Lagrange Examples

Find extreme values of 1 x2 2y 2 on x + y = 1.

L = 1 x2 2y 2 + (x + y 1)

L
= 2x + = 0 = 2x
x
L
= 4y + = 0 = 4y
y

Thus x = 2y which, taken with the constraint, yields y = 1/3 and x = 2/3 so the
critical point is (2/3, 1/3). The fact that = 4/3 is of no significance here.

Find extreme values of x + y + 2z on x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 3.

L = x + y + 2z + (x2 + y 2 + z 2 3)

L
= 1 + 2x = 0 = 1/2x
x
L
= 1 + 2y = 0 = 1/2y
y
L
= 2 + 2z = 0 = 1/z
z

Thus 2x = 2y = z which, taken with the constraint,
yields the point
( 2/2,
2/2, 2)
where the function is the maximum of 3 2, or the point ( 2/2, 2/2, 2)
where the function is the minimum 3 2. The value of is of no significance
here.

1
Find extreme values of xy on 3x2 + y 2 = 6.

L = xy + (3x2 + y 2 6)

L
= y + 6x = 0 = y/6x
x
L
= x + 2y = 0 = x/2y
y

Thus y/6x = x/2y y 2 = 3x2 which, taken with the constraint, yields x =
1, and y = 3. Thevalue of is, again, of no significance. We now must check

the four values (1, 3). Obviously, when the signs are the same we get + 3
which would be maxima while if the signs differ, the values are 3 which would be
minima. Note: Draw the ellipse 3x2 + y 2 = 6 and the level curves of xy.

Find extreme values of x2 y 2 on x2 + 2y 2 + 3z 2 = 1.

L = x2 y 2 + (x2 + 2y 2 + 3z 2 1)

L
= 2x + 2x = 0 = 1 or x = 0
x
L
= 2y + 4y = 0 = +1/2 or y = 0
y
L
= 0 + 6z = 0 = 0 or z = 0
z
This leads to many cases. (1) If = 1 y = z = 0 x = 1 so (1, 0, 0)
are CPs.
(2a) If 6
= 1 x = 0 but = +1/2 z = 0 y = 1/ 2 so
(0, 1/ 2, 0) are
CPs. (2b) If 6= 1 and 6= 1/2 either = 0 x = y =
0 and z = 1/ 3 so (0, 0, 1/ 3) are CPs or, again, x = y = z = 0 which is
impossible.

2

value 1 (maxima), (0, 1/ 2, 0) give value -1/2 (minima),
Clearly, (1, 0, 0) give
while both (0, 0, 1/ 3) give value 0 (saddle points).

Find extreme values of z 2 on x2 + y 2 = z.

L = z 2 + (x2 + y 2 z)

L
= 2x = 0 = 0 or x = 0
x
L
= 2y = 0 = 0 or y = 0
y
L
= 2z = 0 = 2z
z
In these equations, if = 0 then z = 0 and the constraint requires x = y = 0 also
giving the point (0,0,0) as a CP. If 6= 0 then x = y = 0 and the constraint requires
z = 0 giving the same point. Thus (0,0,0) is the obvious minimum and there is no
maximum to z 2 of course.

3
Find the point(x, y, z) on the planes x + y = 2 and x + z = 2 that is closest
to the origin.

As always, when minimizing or maximizing distances, we consider, rather, the square

of the distance just to avoid the unnecessary square roots.

L = x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 1 (x + y 2) + 2 (x + z 2)

L
= 2x + 1 + 2 = 0
x
L
= 2y + 1 = 0
y
L
= 2z + 2 = 0
z
The second and third equations give 1 = 2y and 2 = 2z. Substituting into
the first equation we get 2x 2y 2z = 0. That equation, together with the two
constraints gives us three linear equations for the three unknowns - just right. The
solution is (4/3, 2/3, 2/3). While not important, 1 = 2 = 4/3.