Homework - Sections 14.

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MATH2263 - Summer 2010 14.8 #12: Use the method of Lagrange multipliers to nd the maximum and minimum values of f (x, y, z ) = x4 + y 4 + z 4 , subject to the constraint x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 1. Ans: We need to solve the system of equations 4x3 4y 3 4z 3 x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 2x, = 2y, = 2z, = 1. (1) (2) (3) (4)

We nd that to simplify the equations we need to divide by the variables, so we have to consider what happens when one or more of the variables are zero. This gives many cases to check (8), but luckily we see that the system is symmetric in x, y , and z , so we can lump many of the cases together (i.e. having x = 0 and y = 0, z = 0 is solved in the same way as when z = 0 and x = 0, y = 0). Case 1: None of x, y , or z is 0. Then solving each of (1), (2), and (3) for gives = 2x2 = 2y 2 = 2z 2 . Using this in (4) gives x2 + x2 + x2 = 1, 1 x2 = , 3 so x = y = z =
1 value of 3 .

1 . This gives eight separate points, but each one has a function 3

Case 2: Exactly one variable is zero. Say x = 0. Then = 2y 2 = 2z 2 and (4) gives 0 + y 2 + y 2 = 1, 1 y2 = , 2 so x = 0 and y = z =
1 value of 2 .

1 . This gives four separate points, each with a function 2

Case 3: Exactly two variables are zero. Say x = y = 0. Then by (4) we have z 2 = 1, so z = 1. This gives two points, each with a function value of 1. Thus the maximum value of f is 1 and the minimum value of f is 1 . 3