Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-year-1-of-the-computer-science-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2017/discrete-mathematics-continuous-mathematics-and-probability/4/c/solution
Past exam of the year 1 of the computer science course of the University of Oxford 2017 Discrete mathematics, continuous mathematics and probability 4 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
Complete the square:The minimum locus of a squared function occurs where its residual vanishes. Hence the minimum is on , provided these points lie in the ellipse. Setting in the constraint gives , or . ThusFor the maximum, let . The ellipse givesAlso , whose absolute value is less than . Therefore . Equality is attained at , , givingThese attained bounds are global, not merely stationary-point tests. The minimizing locus is a parabola segment.
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