# Strong convexity and implications

This is a summary of the Boyd convex optimization book. The strong convexity assumption can be useful to explain the iterative minimization algorithms like gradient descent, steepest descent, and Newton’s method.

The smallest and largest eigen value of Hessian $$m \preceq \nabla^{2}f(x) \preceq M$$ with norm of gradient $$\| \nabla f(x)\|_2$$ determine the boundary of optimal value $$p^{*}$$. The condition number of cond($$C_\alpha$$) $$\leq {M \over m}$$, where $$C_\alpha$$ is $$\alpha$$-sublevel. The condition number is ratio of largest eigen value to its smallest eigen value.

When the Hessian is replaced with a constant $$m$$ and $$M$$, the constants make the equality of Taylor’s theorem to inequality that makes lower and upper boundaries of $$p^*$$. The difference between the approximation and $$p^*$$ is determined by $f(x)$ and $$m$$ or $$M$$. If $$\nabla f(x)$$ is small and the gap is so. If Hessian ($$m$$ or $$M$$) is large, the gap is small.

Because the second degree of Tayler’s expansion is quadratic, at near the optimal point, the $$\alpha$$-sublevel is ellipsoid. The condition number cond($$C_{\alpha}$$), geometrically, represents anisometry or eccentricity

##### Jun Kang
###### Clinical Assistant Professor of Hospital Pathology

My research interests include pathology, oncology and statistics.