Paper Title:

End-Point and Transversality Conditions in the Calculus of Variations: Derivations through Direct Reasoning

Author(s):

Olivier de La Grandville

Stanford University,
Department of Management Science and Engineering,
475 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305,
U. S. A.

E-mail: ola@stanford.edu

Abstract:

We offer an intuitive explanation of the end-point and transversality conditions that complement the Euler equation in the calculus of variations. Our reasoning is based upon the fact that any variation given to an optimal function must entail a zero net gain to the functional, all consequences of implied changes in its derivative being fully taken into account.

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