Find the minimum and the maximum of two variable function

calculusmaxima-minimamultivariable-calculuspartial derivativereal-analysis

The function defined on $\mathbb{R}^2$
\begin{align*}f(x,y)= \frac{xy(xy+4)}{x^2+y^2+1}\end{align*}
Find each of the maximum and minimum values of the function if they are exist, Show that if they are not exist.

First I tried to find the first partial derivatives and the second partial derivatives but, since the function $f(x,y)$ is a fraction, they are so complex functions. I could not find the critical points clearly as well. Is this the right way to proceed with this kind of fractioning question or is there another convenient way?
Can we reduce this function into a simple one? I tried but could not reach for a good one. any hints would be appreciated.
\begin{align*}f_x &= \frac{2xy^4+4y^3+2xy^2+4y-4x^2y}{(x^2+y^2+1)^2}\\
f_y&= \frac{2x^4y+4x^3+2x^2y+4x-4xy^2}{(x^2+y^2+1)}
\end{align*}

Best Answer

Note that the denominator $x^2 + y^2 + 1 \ge 1$ for all $(x,y) \in \mathbb R^2$. So $f$ is well-defined and continuous. Next, we note that $f \ge -4$ for all $x,y$, since $$xy(xy+4) = (xy+2)^2 - 4.$$ So we know that a minimum must exist.* As for a maximum, we have for $|x| > 1$ $$f(x,x) > \frac{x^4}{2x^2 + 1} \ge \frac{x^4}{2(x^2+x^2)} = \frac{x^2}{4},$$ so $f$ has no global maximum.

To find the minimum, it is worth considering $$f(r \cos \theta, r \sin \theta) = \frac{r^2 \sin 2\theta (r^2 \sin 2\theta + 8)}{4 (r^2 + 1)}. \tag{1}$$ Regarding $r$ as fixed, we note $$\frac{\partial f}{\partial \theta} = 4 r^2 \cos 2\theta (4 + r^2 \sin 2\theta),$$ so any minimum would satisfy $\partial f/\partial \theta = 0$, implying for $\theta \in (-\pi, \pi]$ $$\theta \in \left\{ \pm \frac{\pi}{4}, \pm \frac{3\pi}{4}, \frac{1}{2} \arcsin \left(-\tfrac{4}{r^2} \right) \right \}.$$ Of these, clearly if $0 \le r < 2$, the last root is invalid. Otherwise, we can substitute back into Equation $(1)$ and show that there are no critical points for $r > 0$. The other possibilities are easily checked for critical points with respect to $r$, which I leave as an exercise.


*Note. Technically, it doesn't have to have a minimum, since a function like $e^x$ does not have a minimum although it is bounded below by $0$. But it does suggest searching for one.

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