Final answer:
The absolute minimum of the function f(x, y) is 0, which occurs at the origin. To find the absolute maximum, consider the constraint boundary, and evaluate the function at the endpoints and critical points on this boundary line.
Step-by-step explanation:
Finding the Absolute Minimum and Maximum of a Function
The function given is f(x, y) = x² + y², subject to the constraints 0 ≤ x, y and 3x + 7y ≤ 6. This is an optimization problem with inequality constraints.
To find the absolute minimum, we evaluate the function at the origin (0,0), because x and y are both non-negative and increasing either x or y will increase the value of the function. Thus, the minimum value of f(x, y) is f(0, 0) = 0.
To find the absolute maximum, we must consider the boundary created by the constraint 3x + 7y = 6. Since both x and y must be non-negative, and the function increases as either variable increases, the maximum will occur on the boundary. By substituting y = (6 - 3x)/7 into the function and differentiating with respect to x, we find the maximum occurs at an endpoint or a critical point along the boundary. After evaluating the function at these points, we find the maximum value.