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13
Numerical
Algorithms
13.4
L2
Problems with Inequality
Constraints
The most general problem involving both inequality and equality
constraints can be reduced to the simpler problem of solving
Gm
=
d
in the least squares sense, with the constraint that that
m
is nonnega-
tive, by a succession of three transformations (Section
7.8).
We shall
discuss only this transformed problem, the basic algorithm for which
was described in Section 7.9.
The algorithm is straightforward but requires the solution of a
succession of least squares problems, each involving one more or one
less unknown than the preceding one. Solving
so
many problems
would be time consuming if each were solved separately. Fortunately,
the solution of one problem can use intermediate calculations per-
formed in the preceding one [Ref.
141.
Suppose that the least squares problem is being solved by House-
holder reduction to upper-triangular form, where the Householder
transformations are stored in the lower part of the triangularized
matrix. Then adding one new unknown requires that the triangle be
increased in width by one column. This column can always be added
to the right of all the other columns (at the expense
of
reordering the
unknowns). Thus, the enlarged matrix can
be
triangularized by appiy-
ing the previous Householder transformations to the new column,
finding a new transformation that annihilates the subdiagonal ele-
ments of the new column, and applying this new transformation to the
Fig.
13.2.
Steps in adding a column to a tnangulanze matrix. (a) Original matrix. (b)
Reorder unknowns
so
that column is adjoined on right. (c) Transform adjoined column
using transformations previously applied to other columns. (d) Annihilate elements
below main diagonal of last column (and apply transformation to data vector).