4.2
The Bordered Hessian
Goals:
1 Use the bordered Hessian to identify local maximizers of a function subject to a constraint.
4.2.1
The Bordered Hessian
We used the Hessian matrix to recognize maximizers and minimizers in unconstrained optimization.
This worked because the Hessian computed the second derivative over a straight line a+ tv. An equality
constraint does not usually contain straight lines. The test for the second derivative will need to take
account of the shape of the level set g(x) = 0.
Definition 4.5
Given a constrained optimization problem with Hessian L, the matrix HL(λ, x) is called the bordered
Hessian of the constrained optimization problem.
Example
The 2-variable bordered Hessian has the form
HL(λ, x
1
, x
2
) =
L
λλ
L
λ1
L
λ2
L
λ1
L
11
L
12
L
λ1
L
12
L
22
=
0 g
1
g
2
g
1
f
11
+ λg
11
f
12
+ λg
12
g
2
f
21
+ λg
21
f
22
+ λg
22
Why is this called “bordered?”
The bottom right 2 × 2 minor looks like a Hessian.
It is bordered to the left and above by g.
Notice that we have switched the order of variables in our Lagrangian. This is common when writing
the bordered Hessian. Placing the border on the top allows us to write our condition for a local maximizer
in a familiar way. If we instead prioritized consistency, we could keep the λ last and modify our condition.
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