Math 210, Final Exam, Practice Fall 2009 Problem 10 Solution 10.

Find the points on the ellipse x2 + xy + y 2 = 9 where the distance from the origin is maximal and minimal. (Hint: Let f (x, y) = x2 + y 2 be the function you want to extremize where (x, y) is a point on the ellipse.) Solution: We nd the minimum and maximum using the method of Lagrange Multipliers. First, we recognize that x2 + xy + y 2 = 9 is compact which guarantees the existence of absolute extrema of f . Then, let g(x, y) = x2 + xy + y 2 = 9. We look for solutions to the following system of equations: fx = gx , fy = gy , g(x, y) = 9

which, when applied to our functions f and g, give us: 2x = (2x + y) 2y = (x + 2y) 2 x + xy + y 2 = 9 We begin by diving Equation (1) by Equation (2) to give us: 2x (2x + y) = 2y (x + 2y) 2x + y x = y x + 2y x(x + 2y) = y(2x + y) x2 + 2xy = 2xy + y 2 x2 = y 2 x = y If x = y then Equation (3) gives us: (y)2 + (y)y + y 2 y2 + y2 + y2 3y 2 y2 =9 =9 =9 =3 (1) (2) (3)

Since x = y we have ( 3, 3) and ( 3, 3) as points of interest. If x = y then Equation (3) gives us: (y)2 + (y)y + y 2 y2 y2 + y2 y2 y 1 =9 =9 =9 = 3

y= 3

Since x = y we have (3, 3) and (3, 3) as points of interest. We now evaluate f (x, y) = x2 + y 2 at each point of interest. f ( 3, 3) = ( 3)2 + ( 3)2 = 6 f ( 3, 3) = ( 3)2 + ( 3)2 = 6 f (3, 3) = 32 + (3)2 = 18 f (3, 3) = (3)2 + 32 = 18 From the values above we observe that f attains an absolute maximum of 18 and an absolute minimum of 6.