HARARE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY HIT112

Bachelor of Technology
Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology

Optimisation Tutorial

29 October 2019
Time : 2++ hours

Attempt ALL questions

Q1. Let x and p be fixed points in the interval [a, b]. Define the number M by

f (x) = Tpk f (x) + M (x − p)k+1 ,

where
k
X 1 (r)
Tpk f (x) = f (p)(x − p)r
r=0
r!
1 1
= f (p) + f 0 (p)(x − p) + f 00 (p)(x − p)2 + f 000 (p)(x − p)3 + · · ·
2 6

is the k − th order Taylor polynomial for f at p.

Note that since x and p are fixed, M is merely a number, not a function. To prove
Taylor’s theorem, we need to show that (k + 1)!M = f (k+1) (c) for some c between x
and p.
Now define the function g(t) = f (t) − Tpk f (t) − M (t − p)k+1 .

(a) By using repeated differentiation and substituting x = p, obtain the coefficients

of the Taylor series.
(b) Explain why g (k+1) (t) = f (k+1) (t) − (k + 1)!M.
(c) Show that g(p) = g 0 (p) = g 00 (p) = · · · = g (k) (p) = 0.

Q2. Calculate the k-th order Taylor polynomials, Tpk f , for each of the following:

e−x
(a) f (x) = , for p = −1 and k = 5
1+x
(b) f (x, y) = 4 sin(x2 + y) for p = (0, 0) and k = 4

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(c) f (x, y) = (x3 − 2xy)exy for p = (1, 1) and k = 3

(d) f (x, y, z) = x3 − 2x2 y + yz − z 4 for p = (−1, 0, 1) and k = 2
(e) f (x, y, z) = ez ln(xy + z) for p = (1, 2, 0) and k = 3

Q3. Given the function

f (x, y) = xy(x − 1)(y − 1)

(a) Show that f (x, y) has some (0, 1) as a stationary point.

(b) Use the Taylor series method to determine whether (0, 1) is a minima, maxima
or saddle point.
(c) Use the second derivative method to determine whether (0, 1) is a minima, maxima
or saddle point.
(d) Find all the other three stationary points of f (x, y).
(e) Repeat (b) and (c) for the other three stationary points.

Q4. Find the minimum distance between the point (1, 1, 1) and the plane x + 2y + 3z = 6.

Computationally Intensive
You can use a Computer Algebra System(CAS) for the following problems.

Q5. Find and classify the stationary points of f (x, y) = (x − 1)2 (y − 2)(x − 2y)(xy + 4).

Q6. Use the method of Lagrange multipliers to fond the extrema of

f (x, y, z) = 24x2 y 2 (6 − z 2 )

subject to z = x2 + y 2 − 2xy.

Q7. The temperature of a fluid in heating unit of a plant is given by

100(z − 3)
T (x, y, z) = .
10 − (x − 1)2 + (y − 2)2

Find the minimum and maximum temperatures if the heat exchanging components
x2 y 2
have the shapes z = − and (x − 1)2 + (y − 1)2 + (z − 3)2 = 36.
4 9

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