Resumen de Lagrange multipliers, adjoint equations, the Pontryagin maximum principle and heuristic proofs

R.L. Ollerton

• Deeper understanding of important mathematical concepts by students may be promoted through the (initial) use of heuristic proofs, especially when the concepts are also related back to previously encountered mathematical ideas or tools. The approach is illustrated by use of the Pontryagin maximum principle which is then illuminated by reference to a constrained static optimization problem.