MAXIMA AND MINIMA OF FUNCTIONS OF TWO VARIABLES

A function f (x, y) is said to have a relative maximum (or simply maximum) at x = a and y = b, if
f (a, b) > f (a + h, b + k) for all small values of h and k.

A function f(x, y) is said to have a relative minimum (or simply minimum) at x = a and y = b, if
f(a, b) < f (a + h, b + k) for all small values of h and k.

A maximum or a minimum value of a function is called its extreme value.

Working rule to find the extreme values of a function f (x, y):

(1)Find fx and fy

(2)Solve the equations fx = 0 and fy= 0 simultaneously. Let the solutions be (a, b); (c, d)

The points like (a, b) at which fx= 0 and fy= 0 are called stationary points of the function f (x, y).
The values of f (x, y) at the stationary points are called stationary values of f (x, y).

(3)For each solution in step (2), find the values of A=fxx B=fxy C= fyy and Δ = AC – B^2 .

(4)(i) If Δ > 0 and A (or C) < 0 for the solution (a, b) then f (x, y) has a maximum value at (a, b).

(ii) If Δ > 0 and A (or C) > 0 for the solution (a, b) then f (x, y) has a minimum value at (a, b).

(iii) If Δ < 0 for the solution (a, b), then f (x, y) has neither a maximum nor a minimum value
at (a, b). In this case, the point (a, b) is called a saddle point of the function f (x, y).

(iv) If Δ = 0 the case is doubtful and further investigations are required to decide the nature
of the extreme values of the function f (x, y).
 1. Examine 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 3 − 6𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 3 for extreme values.

Sol
 1 1
2.Examine 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑥 + 𝑦 for extreme values.