MATHEMATICS 211 MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS

LAGRANGE INEQUALITY PROBLEM

17. (from 15.1 p. 815): Find the max/min of f (x, y) = x2 y + 3y 2 y subject to g(x, y) =
x2 + y 2 10.

Since the region is closed and bounded (its the circle of radius 10), f has a global
max/min. Thus if we find the critical points in the interior and boundary, we can just
compute f at those points!
Strategy:
(1) Find critical points in the interior.
Set f = (2xy, x2 + 6y 1) equal to ~0.
Thus 2xy = 0 and x2 + 6y 1 = 0. From the first, either x = 0 or y = 0.
If x = 0, then y = 1/6 from the second equation.
If y = 0, then x2 = 1 and hence x = +1 or x = 1 by the second.
Hence the critical points are:
(0, 1/6), (1, 0), (1, 0)
(2) Find the local max/min on the boundary x2 + y 2 = 1.
As f, g are smooth, the max/min are given by either
(1) f = g, g = c, or,
(2) endpoints of the constraint, or,
(3) g = 0.
g = (2x, 2y)
Note this is never zero when x2 +y 2 = 10, so (3) does not hold. As the constraint
is a circle, there is no endpoint; so (2) does not hold. It suffices then to solve (1):
(2xy, x2 + 6y 1) = (2x, 2y)
The first equation is 2xy = 2x. Hence either = y or x = 0.
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MATH 211 - SPRING 2013 - CLASS LOG

If x = 0, then y 2 = 10 and hence y = 10 or y = + 10.

If = y, then
x2 + 6y 1 = 2y 2
Substituting the constraint x2 = 10 y 2 gives:
3y 2 6y 9 = 0
Factoring gives: 3(y 3)(y + 1) = 0 and hence y = 3 or y = 1.
If y = 3, then x2 = 1 and hence x = 1 or x = 1.
If y = 1, then x2 = 9 and hence x = 3 or x = 3.
Hence the local max/min are:

(0, 10), (0, 10), (1, 3), (1, 3), (3, 1), (3, 1)
(3) Compare the values of f from steps 1 and 2:
f (0, 1/6) = 1/12
f (1, 0) = f (1, 0) = 0

f (0, 10) = 30 + 10

f (0, 10) = 30 10
f (1, 3) = f (1, 3) = 27
f (3, 1) = f (3, 1) = 5

Thus the max of f is 30 + 10 obtained at (0, 10).

The min of f is 5 obtained at (3, 1) and (3, 1).