MATHEMATICS 1

LECTURE 12
BITS Pilani Michael Alphonse
Hyderabad Campus
Topics to be covered

1. First Derivative Test

2. Second Derivative Test

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Local Maxima and Local
Minima
Let f(x,y) be defined on a region R containing the point
(a,b). Then
1. f(a,b) is a local maxima value of f if f(a,b) ≥ f(x,y)
for all domain points (x,y) in an open disk centered
at (a,b).
2. f(a,b) is a local minima value of f if f(a,b) ≤ f(x,y) for
all domain points (x,y) in an open disk centered at
(a,b).
Such a point (a,b) is called a local extremum point.

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First Derivative Test for Local
Extreme Values
If f(x,y) has a local maximum or minimum value at
an interior point (a,b) of its domain and if the first
partial derivatives exist there, then fx(a,b) = 0 and
fy(a,b) = 0.

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Proof

If f has a local extremum at (a,b), then the function g(x) =

f(x,b) has a local extremum at x = a.
Therefore, gꞌ(a) = 0.
Now gꞌ(a) = fx(a,b), so fx(a,b) = 0.
A similar argument with the function h(y) = f(a,y) shows
that fy(a,b) = 0.

Think : What is the equation of the tangent plane of the

surface z = f(x,y) at which the function is local maxima
or local minima ?

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Critical Points

Consider a function f(x, y) defined in a region R of the

xy-plane. An interior point of R where both the first
order partial derivatives fx and fy are zero or where
one or both of fx and fy do not exist is called a critical
point of the function f.
Thus the critical points are the points where we can
expect the function to have a local extremum.

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Saddle Points

A differentiable function f(x,y) has a saddle point at a

critical point (a,b) if in every open disk centered at (a,b)
there are domain points (x,y) where f(x,y) < f(a,b) and
there are domain points (x,y) where f(x,y) > f(a,b)
The corresponding point (a,b,f(a,b)) on the surface z =
f(x,y) is called a saddle point of the surface.

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Visualization of local maxima
and minima and saddle point

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Example

Find the local extremum values of

f(x,y) = x2 + y2 – 4y + 9.
Solution :
The domain of f is entire plane and the partial derivative
fx = 2x and fy = 2y – 4 exist everywhere. Therefore,
Local extreme values can occur only where
fx = 2x = 0 fy = 2y – 4 = 0
The only possibility is (0,2) where the value of f is 5.
Since f = x2 + (y - 2)2 + 5 is never less than 5, we see
that the critical point (0,2) gives a local minimum.

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Second Derivative Test for
Local Extreme Values
Suppose at the point (a, b), the first and the second
order partial derivatives of f are continuous throughout
an open disk centered at (a, b) and that fx(a,b) = fy(a,b)
= 0.
The expression fxxfyy – fxy2 is called the discriminant
Or Hessian of f.
fxxfyy – fxy2 = fxx fxy
fxy fyy

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Then,
(i) f has a local maximum at (a, b) if fxxfyy – fxy2 > 0
and fxx < 0 there.
(ii) f has a local minimum at (a, b) if fxxfyy – fxy2 > 0 and
fxx > 0 there.
(iii) f has a saddle point at (a, b) if fxxfyy – fxy2 < 0 there.
(iv) The test is inconclusive if fxxfyy – fxy2 = 0 at (a, b).

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Example
Find the local extreme values of the function
f(x,y) = xy – x2 – y2 – 2x – 2y + 4.

The function is defined and differentiable for all x and y.

The
Function therefore has extreme values only at the points
Where fx and fy are simultaneously zero. This leads to
fx = y – 2x – 2 = 0 fy = x – 2y – 2 = 0,
Or
x = y = -2.
Therefore the point (-2,-2) is the only point where f may
take extreme value. Therefore,
fxx = -2, fyy = -2, fxy = 1.
The discriminant of f at (a,b) = (-2,-2) is
fxxfyy – fxy2 = (-2)(-2) – (1)2 = 4 – 1 = 3.
The combination
fxx < 0 and fxxfyy – fxy2 > 0
Tells us that f has a local maximum at (-2,-2) . The value
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Limitation of second Derivative
Test
Consider f(x, y) = x4y4. Here fx=4x3y4, fy = 4x4y3
fxx = 12x2y4 fyy = 12x4y2 fxy = 16x3y3
Note that at origin, fxxfyy – fxy2 = 0.
Therefore second derivative test is inconclusive.
But we can directly see that at origin, f(0, 0)=0≤f(x ,y) for all (x,y).
f(x,
At origin f(x, y) has local minimum. y)>0
f(x,
y)<0
Consider f(x, y) = x3y4. Here fx=3x2y4, fy = 4x3y3
fxx = 6xy4 fyy = 12x3y2 fxy = 12x2y3 (0,0)
At origin, fxxfyy – fxy2 = 0.
Therefore second derivative test is inconclusive.
Can you conclude directly at origin whether f(x, y) is local maximum, local
minimum or saddle point.
Ans : f(x, y) has saddle point at the origin.

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