Revision as of 12:36, 23 January 2015 by Li163 (Talk | contribs)


ECE Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

Automatic Control (AC)

Question 3: Optimization WORK IN PROGRESS

August 2013



Student answers and discussions for Part 1,2,3,4,5

1.(20 pts) In some of the optimization methods, when minimizing a given function f(x), we select an intial guess $ x^{(0)} $ and a real symmetric positive definite matrix $ H_{0} $. Then we computed $ d^{(k)} = -H_{k}g^{(k)} $, where $ g^{(k)} = \nabla f( x^{(k)} ) $, and $ x^{(k+1)} = x^{(k)} + \alpha_{k}d^{(k)} $, where
$ \alpha_{k} = arg\min_{\alpha \ge 0}f(x^{(k)} + \alpha d^{(k)}) . $
Suppose that the function we wish to minimize is a standard quadratic of the form,
$ f(x) = \frac{1}{2} x^{T} Qx - x^{T}b+c, Q = Q^{T} > 0. $
(i)(10 pts) Find the factor by which the uncertainty range is reduced when using the Fibonacci method. Assume that the last step has the form $ \begin{align} 1- \rho_{N-1} = \frac{F_{2}}{F_{3}} = \frac{2}{3}, \end{align} $

where N − 1 is the number of steps performed in the uncertainty range reduction process.




(ii)(10 pts) It is known that the minimizer of a certain function f(x) is located in the interval[-5, 15]. What is the minimal number of iterations of the Fibonacci method required to box in the minimizer within the range 1.0? Assume that the last useful value of the factor reducing the uncertainty range is 2/3, that is

$ 1- \rho_{N-1} = \frac{F_{2}}{F_{3}} = \frac{2}{3}, $

Click here to view student answers and discussions

Problem 2. (20pts) Employ the DFP method to construct a set of Q-conjugate directions using the function

      $ f = \frac{1}{2}x^TQx - x^Tb+c  $
     $   =\frac{1}{2}x^T  \begin{bmatrix}   1 & 1 \\   1 & 2  \end{bmatrix}x-x^T\begin{bmatrix}   2  \\   1  \end{bmatrix} + 3. $

Where x(0) is arbitrary.

Click here to view student answers and discussions

Problem 3. (20pts) For the system of linear equations,$ Ax=b $ where

$ A = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 &-1 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & -1& 0 \end{bmatrix}, b = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 2 \\ 1 \end{bmatrix} $


Find the minimum length vector $ x^{(\ast)} $ that minimizes $ \| Ax -b\|^{2}_2 $

Click here to view student answers and discussions

Problem 4. (20pts) Use any simplex method to solve the following linear program.

           Maximize    x1 + 2x2
        S'ubject to    $ -2x_1+x_2 \le 2 $
                       $ x_1-x_2 \ge -3 $
                       $ x_1 \le -3 $
                       $ x_1 \ge 0, x_2 \ge 0. $
Click here to view student answers and discussions


Problem 5.(20pts) Solve the following problem:

           Minimize    $ -x_1^2 + 2x_2 $
        Subject to    $ x_1^2+x_2^2 \le 1 $
                       $  x_1 \ge 0 $
                       $ x_2 \ge 0 $

(i)(10pts) Find the points that satisfy the KKT condition.



(ii)(10pts)Apply the SONC and SOSC to determine the nature of the critical points from the previous part.

Click here to view student answers and discussions

Back to ECE QE page

Alumni Liaison

Followed her dream after having raised her family.

Ruth Enoch, PhD Mathematics