The Student Room Group

LaGrange Multipliers Help 2

Here is a question I have been given in my exams:

ma555 8.png,

I have an answer but as I have no resources to check it against, I am posting my answers on here to try and get some extra help. Here is my answer:

a) f(x,y,z)=xa+yb+zc,(xa)2+(yb)2+(zc)2=1f(x,y,z)= \frac{x}{a}+\frac{y}{b}+ \frac{z}{c}, (\frac{x}{a})^2+(\frac{y}{b})^2+(\frac{z}{c})^2=1

So g(x,y,z)=(xa)2+(yb)2+(zc)2 g(x,y,z)=(\frac{x}{a})^2+(\frac{y}{b})^2+(\frac{z}{c})^2

Fx=λgx,1a=λ(2xa2),λ=a2x F_x={\lambda}g_x, \Longrightarrow \frac{1}{a}=\lambda(\frac{2x}{a^2}), \lambda=\frac{a}{2x} Call this equation (1).

Fy=λgy,1b=λ(2yb2),λ=b2y F_y={\lambda}g_y, \Longrightarrow \frac{1}{b}=\lambda(\frac{2y}{b^2}), \lambda=\frac{b}{2y} Call this equation (2).

(1)=(2) a2x=b2yx=ayb\Longrightarrow \frac{a}{2x}=\frac{b}{2y} \Longrightarrow x=\frac{ay}{b}

Fz=λgz,1c=λ(2zc2),λ=c2z F_z={\lambda}g_z, \Longrightarrow \frac{1}{c}=\lambda(\frac{2z}{c^2}), \lambda=\frac{c}{2z} Call this (3).

(3)=(2) z=cyb \Longrightarrow z=\frac{cy}{b}

So:(ayba)2+(y/b)2+(cybc)2=1 (\frac{a\frac{y}{b}}{a})^2+(y/b)^2+(\frac{c\frac{y}{b}}{c})^2=1

This gives:3y2b2=1,b=±3yx=±a3,z=±c3\frac{3y^2}{b^2}=1, b= \pm \sqrt{3}y \Longrightarrow x=\frac{\pm a}{\sqrt{3}}, z=\frac{\pm c}{\sqrt{3}}

I think this is the correct method, I do not however know how to tackle b. Thanks for any help!
Reply 1
Original post by Happy2Guys1Hammer
Here is a question I have been given in my exams:

ma555 8.png,

I have an answer but as I have no resources to check it against, I am posting my answers on here to try and get some extra help. Here is my answer:

a) f(x,y,z)=xa+yb+zc,(xa)2+(yb)2+(zc)2=1f(x,y,z)= \frac{x}{a}+\frac{y}{b}+ \frac{z}{c}, (\frac{x}{a})^2+(\frac{y}{b})^2+(\frac{z}{c})^2=1

So g(x,y,z)=(xa)2+(yb)2+(zc)2 g(x,y,z)=(\frac{x}{a})^2+(\frac{y}{b})^2+(\frac{z}{c})^2

Fx=λgx,1a=λ(2xa2),λ=a2x F_x={\lambda}g_x, \Longrightarrow \frac{1}{a}=\lambda(\frac{2x}{a^2}), \lambda=\frac{a}{2x} Call this equation (1).

Fy=λgy,1b=λ(2yb2),λ=b2y F_y={\lambda}g_y, \Longrightarrow \frac{1}{b}=\lambda(\frac{2y}{b^2}), \lambda=\frac{b}{2y} Call this equation (2).

(1)=(2) a2x=b2yx=ayb\Longrightarrow \frac{a}{2x}=\frac{b}{2y} \Longrightarrow x=\frac{ay}{b}

Fz=λgz,1c=λ(2zc2),λ=c2z F_z={\lambda}g_z, \Longrightarrow \frac{1}{c}=\lambda(\frac{2z}{c^2}), \lambda=\frac{c}{2z} Call this (3).

(3)=(2) z=cyb \Longrightarrow z=\frac{cy}{b}

So:(ayba)2+(y/b)2+(cybc)2=1 (\frac{a\frac{y}{b}}{a})^2+(y/b)^2+(\frac{c\frac{y}{b}}{c})^2=1

This gives:3y2b2=1,b=±3yx=±a3,z=±c3\frac{3y^2}{b^2}=1, b= \pm \sqrt{3}y \Longrightarrow x=\frac{\pm a}{\sqrt{3}}, z=\frac{\pm c}{\sqrt{3}}

I think this is the correct method, I do not however know how to tackle b. Thanks for any help!


Form three triangles by joining P to the three vertices. What are the areas of these triangles? Add them up to get the given expression.

Quick Reply

Latest