F(x) convex, u(x) and l(x) convex quadratic upper/lower bounds. Is $x^*_f$ between $x^*_l$ and $x^*_u$

convex optimizationconvex-analysisconvex-geometryoptimization

Very simple question. Consider a strongly convex function $f(\boldsymbol{x})$ of form $f:\mathbb{R}^n \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$. Given strongly convex quadratic forms $u(\boldsymbol{x})$ and $l(\boldsymbol{x})$ that respectively provide an upper and lower bound on $f(\boldsymbol{x})$. Denote the minimizer of each by $\boldsymbol{x}^*_f$, $\boldsymbol{x}^*_l$ and $\boldsymbol{x}^*_u$. Can we say that $\boldsymbol{x}^*_f$ is always on the line segment that connects $\boldsymbol{x}^*_l$ and $\boldsymbol{x}^*_u$? In other words, does there exist a $0 \leq \lambda \leq 1$ such that $\boldsymbol{x}^*_f = (1-\lambda)\boldsymbol{x}^*_l + \lambda \boldsymbol{x}^*_u$?

Thanks

Golabi

Best Answer

Simply take a trivial counter example where $l(x) = x^2-100$ and $u(x) = x^2 + 100$. Draw these two functions, and surely you can come up with some convex function between these two, which has a minimum somewhere else than in the origin.

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