General
A common (standard) model form is the minimization of one real-valued function in the parameter-space, or its specified subset : here denotes the set defined by the constraints.
(The maximization of a real-valued function is equivalent to the minimization of the function .)
In many nonlinear optimization problems, the objective function has a large number of local minima and maxima. Finding an arbitrary local optimum is relatively straightforward by using classical local optimisation methods. Finding the global minimum (or maximum) of a function is far more difficult: symbolic (analytical) methods are frequently not applicable, and the use of numerical solution strategies often leads to very hard challenges.
Read more about this topic: Global Optimization
Famous quotes containing the word general:
“That sort of half sigh, which, accompanied by two or three slight nods of the head, is pity’s small change in general society.”
—Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
“A general is just as good or just as bad as the troops under his command make him.”
—Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964)
“In truth, a mature man who uses hair-oil, unless medicinally, that man has probably got a quoggy spot in him somewhere. As a general rule, he can’t amount to much in his totality.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)