 4.2.

6 EXTREMUM FUNCTIONS: MAXIMA AND MINIMA FUNCTIONS OF TWO VARIABLES

How to locate and classify the critical point for the function

(a) Identify critical point for the function f(x,y)  First order Partial Derivative

(1) Find fx and fy

(2) Let fx  0 and fy  0
(3) Solve fx  0 and fy  0 simultaneously . Find x,y values.
(4) Determine the critical points.

(b) Classify Critical Points  2’nd order Partial Derivative

(1) Find fxx , fyy , fxy

(2) Create table

Critical Points (a,b) (c,d)

fxx
fyy
fxy

D= f xx f yy   f xy 
2

(c) Check value Discriminant D

If D=0  No Conclusions
If D<0 (-ve)  Saddle Point
If D>0 (+ve)  Check : If f xx  0 (minimum point)
: If f xx  0 (maximum Point)

Saddle Point
Maximum
Point

Minimum
Point
 3 2
Example 1: Determine the stationary points of f ( x , y )  4 x 2  2 xy  y  8 y  10 x .
2
Hence,identify the nature of the critical points.

Solution:

3 2
Given f ( x , y )  4 x 2  2 xy  y  8 y  10 x
2

 (Step 1: Find f x and fy ) → f x  8 x  2 y  10 


f y  2 x  3 y  8 

 Determine stationary point 8 x  2 y  10  0 


 2 x  3y  8  0
(Step 2: Let f x  0 and fy  0 )→
8 x  2 y  10.....(1 )
 2 x  3 y  8.....( 2 )

 (Step 3 :Solve simultaneously) x  2 .3

y  4 .2

 2.3 ,4.2  is a stationary point.

 Classify Critical Points 

2’nd order Partial Derivative
Stationary Points (0.5,3)
f xx  8 8
Find fxx , fyy , fxy
fyy  3 3
Create table
f xy  2 -2

D= f xx f yy   f xy  8 3    2 2
2

 20( ve )

 Check value Discriminant

If D=0  No Conclusions D ve  and f xx  ve 

If D<0 (-ve)  Saddle Point
If D>0 (+ve)   2.3 ,4.2  is a minimum point.
Check :
If f xx  0
(minimum point)
If f xx  0
(maximum Point)
 3 2
Example 2: Determine the stationary points of f ( x , y )  4 x 2  2 xy  y  8 y  10 x . Hence,
2
identify the nature of the critical points.
Example 3: Determine the stationary points of f ( x , y )  4 xy  6 x 2  4 y 2  18 y  10 x .
Hence,Identify the nature of the critical points.
Example 4: Given � �, � = �3 + �2 − 6��.
i. Find stationary points of � �, � .
ii. Identify the type of all the stationary points of � �, � whether they are
maximum, minimum or a saddle point.
Tutorial :

1. Determine the stationary points of f ( x , y )  4 xy  6 x 2  4 y 2  18 y  10 x . Hence,Identify

the nature of the critical points.

Answer:(1.-0.5) ,maximum

2. Given f ( x , y )  12 xy  10 x 2  5 y 2  20 y  5 x .

a) Determine the stationary points of f(x,y)

b) Identify the nature of the critical points.

Answer:(3.4,6.1),maximum

3. 5 2
Given f ( x , y )  3 xy  x  3y 2  6y  4x .
2

a) Determine the stationary points of f(x,y)

b) Identify the nature of the critical points.

Answer:(2,-2),minimum

4. Given f ( x , y )  7 xy  2 x 2  3 y 2  6 y  10 x .

a) Determine the stationary points of f(x,y)

b) Identify the nature of the critical points.

Answer:(-1.4,-0.6),saddle

5. Given f ( x , y )  3 xy  5 x 2  8 y 2  6 y  12 x .

a) Determine the stationary points of f(x,y)

b) Identify the nature of the critical points.

Answer:(1.2,0.16),minimum

6. Given � �, � = �3 + �2 − 4��.
a) Find stationary points of � �, � .
b) Identify the type of all the stationary points of � �, � whether they are maximum,
minimum or a saddle point.