What Does fxxfyy - fxy2 > 0 Really Mean?

This note presents geometric and physical interpretations of the sufficient condition for a critical point to be a strict relative extremum. The role of the double derivative fxy in this inequality will be highlighted in these interpretations.

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PRIMUS : problems, resources, and issues in mathematics undergraduate studies resources, and issues in mathematics undergraduate studies, 2008-09, Vol.18 (5), p.456-474
Main Author: McCartin, Brian J
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Description
Summary:This note presents geometric and physical interpretations of the sufficient condition for a critical point to be a strict relative extremum. The role of the double derivative fxy in this inequality will be highlighted in these interpretations.
ISSN:1051-1970
1935-4053
DOI:10.1080/10511970701397650