Math-200 Tutorial Worksheet 9 Solutions
Q1. The three angles of a triangle are all strictly positive and satisfy the equation x + y + z = π.
Using the method of Lagrange multipliers, maximize the function
f (x, y, z) = cos x + cos y + cos z
subject to the given constraint.
⃗ = λ∇g,
Using ∇f ⃗ with g(x, y, z) = x + y + z − π, gives
⟨− sin x, sin y, sin z⟩ = λ ⟨1, 1, 1⟩
which implies
x = y = z = sin−1 (−λ)
Using the contraint, we can finally have
π
x=y=z=
3
π π π 3
The maximum value of the function is f ( , , ) = .
3 3 3 2
Q2. In this question, by using Lagrange multipliers, we want to show that
3(αβγ)1/3 ≤ α + β + γ (1)
for three positive numbers α, β and γ. The following steps are what you need to do:
(a) Show that for three positive numbers x, y and z such that xyz = 1, the minimum value
of the function f (x, y, z) = x + y + z is 3.
(b) Substituting
α β γ
x= , y= , z= (2)
(αβγ)1/3 (αβγ)1/3 (αβγ)1/3
and using part(a), deduce the result in equation (1).
(a) We have f (x, y, z) = x + y + z and g(x, y, z) = xyz − 1. Now with
⃗ = ⟨1, 1, 1⟩,
∇f ⃗ = ⟨yz, xz, xy⟩
∇g
⃗ = λ∇g
using ∇f ⃗ gives
(i) 1 = λ(yz)
(ii) 1 = λ(xz)
(iii) 1 = λxy, and the constraint
1
(iv) xyz − 1 = 0
Using the value of λ from (i) in (ii), we get x = y. Similarly, we can show that x = z.
Using the contraint in (iv), we get x = 1, implying that y = z = 1. This results in the
point (1, 1, 1). As f (1, 1, 1) = 3, we deduce the required result.
(b) Since we have shown in part(a) that, under the given constraint
f (x, y, z) = x + y + z ≥ 3
Required result then follows by using the substitution as suggested in equation (2).
Q3. Suppose that a plane P given by the equation
x y z
+ + = 1, a, b, and c are non-zero
a b c
passes through the point (2, 1, 2). Find the values of a, b and c for which this plane P cuts
off the smallest volume from the first Octant.
The volume of the pyramid in the first octant formed by the plane can be written as:
1
V (a, b, c) = abc
6
Since the plane passes through (2, 1, 2), we can write
2 1 2
+ + =1
a b c
So, in summary, we want to minimize
1
V (a, b, c) = abc subject to the constraint 2bc + ac + 2ab = abc
6
Using the equation ∇V = λ∇g, we get
bc
= λ(c + 2b − bc)
6
ac
= λ(2c + 2a − ac)
6
ab
= λ(2b + a − ab)
6
These further gives:
abc
= λ(ac + 2ab − abc)
6
abc
= λ(2bc + 2ab − abc)
6
abc
= λ(2bc + ac − abc)
6
Comparing the first two, and, the first and the last, respectively, give
λac = 2λbc and 2λab = 2λbc
2
These result in the equations
ac = 2bc and ab = bc
Implying that a = 2b = c. Using the constraint equation, we then get
2 2 2
+ + =1 ⇒ a=6
a a a
giving b = 3 and c = 6. Equation of the required plane then is:
x y z
+ + =1 or x + 2y + z = 6
6 3 6
Q4. Find the point on the curve of intersection of the surfaces x + y + z = 1 and z 2 = 2x2 + 2y 2
that is closest to the origin.
Let f (x, y, z) = x2 + y 2 + z 2 be the square of the distance from the origin. Then using
the equation
∇f = λ∇g + µ∇h
we can write
2x = λ + 4xµ, 2y = λ + 4yµ, and 2z = λ − 2zµ
These give
λ = 2x(1 − 2µ), λ = 2y(1 − 2µ), λ = 2z(1 + 2µ)
From this we can write
1
x=y or µ=
2
2 2
CASE-1: x = y ⇒ z = 4x ⇒ z = ±2x. From x + y + z = 1 we then get x + x + 2x = 1
1 1 1
or x + x − 2x = 1 (impossible). Therefore, x = ⇒ y = and z = resulting in the point
4 4 2
1 1 1
( , , ).
4 4 2
1
CASE-2: µ = ⇒ λ = 0 ⇒ 0 = 2z(1 + 1) ⇒ z = 0. Then 2x2 + 2y 2 =
2
0 ⇒ x = y = 0. But the origin (0, 0, 0) fails to satisfy the first constraint x + y + z = 1.
1 1 1
Therefore, the point ( , , ) on the curve of intersection is closest to the origin.
4 4 2