate the concavity of the function in each direction.
- \(f_{xy}\) and \(f_{yx}\), also known as mixed derivatives, describe how one variable affects the slope concerning the other variable.
- If \(f_{xx} > 0\), the function is concave upwards in the \(x\)-direction, suggesting a potential minimum.
- Conversely, if \(f_{xx} < 0\), the function is concave downwards, indicating a possible maximum.
Local Extremum
- A **local maximum** occurs where the function's value is greater than at any nearby point. Here, the slope transitions from positive to negative.
- A **local minimum**, conversely, occurs where the function's value is less than at any nearby points, with the slope shifting from negative to positive.
- If \(D > 0\) and since the second derivative \(f_{xx} > 0\), the critical point is a local minimum.
- If \(D > 0\) and \(f_{xx} < 0\), it indicates a local maximum.
Saddle Point
- A typical example is a Pringles chip-shaped surface, where at the center, pressing down pushes one part of the chip upwards and the other downwards.
- If the Hessian determinant \(D < 0\), it signals a saddle point, as seen in problem part (b), where the calculation resulted in \(D = -1\).