Nonlinear programming

In mathematics, nonlinear programming (NLP) is the process of minimization or maximization of a function of a set of real variables (termed objective function), while simultaneously satisfying a set of equalities and inequalities ( collectively termed constraints), where some of the constraints or the objective function are nonlinear.

Mathematical formulation

A nonlinear programming problem can be stated as:

$\min _{x\in X}f(x)$

or

$\max _{x\in X}f(x)$

where

$f:R^{n}\to R$

$X\subseteq R^{n}.$