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Points sampled by FindMinimum

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg71085] Points sampled by FindMinimum
• From: "Andrew Moylan" <andrew.j.moylan at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 06:14:00 -0500 (EST)

Hi all,

Please consider the following code, which asks FindMinimum to minimise
a simple parabolic function while tracking at which which points
FindMinimum evaluates the function:

func[x_?NumericQ] := (Print[x]; 1 + (x - 1)^2)
FindMinimum[func[x], {x, 0.1}]

The output is:

0.1
0.1
0.1
0.6
0.6
0.6
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.

But I would have expected output more like:

0.1
0.6
1.
1.

Can anyone explain why FindMinimum evaluates func three times at each
test point, instead of once?

Cheers,
Andrew

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Points sampled by FindMinimum
    • From: "Chris Chiasson" <chris@chiasson.name>