Learning objectives

• Describe the behavior of a function of 2 variables near a critical point
• Find critical points and local extrema on a contour diagram
• Explain the geometric meaning of the gradient vector
• Use gradient search for maxima and minima of a function

Before class

• Read Hughes-Hallett 9.5
• Ponder problems  9.5. 1-8, 16, 18.
• Consult main points of the lesson

In class

• Discuss local behavior of a function
• Notes in R
• Optimize using R (using Mosaic’s mGradSearch)
  • Access command:  fetchData(“mGradSearch.R”)
• Work problems