I want to sketch some level curves to the function $f(x,y) = 3x^2 + 4xy + 3y^2$. I have tried to set the equation to C but I'm not sure how to proceed.
I've gotten hints to substitute $u = x + y$ and $v = x - y$ but it doesn't seem to make sense to me.
Thanks in advance!
On substituting $u=x+y$ and $v=x-y$, you get, $$x=(u+v)/2$$ and $$y=(u-v)/2$$
Thus,
$$3x^2 + 4xy + 3y^2 = 3(u+v)^2/4 + (u+v)(u-v) + 3(u-v)^2/4$$
On simplification, it reduces to:
$$f(x,y)=g(u,v)=3(u^2+v^2)/2 + u^2-v^2 =( 5u^2 + v^2)/2$$
which is the equation of an ellipse in the $u-v$ plane.
The transformation is like rotating the $x-y$ axes and scaling it. So the cross section's shape wouldn't change.