Chapter 4: Problem 387
Use the method of Lagrange multipliers to solve the following applied problems. Find the minimum distance from the plane \(x+y+z=1\) to point (2,1,1).
Short Answer
Expert verified
The minimum distance is \(\sqrt{3}\).
Step by step solution
01
Define the Objective Function and Constraint
To find the minimum distance from a point to a plane, define the objective function as the square of the distance, since the square root is unnecessary for finding the minimum. Let the objective function be \( f(x, y, z) = (x-2)^2 + (y-1)^2 + (z-1)^2 \). The constraint is given by the plane equation \( g(x, y, z) = x + y + z - 1 = 0 \).
02
Lagrange Function Setup
Set up the Lagrange function \( \mathcal{L}(x, y, z, \lambda) = (x-2)^2 + (y-1)^2 + (z-1)^2 + \lambda(x+y+z-1) \). Here, \( \lambda \) is the Lagrange multiplier.
03
Calculate Partial Derivatives
Find the partial derivatives of the Lagrange function with respect to \( x, y, z, \) and \( \lambda \).\[ \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial x} = 2(x-2) + \lambda \]\[ \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial y} = 2(y-1) + \lambda \]\[ \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial z} = 2(z-1) + \lambda \]\[ \frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial \lambda} = x + y + z - 1 \]
04
Set Partial Derivatives to Zero
For optimization, set each partial derivative equal to zero:\[ 2(x-2) + \lambda = 0 \]\[ 2(y-1) + \lambda = 0 \]\[ 2(z-1) + \lambda = 0 \]\[ x + y + z = 1 \]
05
Solve the Equations
From the first three equations, we have:\[ \lambda = -2(x-2) = -2(y-1) = -2(z-1) \]Thus, \( x-2 = y-1 = z-1 \) implies \( x = y+1 \) and \( y = z \). Substitute into the constraint:\[ x + y + z = 1 \Rightarrow (y+1) + y + y = 1 \Rightarrow 3y + 1 = 1 \Rightarrow 3y = 0 \Rightarrow y = 0 \]With \( y = 0 \), we find \( z = 0 \) and \( x = 1 \). The point on the plane is (1, 0, 0).
06
Calculate Minimum Distance
The distance from (1,0,0) to (2,1,1) is calculated as\[ \sqrt{(2-1)^2 + (1-0)^2 + (1-0)^2} = \sqrt{1 + 1 + 1} = \sqrt{3} \].
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Distance Calculation
Calculating distances is a crucial part of geometry, especially when dealing with points and planes. In our problem, we not only need to calculate the distance but also to find a specific point where this distance is minimized. This means:
- We focus on finding the perpendicular distance from a point to a plane.
- The square of the Euclidean distance is often used to simplify calculations, as it avoids the square root.
- For the point (2,1,1) and the plane given by the equation \(x+y+z=1\), the objective function becomes \((x-2)^2 + (y-1)^2 + (z-1)^2\).
Plane Geometry
Plane geometry involves understanding the properties and equations of planes in three dimensions. The plane here is represented by an equation \(x+y+z=1\). This equation describes an infinite flat surface in a 3D space, where:
- "x", "y", and "z" are coordinates of any point on the plane.
- The equation simplifies relationships between these coordinates.
Constraint Optimization
Constraint optimization is used to find an optimum solution given particular limitations, or constraints.
This problem involves the plane equation \(x+y+z=1\) as a constraint. To solve this, we apply the method of Lagrange multipliers, which is useful for:
This problem involves the plane equation \(x+y+z=1\) as a constraint. To solve this, we apply the method of Lagrange multipliers, which is useful for:
- Handling multiple variables where an optimization requires satisfying a specific condition.
- Finding maxima or minima by introducing additional variables (Lagrange multipliers).
Partial Derivatives
Partial derivatives involve finding the derivative of a function with respect to one variable while keeping other variables constant.
They are especially useful in optimization problems like this one, where:
They are especially useful in optimization problems like this one, where:
- They help in identifying local maxima or minima of multivariable functions.
- The Lagrange function \(\mathcal{L}(x, y, z, \lambda)\) required calculation of partial derivatives with respect to \(x\), \(y\), \(z\), and \(\lambda\).