MATH 237

ASSIGNMENT 7: Optimization

Fall 2015

Submit your work before the usual time on Friday, November 13th in the usual place.
1. Let f (x, y) = x2 2x + y 3 xy 2 . Find and classify the critical points of f .
2. Find the points on the surface z = x2 + y 2 that is closest to the point (1, 1, 0).
3. Consider the function f (x, y) = x4 x2 + y 2 .
(a) Find the linear approximation of f near the point (1, 2).
(b) Find the 2nd-degree Taylor approximation near the same point.
(c) Find all critical points of f , and classify each of them as a local maximum point,
local minimum point, or saddle point.
(d) Find the maximum and minimum values of f on D = {(x, y)| |x| 21 , |y| 1}.
4. Find the maximum and minimum of f (x, y) = x2 y 2 on the region x2 + y 2 1.
5. Use the method of Lagrange multipliers to find the maximum and minimum values of
xy + z 2 on the surface x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 1.
6. Three alleles (alternative versions of a gene) A, B, and O determine the four blood
types A (AA or AO), B (BB or BO), O (OO), and AB. The Hardy-Weinberg Law
states that the proportion of individuals in a population who carry two different alleles
is
P = 2pq + 2pr + 2rq
where p, q, and r are the proportions of A, B, and O in the population. Use the fact
that p + q + r = 1 to show that P is at most 32 .
7.* Find the closest distance between the curves y = ex and y = ln x. Hint: thankfully,
there is a quick way to do this one. (There had better be this assignment was long
enough!)