Value Function
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Value Function
The value function of an optimization problem gives the value attained by the objective function at a solution, while only depending on the parameters of the problem. In a controlled dynamical system, the value function represents the optimal payoff of the system over the interval , t1/var> when started at the time-t state variable x(t)=x. If the objective function represents some cost that is to be minimized, the value function can be interpreted as the cost to finish the optimal program, and is thus referred to as "cost-to-go function." In an economic context, where the objective function usually represents utility, the value function is conceptually equivalent to the indirect utility function. In a problem of optimal control, the value function is defined as the supremum of the objective function taken over the set of admissible controls. Given (t_, x_) \in , t_\times \mathbb^, a typical optimal control problem is to : \text \quad J(t_, x_; u) = \int_^ I(t,x(t), u(t)) \, \mathr ...
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Optimization Problem
In mathematics, computer science and economics, an optimization problem is the problem of finding the ''best'' solution from all feasible solutions. Optimization problems can be divided into two categories, depending on whether the variables are continuous or discrete: * An optimization problem with discrete variables is known as a ''discrete optimization'', in which an object such as an integer, permutation or graph must be found from a countable set. * A problem with continuous variables is known as a ''continuous optimization'', in which an optimal value from a continuous function must be found. They can include constrained problems and multimodal problems. Continuous optimization problem The '' standard form'' of a continuous optimization problem is \begin &\underset& & f(x) \\ &\operatorname & &g_i(x) \leq 0, \quad i = 1,\dots,m \\ &&&h_j(x) = 0, \quad j = 1, \dots,p \end where * is the objective function to be minimized over the -variable vector , * are called ine ...
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Envelope Theorem
In mathematics and economics, the envelope theorem is a major result about the differentiability properties of the value function of a parameterized optimization problem. As we change parameters of the objective, the envelope theorem shows that, in a certain sense, changes in the optimizer of the objective do not contribute to the change in the objective function. The envelope theorem is an important tool for comparative statics of optimization models. The term envelope derives from describing the graph of the value function as the "upper envelope" of the graphs of the parameterized family of functions \left\ _ that are optimized. Statement Let f(x,\alpha) and g_(x,\alpha), j = 1,2, \ldots, m be real-valued continuously differentiable functions on \mathbb^, where x \in \mathbb^ are choice variables and \alpha \in \mathbb^ are parameters, and consider the problem of choosing x, for a given \alpha, so as to: : \max_ f(x, \alpha) subject to g_(x,\alpha) \geq 0, j = 1,2, \ldots, m an ...
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Lyapunov Function
In the theory of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), Lyapunov functions, named after Aleksandr Lyapunov, are scalar functions that may be used to prove the stability of an equilibrium of an ODE. Lyapunov functions (also called Lyapunov’s second method for stability) are important to stability theory of dynamical systems and control theory. A similar concept appears in the theory of general state space Markov chains, usually under the name Foster–Lyapunov functions. For certain classes of ODEs, the existence of Lyapunov functions is a necessary and sufficient condition for stability. Whereas there is no general technique for constructing Lyapunov functions for ODEs, in many specific cases the construction of Lyapunov functions is known. For instance, quadratic functions suffice for systems with one state; the solution of a particular linear matrix inequality provides Lyapunov functions for linear systems; and conservation laws can often be used to construct Lyapunov funct ...
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Online Algorithm
In computer science, an online algorithm is one that can process its input piece-by-piece in a serial fashion, i.e., in the order that the input is fed to the algorithm, without having the entire input available from the start. In contrast, an offline algorithm is given the whole problem data from the beginning and is required to output an answer which solves the problem at hand. In operations research, the area in which online algorithms are developed is called online optimization. As an example, consider the sorting algorithms selection sort and insertion sort: selection sort repeatedly selects the minimum element from the unsorted remainder and places it at the front, which requires access to the entire input; it is thus an offline algorithm. On the other hand, insertion sort considers one input element per iteration and produces a partial solution without considering future elements. Thus insertion sort is an online algorithm. Note that the final result of an insertion sort ...
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Viscosity Solution
In mathematics, the viscosity solution concept was introduced in the early 1980s by Pierre-Louis Lions and Michael G. Crandall as a generalization of the classical concept of what is meant by a 'solution' to a partial differential equation (PDE). It has been found that the viscosity solution is the natural solution concept to use in many applications of PDE's, including for example first order equations arising in dynamic programming (the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation), differential games (the Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs equation) or front evolution problems, as well as second-order equations such as the ones arising in stochastic optimal control or stochastic differential games. The classical concept was that a PDE : F(x,u,Du,D^2 u) = 0 over a domain x\in\Omega has a solution if we can find a function ''u''(''x'') continuous and differentiable over the entire domain such that x, u, Du, D^2 u satisfy the above equation at every point. If a scalar equation is degenerate el ...
