Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-continuous-optimisation-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2025/3/d/i/solution

Choose a strictly feasible point, an initial barrier parameter , and . At outer iteration , approximately minimize the logarithmic barrier objective over its strictly feasible domain of a function. For example, use damped Newton methods, choosing an inner step size by backtracking line search so that every stays positive and the barrier objective function decreases. Solve to a tolerance , where . Set and use as the next starting point.
The associated Lagrange multiplier estimates are
Reducing makes these perturbed complementary slackness equations approach the KKT conditions. This describes the generic interior-point method; existence of a solution to every inner minimization needs appropriate additional attainment assumptions and does not follow from strict feasibility alone.

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