SURNAME and NAME:

Matricola number:
Quantitative Methods / Mathematics
December 16, 2022
Exam duration: two hours. The test is composed by 8 multiple-choice questions and two open
questions, with points summing up to 32. Answer the multiple-choice questions in the
grid provided below.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
d c a d,e a e e b

1. (2 points) If the augmented matrix of a linear system in echelon form is

 
1 −3 −5 1
0 1 2 a
0 0 0 1
where a ∈ R is a real parameter, then the system
a) is
always consistent with only one solution for any value of a
b) is
consistent with an infinite number of solutions if a = 0
c) is
homogeneous for any value of a
d) is
never consistent
e) is
consistent with an infinite number of solutions for any value of a
 
α −3
2. (2 points) Consider the matrix A = , where α ∈ R. Then
1 α
a) Det(A) = 0 for any α > 0
b) A has two coincident real eigenvalues if α = 0
c) A is always invertible
d) A is invertible only if α 6= −3
e) none of the other answers
3. (2 points) Let
           
 0 8 5   3 0 −3 
A =  1 , 1 , 0  ; B =  1 , 2 , 3  ;
3 1 −1 0 0 0
   
     
 −1 7 8 
C=  1  , 4 , 3  ;
  
0 2 1
 

Then we have
a) dim(span(A))=3, dim(span(B))=2, dim(span(C))=3
b) dim(span(A))=2, dim(span(B))=2, dim(span(C))=2
c) dim(span(A))=2, dim(span(B))=3, dim(span(C))=3
d) dim(span(A))=3, dim(span(B))=3, dim(span(C))=3
e) none of the other answers

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4. (2 points) Let f (x) = ln (x − 4)4 , in its domain

a) f has a local minimum.

b) f is a bounded function.
c) f is a convex function.
d) f is not a monotone function.
e) f is a concave function.
5. (2 points) Let f (x, y) = (x − 2)4 + (y − 1)4 − 20, in its domain
a) f has no maximum but has a local minimum.
b) f has no minimum but has maximum
c) f has no local maximum and no local minimum.
d) the graph of f has the tangent plane but not at the point (2, 1, f (2, 1)).
e) f has a local minimum and a local maximum.
6. (2 points) The tangent plane to the graph of the function f (x, y) = xey at the point with
x = −1, y = 1,
a) has the equation z = e − e (x + 1) + e (y − 1).
b) has the equation z = e.
c) none of the other answers.
d) has the equation z = 1 − x + y.
e) has the equation z = e(x − y + 1).
 
−1 1 −2
7. (4 points) Consider the matrix A =  2 −1 3 , where α ∈ R, and
3α −α 4α
     
−1 −1 0
v =  1  , w =  −1  , z =  0  .
−1 0 0
Then,
a) the linear system Ax = v has only one solution for α 6= 0.
b) the linear system Ax = w has no solutions for α = 0.
c) the linear system Ax = v has an infinite number of solutions for α = 0.
d) none of the other answers.
e) the linear system Ax = z has an infinite number of solutions for any value of α.
8. (4 points) Let f (x, y) = ln (1 + x2 + y 4 ), then
a) f is not differentiable at (0, 0).
b) Exists a point (x0 , y0 ) such that the gradient ∇f (x0 , y0 ) at that point is the null
vector.
∂f ∂f
c) ∂x (x0 , y0 ) = ∂y (x0 , y0 ) for any points (x0 , y0 ).
∂2f ∂2f
d) ∂x∂y 6= ∂y∂x at a point (x, y).
e) the gradient ∇f (1, 1) at the point (1, 1) is orthogonal to the vector (2, 1)T .

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 Open questions: show all your work; partial credit will be given for progress
toward correct solutions, but unsupported correct answers will not receive
credit.

9. (6 points) Find the critical points, and classify them, of the function

f (x, y) = 6xy 2 − 3y 3 − 54x + 2x3

in its domain.

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10. (6 points) Given the planar system
(
ẋ = 3x − x2 − xy
ẏ = 4y − y 2 − 2xy,

find the equilibrium points and discuss the stability only of the (eventual) ”non-negative
equilibria”, x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0.