# System of equations

[lambda]=3/(2x) = 1/(2y) = 1/(3z) with constraint eq. x^2+2y^2+6z^2=1

## The Attempt at a Solution

Defennder
Homework Helper
Is $$\lambda$$ supposed to be constant? If so, then it appears simple. Just Express x,y,z in terms of lambda, substitute it into the constraint equation and solve for lambda.

Is $$\lambda$$ supposed to be constant? If so, then it appears simple. Just Express x,y,z in terms of lambda, substitute it into the constraint equation and solve for lambda.

- yeah, thats way simpler than I was making it. So I would take lambda and plug back in to find my x, y, z, right?

Defennder
Homework Helper
Yes that's right.

Yes that's right.

- so I get lambda to be +/- sqrt(41/12), which can be reduced to +/- 1/2*sqrt(41/3), but that gets somewhat ugly when plugging back in to find my x,y,z. I'm trying to find the min/max on this problem, so I have to find my x,y,z to plug back into the f(x,y,z) function. Is there any way to simplify things further?

Wait wait! You're solving for lambda?

$$\lambda=\frac{3}{2x}$$

$$\lambda=\frac{1}{2y}$$

$$\lambda=\frac{1}{3z}$$

Set them equal to each other so that you have y = ... in terms of x and z = ... in terms of x so you can plug it back into your equation to solve for x.

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Wait wait! You're solving for lambda?

$$\lambda=\frac{3}{2x}$$

$$\lambda=\frac{1}{2y}$$

$$\lambda=\frac{1}{3z}$$

Set them equal to each other so that you have y = ... in terms of x and z = ... in terms of x so you can plug it back into your equation to solve for x.

- so I get +/- sqrt(27/41) for x, is that right?

- so I get +/- sqrt(27/41) for x, is that right?
Hmm, what did you do?

Hmm, what did you do?

- I set 3/(2x)= 1/(2y) and got y in terms of x and did the same for z. then plugged into the constraint equation and solved for x. I'm guessing I did it wrong though.

$$y=\frac x 3$$

$$z=\frac 2 9 x$$

$$y=\frac x 3$$

$$z=\frac 2 9 x$$

- thats what I got for y and z, so I must of done something wrong with my algebra in the constraint equation. Let me work it again.

I still get x=+/- sqrt(27/41). So I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. This is how I'm setting the problem up:

x^2+2(x/3)^2+6(2x/9)^2=1

Dick
Homework Helper
This is a lagrange multiplier problem isn't it? Can you state the original problem?

This is a lagrange multiplier problem isn't it? Can you state the original problem?

- sure. I probably need to start over anyways because I think I'm just confusing myself.

find the min/max:

f(x,y,z)=3x+2y+4z with constraint equation x^2+2y^2+6z^2=1

Dick