Anyone know how to interpret the euler-lagrange differential equation?

Gardenharvest
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Hi,
I am having a calculus class now and these days the instructor is introducing the Euler-Lagrange differential equation. I have no idea why the formula (general form) is like that way. Is anyone here know how to interprete the formula and help me to understand it?

dF/df-(d/dx)dF/df'=0

Many thanks.


 
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The way it's introduced in physics is how it satisfies least-action principles using variational calculus; that is the variation of the action is 0: \[<br /> \delta \int {L(\mathord{\buildrel{\lower3pt\hbox{$\scriptscriptstyle\rightharpoonup$}} <br /> \over x} } ,\mathord{\buildrel{\lower3pt\hbox{$\scriptscriptstyle\rightharpoonup$}} <br /> \over x} &#039;,t)dt = 0<br /> \]<br />

The Euler-Lagrange equations determine your equations of motion.
 
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