Hello all, I would like to maximize or minimize a given math function over a specific set of values, in Python preferably.
I was checking out Wolfram Alpha (http://www70.wolframalpha.com/) and it can do simple optimization problems in math, such as maximize 15*x - x**2 over 0 to 15 (http://www70.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=maximize+15*x+-+x**2+over+0+to+15) which finds the maximum value and input for x in the range 0 to 15. Very cool. (This is of course a very simple example). What it apparently can't do is for maximize (or minimize) functions that contain two variables, x and y, or more. So for example a simple example would be maximize x**2 + y**2 over x:0 to 15, y:0-12 -- this does not work -- though I'm unclear about -- the correct syntax too. Is there some sort of simple Python module that would allow me to evaluate this type of function? In this particular instance I am interested in the minimum of x * sin(4*x) + 1.1 * sin(2*y), where x,y in range 0-10 though in other problems the range may not be identical for x and y. Thanks, Esmail ps: Does anyone know if Octave or some other free Linux (or Windows) program might also do this in a simple way? My preference would still be a Python solution that would be simple to use, ie plug in the function, the ranges and have it pop out the solution :-) -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
