system of equations for two constraint Lagrange multipliers

cheffy

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
73
I'm solving a two constraint lagrange multipliers problem and I got down to a system of equations, but for the life of me I can't solve it.

\(\displaystyle \
\begin{array}{l}
2x = \lambda _2 8x \\
2y = 2\lambda _1 + 8y\lambda _2 \\
2z = 4\lambda _1 - 2z\lambda _2 \\
2y + 4z = 5 \\
4x^2 + 4y^2 = z^2 \\
\end{array}
\\)

Thanks!
 
Please post the problem in its entirety. It's hard to determine what you're getting at without it.
 
Oh sorry.

Find the point closest to the origin on the curve of the intersection of the plane 2y+4z=5 and the cone z^2=4x^2 + 4y^2.

So I'm solving for x, y, and z.
 
Note that the curve of intersection of the plane and cone is a closed set.

Since the distance from the origin is a continuous function, we know there is a point on the curve that gives a max and min.

We want the extrema of \(\displaystyle \L\\D(x,y,z)=x^{2}+y^{2}+z^{2}\) subject to the constraints:

\(\displaystyle \L\\4x^{2}+4y^{2}-z^{2}=0, \;\ and \;\ 2y+4z=5\)

D is the square of the function that gives the distance of the point from the origin. It's easier to work with than radicals.

The extrema occur at points (x,y,z) that are solutions of:

\(\displaystyle \L\\\begin{Bmatrix}{\nabla{D}\cdot({\nabla}(4x^{2}+4y^{2}-z^{2})X{\nabla}(2y+4z))=0\\4x^{2}+4y^{2}-z^{2}=0\\2y+4z=5\end{Bmatrix}\)

We have:

\(\displaystyle \L\\{\nabla}D=2xi+2yj+2zk\)
\(\displaystyle \L\\{\nabla}(4x^{2}+4y^{2}-z^{2})=8xi+8xj-2zk\)
\(\displaystyle \L\\{\nabla}(2y+4z)=2j+4k\)

\(\displaystyle \L\\{\nabla}(4x^{2}+4y^{2}-z^{2})X{\nabla}(0x+2y+4z)=\begin{vmatrix}i&j&k\\8x&8y&-2z\\0&2&4\end{Bmatrix}=\begin{vmatrix}8y&-2z\\2&4\end{vmatrix}i-\begin{vmatrix}8x&-2z\\0&4\end{vmatrix}j+\begin{vmatrix}8x&8y\\2&4\end{vmatrix}k\)

=\(\displaystyle \L\\(32y+4z)i-(32x)j+(16x)k\)

Then we have:

\(\displaystyle \L\\(2x)(32y+4z)-(2y)(32x)+(2z)(16x)=0\)

\(\displaystyle \L\\40xz=0\)

This means x or z equals 0.

If z=0, this implies that x=y=0, but (x,y,z) does not satisfy \(\displaystyle 2y+4z=5\). So, there's no solution with z=0.

If x=0, this implies z=2y or z=-2y.

Now, can you finish?. If not, write back.

Are you sure there isn't an x term in 2y+4z=5?.

I may have a mistake in my calculations. Check it out. Easy to do
 
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