Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / ia / Paper 2 / 6A (Differential Equations)

The multivariable chain rule gives, at $(x,y)=(a+t\cos \gamma ,b+t\sin \gamma )$,Sufficient conditions for a strict local minimum at $t=0$ are $g^{\prime }(0)=0$ and $g^{\prime \prime }(0)>0$.

At a stationary point, $g^{\prime }(0)=0$ in every direction. Its second derivative is the quadratic form of the Hessian matrix. Ifthen completing the square givesfor every nonzero direction $(u,v)$. The Hessian is therefore positive definite, and the stationary point is a strict local minimum.

The stationary equations areThus $y=-x$ and $4x(x^2-2)=0$, givingThe Hessian matrix isAt either nonzero stationary point,so both are strict local minima.

Along a line through the origin,whereWhen $\cos \gamma \ne 0$ and $r=\tan \gamma$,Consequently the origin is a local minimum along the line whenincluding the equality cases because the positive quartic term then leads. It is also a minimum on the vertical line. It is a local maximum along the line whenIn the first case the graph is locally bowl-shaped. In the second it initially bends downward from the origin, but the positive quartic term eventually turns it upward, producing the usual double-well profile.