Quiz 14.7 & 14.

8
M-273 - Multivariable Calculus
Gustavo Barrionuevo
March 19, 2015

1. Let f (x, y) = xe(x y ) with domain R2 . Find all local extrema, saddles, and points
where the second derivative test fails. To help you along, the Hessian Determinant H(x, y),
also known as the Discriminant D(x, y), is given by:
H(x, y) = D(x, y) = 4e(2x

2 2y 2 )

(2x4 + 2x2 y 2 3x2 + y 2 )

SOLUTION
Taking the partial derivatives of f (x, y) with respect to x, y and setting them equal to zero,
we find
f
2
2
= e(x y ) (1 2x2 ) = 0
x
f
2
2
= 2xye(2x 2y ) = 0
y
Since e(x

2 y 2 )

6= 0, the first equation gives 1 2x2 = 0, that is, x =

 q 
1
2

1
,0
2

=D

q


= 4e

1
,0
2

q

1
,0
2

 2  "

and, therefore,

ye(12y ) = 0

since e(12y ) 6= 0, we have y = 0. Thus, the critical points are

discriminant of theses points is
 q

1
,
2

1
2

= 4e1 > 0
1

q 4
1
2

q 2 #
1
2

  q

1
,0
2

. The

The second derivative test,

2f
x2

= 2xe(x

2 y 2 )

(3 2x2 ), for

q

1
,0
2

 q

and

1
,0
2

, gives

1
2
2f q 1
, 0 = e 2 < 0
2
2
x
2

2  q
1
2
f
12 , 0 = e 2 > 0
2
x
2

2f
x2

= 0. Thus,

q

1
,0
2

 q

is a local maximum and

1
,0
2

is a local minimum.

2. An ellipse is given by
 2

x
a

 2

y
b

=1

with constants a, b > 0. Using the Lagrange Multipliers, find the point (x, y) on the ellipse
with y > 0 such that the area of the right triangle (a, 0), (x, 0), (x, y) is maximized (see
diagram below). Note that the point (x, y) may depend on a and b.

(a, 0)
b

(x, y)

(x, 0)

SOLUTION
According to the figure, the area of the triangle is given by A(x, y) = y(x+a)
. Since A 0
2
and A(x, 0) = 0, the maximum point of A occurs with y > 0. Since A is continuous on
 2
 2
the segment xa + yb = 1, y 0, which is a closed and bounded set in R2 , then A
has minimum and maximum values on the segment. The minimum value is 0 (obtained
at (a, 0) and (a, 0)), therefore the maximum value occurs for x > 0. By the method of
Lagrange multipliers, we must find the maximum value of the function A(x.y) = y(x+a)
2
 2

 2

i and
under the constraint g(x, y) = xa + yb = 1. The gradient vectors are A = h y2 , x+a
2
2x 2y
Lagrange
Condition
gives A = g, which is the same as A k g.
g = h a2 , b2 i. The
D
E D
E
g g
A A
So, we can use y , x x , y = 0 that gives


2x 2y
x a y

,
,
a
2
a2 b2
 

=0

or


x a
2



2x
y
+
a2
2


 

2y
b2

=0

 2

y
b

x2 + ax
a2

We now substitute

 2
y
b

x2 +ax
a2

in the equation of the constraint condition and solve for x:

!2

x2 + ax
+
a2

We find y using the relation y = ab x2 + ax:

 2

x
a

b
y=
a

=1

x=

a
2

3
a2
=
b
+
2
2

s
 2

a
2

The critical point is thus

a
x0 = ,
2

y0 =

3
b
2

(1)

The critical point (1) corresponds to the maximum value. Thus, we conclude the maximum
value of A(x, y) =

y(x+a)
2

on

 2
x
a

 2
y
b

= 1, y > 0 is



a 3b
1 3b a
3 3
A
=
,
+a =
ab.
2 2
2 2
2
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