Exercise 3.  Graph the function  .  
Looking at your graphs, estimate the location of the local minima.  

Solution 3.

Looking at your graphs, estimate the location of the local minima.  
Hint. The contour plot should be most useful.

Case (i)  Go for the minimum near

Let us compare this answer with Mathematica's built in procedure FindMinimum.

Case (ii)  Go for the minimum near

Let us compare this answer with Mathematica's built in procedure FindMinimum.

Case (iii)  Go for the minimum near

Let us compare this answer with Mathematica's built in procedure FindMinimum.

(c) John H. Mathews 2004