Optimization - confused with missing variable in the solution provided

30 Views Asked by At

Given the following Lagrangian function:

$$L(x, y, λ_1, λ_2)=x-y^2+2y+11-λ_1(3x+2y-4)+λ_2x$$

And given the first order conditions:

I. $\frac{∂L}{∂x}=1-3λ_1+1λ_2=0$

II. $\frac{∂L}{∂y}=-2y+2-2λ_1=0$

III. $λ_1(3x+2y-4)=0$

IV. $λ_2x=0$

Find the optimal solution.

I've done similar exercises before, but in this case I'm having trouble with the $λ_1$ variable.

So far I have, similar to the solution key:

$λ_2x = 0$

$λ_2 = 0$

Then:

$1-3λ_1+1λ_2=0$

$1-3λ_1=0$

$λ_1=\frac{1}{3}$

Following with the II. equation:

$-2y+2-2λ_1=0$

$-2y+2-2(\frac{1}{3})=0$

$2y = \frac{4}{3}$

$y = \frac{2}{3}$

Now, with the third equation, I thought I had to do the following:

$λ_1(3x+2y-4) = 0$

$\frac{1}{3}(3x+2(\frac{2}{3})-4) = 0$

$3x-\frac{4}{3} = 0$

$x = \frac{4}{9}$

However, the answer key leaves out the $λ_1$ coefficient:

$3x+2y-4=0$

$3x+2(\frac{2}{3})-4 = 0$

$3x = \frac{8}{3}$

$x = \frac{8}{9}$

And substituting the values, $x = \frac{8}{9}$ does check out.

What am I misunderstanding about the conditions? Why shouldn't $λ_1$ be included in the equation?

I know the solutions aren't wrong, but I genuinely can't see what I'm doing wrong despite it probably being glaringly obvious.