Abstract

GUTIERREZ, José de Jesús  and  QUINTAS, Isabel Irene. El cálculo de variaciones aplicado a problemas de las ciencias sociales. Polít. cult. [online]. 2016, n.46, pp.211-230. ISSN 0188-7742.

An application of variational calculus: the costs minimization. This document try to promote the use of the variational calculus in optimization problems that come out from the decisions taking in several social sciences; in this case we are going to show it in an ad hoc problem where it is necessary determine the rate of production of some goods, taking into account both, the production cost and the storage fee. First, the mathematical modelling and the optimization methods are given, just for continuous or discrete time models. Then, structure of the general problem to be resolved with calculus of variations is introduced together with a brief historic outline of this branch of mathematics, some of the forefathers and the problems they addressed. The formal deduction of the Euler Equation is presented. This equation will be used to resolve the application problem. At the end, the result obtained by Euler condition is compared against the production at constant rate, and the savings.

Keywords : Euler condition; modeling; calculus of variations; minimizing; costs.

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