 Transversality condition

Transversality conditions are mathematical constraints used primarily in the field of optimal control theory and calculus of variations. They ensure that solutions to optimization problems—particularly those involving differential equations—are well-defined and meet certain criteria at the endpoints of the optimization interval. In a typical setting, when optimizing a functional that involves a continuous state variable over a specified interval, the transversality condition helps to determine the behavior of the control (or path) at the boundary points.