Math 2374: Multivariable Calculus and Vector Analysis
Math 2374: Multivariable Calculus and Vector Analysis Part 25 Fall 2012 Extreme points Definition If f : U ⊂ Rn ! R is a scalar function, • a point x0 2 U is called a local minimum of f if there is a neighborhood V of x0 such that for all points x 2 V, f (x) ≥ f (x0), • a point x0 2 U is called a local maximum of f if there is a neighborhood V of x0 such that for all points x 2 V, f (x) ≤ f (x0), • a point x0 2 U is called a local, or relative, extremum of f if it is either a local minimum or a local maximum, • a point x0 2 U is called a critical point of f if either f is not differentiable at x0 or if rf (x0) = Df (x0) = 0, • a critical point that is not a local extremum is called a saddle point. First Derivative Test for Local Extremum Theorem If U ⊂ Rn is open, the function f : U ⊂ Rn ! R is differentiable, and x0 2 U is a local extremum, then Df (x0) = 0; that is, x0 is a critical point. Proof. Suppose that f achieves a local maximum at x0, then for all n h 2 R , the function g(t) = f (x0 + th) has a local maximum at t = 0. Thus from one-variable calculus g0(0) = 0. By chain rule 0 g (0) = [Df (x0)] h = 0 8h So Df (x0) = 0. Same proof for a local minimum. Examples Ex-1 Find the maxima and minima of the function f (x; y) = x2 + y 2.
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