[Math] Critical points of $f\left(x,y,z\right)=x^3+y^3+z^2+2xyz$

calculus

Find the critical points of the function and specify the nature of these points.
$$f:\mathbb{R}^3\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$$
$$f\left(x,y,z\right)=x^3+y^3+z^2+2xyz$$

So I solved the system of partial derivatives and I get $\left(0,0,0\right);\:\left(\frac{3}{2},\frac{3}{2},-\frac{9}{4}\right)$ as critical points.
But when I try to compute the Hessian Matrix I get the determinant equal to 0 for the point $(0,0,0)$. For my other point I get a negative determinant, which would mean a saddle point. How do I determine the nature of my first point though, since the second derivative test is inconclusive?

Best Answer

You found correctly the critical points: $$ \begin{cases} 3x^2+2yz=0 \\[4px] 3y^2+2xz=0 \\[4px] 2z+2xy=0 \end{cases} $$ gives $z=-xy$ and so the first and second equations become $$ \begin{cases} 3x^2-2xy^2=0 \\[4px] 3y^2-2x^2y=0 \end{cases} $$ If $x=0$, also $y=0$ and $z=0$. If $y=0$, then also $x=0$ and $z=0$. Assuming $x\ne0$ and $y\ne0$, we get $x=3/2$, $y=3/2$ and $z=-9/4$.

Indeed the Hessian matrix at $(0,0,0)$ has zero determinant, so it cannot be used for determining the character of this stationary point. However, you can look at what happens on particular restrictions: consider the line $$ \begin{cases} x=at\\[4px] y=bt\\[4px] z=ct \end{cases} $$ that leads us to study $$ g(t)=f(at,bt,ct)=(a^3+b^3+2abc)t^3+c^2t^2 $$ If $a=1$, $b=0$, $c=0$, we have $g(t)=t^3$.

Thus the origin is neither a point of maximum nor of minimum.

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