Use Lagrange multipliers to find the point on a surface that is closest to a plane. Find the point on z=1-2x^2-y^2 closest to 2x+3y+z=12 using Lagrange multipliers. I recognize z+2x^2+y^2=1 as my constraint but am unable to recognize the distance squared I am trying to minimize in terms of 3 variables. May someone help please.

Leandro Acosta

Leandro Acosta

Answered question

2022-12-18

Use Lagrange multipliers to find the point on a surface that is closest to a plane.
Find the point on z = 1 2 x 2 y 2 closest to 2 x + 3 y + z = 12 using Lagrange multipliers.
I recognize z + 2 x 2 + y 2 = 1 as my constraint but am unable to recognize the distance squared I am trying to minimize in terms of 3 variables. May someone help please.

Answer & Explanation

bleustggv

bleustggv

Beginner2022-12-19Added 8 answers

The squared distance between a point ( x 0 , y 0 , z 0 ) and the plane 2 x + 3 y + z = 12 is given by
f ( x 0 , y 0 , z 0 ) = ( 2 x 0 + 3 y 0 + z 0 12 ) 2 2 2 + 3 2 + 1 2 = ( 2 x 0 + 3 y 0 + z 0 12 ) 2 14 .
In order to find the point on your surface that is closest to the plane, it is enough to minimize
g ( x , y , z ) = ( 2 x + 3 y + z 12 ) 2
constrained by
2 x 2 + y 2 + z = 1.

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