How do I find critical points and determine local extrema for a given function?

In summary, the conversation discusses finding all critical points and identifying the locations of local maximums, minimums, and saddle points of the function f(x,y)=4xy-\frac{x^4}{2}-y^2. The solution involves setting partial derivatives to zero and solving for critical points, as well as using the second partial derivatives to determine the nature of the critical points. It is noted that for the critical point (0,0), the test is inconclusive and no local minimum is found.
  • #1
qq545282501
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Homework Statement


find all critical points and identify the locations of local maximums, minimums and saddle points of the function [tex]f(x,y)=4xy-\frac{x^4}{2}-y^2[/tex]

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


setting Partial derivative respect to x = 0 : [tex]4y-\frac{4x^3}{2}=0[/tex]
setting partial derivative respect to y=0: [tex]4x-2y=0[/tex]

from the second equation, Y=2X, plug it into the first equation. I get : [tex]2x(4-x^2)=0[/tex]
now, x=0 or x=-2 or x=2. since y=2x, now I got 3 sets of critical points. (0,0), (-2,-4) and (2,4)

second partial derivative respect to x = [tex]-6x^2[/tex]
second partial derivative respect to y=-2
and ƒxy=0

so [tex]D(a,b)= 12x^2[/tex]

plug in these critical points into D(a,b) I found that local max value at (-2,-4) and (2,4) for which both give D value of 48, greater than 0, and ƒxx at both points are smaller than 0.
for D(0,0) , the test is inconclusive .

I did not find any local min, I am wondering if i missed something.
any help is appreciated
 
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  • #2
qq545282501 said:

Homework Statement


find all critical points and identify the locations of local maximums, minimums and saddle points of the function [tex]f(x,y)=4xy-\frac{x^4}{2}-y^2[/tex]

second partial derivative respect to x = [tex]-6x^2[/tex]
second partial derivative respect to y=-2
and ƒxy=0

so [tex]D(a,b)= 12x^2[/tex]
fxy is not zero.
 
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  • #3
qq545282501 said:

Homework Statement


find all critical points and identify the locations of local maximums, minimums and saddle points of the function [tex]f(x,y)=4xy-\frac{x^4}{2}-y^2[/tex]

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


setting Partial derivative respect to x = 0 : [tex]4y-\frac{4x^3}{2}=0[/tex]
setting partial derivative respect to y=0: [tex]4x-2y=0[/tex]

from the second equation, Y=2X, plug it into the first equation. I get : [tex]2x(4-x^2)=0[/tex]
now, x=0 or x=-2 or x=2. since y=2x, now I got 3 sets of critical points. (0,0), (-2,-4) and (2,4)

second partial derivative respect to x = [tex]-6x^2[/tex]
second partial derivative respect to y=-2
and ƒxy=0

so [tex]D(a,b)= 12x^2[/tex]

plug in these critical points into D(a,b) I found that local max value at (-2,-4) and (2,4) for which both give D value of 48, greater than 0, and ƒxx at both points are smaller than 0.
for D(0,0) , the test is inconclusive .

I did not find any local min, I am wondering if i missed something.
any help is appreciated

##f_{xy} \neq 0##.
 
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  • #4
opps, got it. thank you
 

1. What are critical points?

Critical points are points on a graph where the derivative is either zero or undefined. They are also known as stationary points because the slope of the graph at these points is zero.

2. Why are critical points important?

Critical points are important because they represent the maximum, minimum, or inflection points of a function. This information is useful in understanding the behavior of a function, as well as in solving optimization problems.

3. How do you find critical points?

To find critical points, you must first take the derivative of the function and set it equal to zero. Then, solve for the variable to find the x-values of the critical points. You can also check for undefined values in the derivative to find any additional critical points.

4. Can there be more than one critical point on a graph?

Yes, a graph can have multiple critical points. This can occur when the derivative is equal to zero at different values of x or when the derivative is undefined at different values of x.

5. How can critical points be used in real-world applications?

Critical points can be used in real-world applications to optimize a function. For example, in economics, critical points can be used to find the maximum profit or minimum cost for a business. In physics, critical points can be used to find the maximum or minimum velocity of an object.

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