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Newton Notation
In differential calculus, there is no single uniform notation for differentiation. Instead, various notations for the derivative of a function or variable have been proposed by various mathematicians. The usefulness of each notation varies with the context, and it is sometimes advantageous to use more than one notation in a given context. The most common notations for differentiation (and its opposite operation, the antidifferentiation or indefinite integration) are listed below. Leibniz's notation The original notation employed by Gottfried Leibniz is used throughout mathematics. It is particularly common when the equation is regarded as a functional relationship between dependent and independent variables and . Leibniz's notation makes this relationship explicit by writing the derivative as :\frac. Furthermore, the derivative of at is therefore written :\frac(x)\text\frac\text\frac f(x). Higher derivatives are written as :\frac, \frac, \frac, \ldots, \frac. Thi ...
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Costate Equation
The costate equation is related to the state equation used in optimal control. It is also referred to as auxiliary, adjoint, influence, or multiplier equation. It is stated as a vector of first order differential equations : \dot^(t)=-\frac where the right-hand side is the vector of partial derivatives of the negative of the Hamiltonian with respect to the state variables. Interpretation The costate variables \lambda(t) can be interpreted as Lagrange multipliers associated with the state equations. The state equations represent constraints of the minimization problem, and the costate variables represent the marginal cost of violating those constraints; in economic terms the costate variables are the shadow prices. Solution The state equation is subject to an initial condition and is solved forwards in time. The costate equation must satisfy a transversality condition and is solved backwards in time, from the final time towards the beginning. For more details see Pontryagin ...
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Costate Variable
The costate equation is related to the state equation used in optimal control. It is also referred to as auxiliary, adjoint, influence, or multiplier equation. It is stated as a vector (geometry), vector of first order differential equations : \dot^(t)=-\frac where the right-hand side is the vector of partial derivatives of the negative of the Hamiltonian (control theory), Hamiltonian with respect to the state variables. Interpretation The costate variables \lambda(t) can be interpreted as Lagrange multipliers associated with the state equations. The state equations represent constraints of the minimization problem, and the costate variables represent the marginal cost of violating those constraints; in economic terms the costate variables are the shadow prices. Solution The state equation is subject to an initial condition and is solved forwards in time. The costate equation must satisfy a transversality condition and is solved backwards in time, from the final time towards ...
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Hamiltonian (control Theory)
The Hamiltonian is a function used to solve a problem of optimal control for a dynamical system. It can be understood as an instantaneous increment of the Lagrangian expression of the problem that is to be optimized over a certain time period. Inspired by, but distinct from, the Hamiltonian of classical mechanics, the Hamiltonian of optimal control theory was developed by Lev Pontryagin as part of his maximum principle. Pontryagin proved that a necessary condition for solving the optimal control problem is that the control should be chosen so as to optimize the Hamiltonian. Problem statement and definition of the Hamiltonian Consider a dynamical system of n first-order differential equations :\dot(t) = \mathbf(\mathbf(t),\mathbf(t),t) where \mathbf(t) = \left x_(t), x_(t), \ldots, x_(t) \right denotes a vector of state variables, and \mathbf(t) = \left u_(t), u_(t), \ldots, u_(t) \right a vector of control variables. Once initial conditions \mathbf(t_) = \mathbf_ and controls \ma ...
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Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman Equation
In optimal control theory, the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation gives a necessary and sufficient condition for optimality of a control with respect to a loss function. It is, in general, a nonlinear partial differential equation in the value function, which means its solution the value function itself. Once this solution is known, it can be used to obtain the optimal control by taking the maximizer (or minimizer) of the Hamiltonian involved in the HJB equation. The equation is a result of the theory of dynamic programming which was pioneered in the 1950s by Richard Bellman and coworkers. The connection to the Hamilton–Jacobi equation from classical physics was first drawn by Rudolf Kálmán. In discrete-time problems, the corresponding difference equation is usually referred to as the Bellman equation. While classical variational problems, such as the brachistochrone problem, can be solved using the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation, the method can be applied to a ...
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Partial Differential Equation
In mathematics, a partial differential equation (PDE) is an equation which imposes relations between the various partial derivatives of a Multivariable calculus, multivariable function. The function is often thought of as an "unknown" to be solved for, similarly to how is thought of as an unknown number to be solved for in an algebraic equation like . However, it is usually impossible to write down explicit formulas for solutions of partial differential equations. There is, correspondingly, a vast amount of modern mathematical and scientific research on methods to Numerical methods for partial differential equations, numerically approximate solutions of certain partial differential equations using computers. Partial differential equations also occupy a large sector of pure mathematics, pure mathematical research, in which the usual questions are, broadly speaking, on the identification of general qualitative features of solutions of various partial differential equations, such a ...
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