Determine the minimum possible value of the sum a2b+b4c+c8a,
where a,b and c are positive real numbers.
There are a couple ways to do this. We'll do it formally first, by setting the gradient to 0f=a2b+b4c+c8a∇f=(12b−c8a2, 14c−a2b2, 18a−b4c2)∇f=0⇒12b=c8a214c=a2b218a=b4c2
The only solution with no negative values is b=2a, c=2aThis results in f=34 but more importantly it results in each of the terms contributing equally to the sumf=a4a+2a8a+2a8a=14+14+14
You can use that symmetry principle to come up with the answer in a simpler wayJust find the relationship between the variables that makes each term of what you're trying to find the extrema of contribute the same amountHere you'd say that a2b=b4c=c8aand solve for b and c in terms of a as we did above
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