# Minimizing a function over a bounded domain with binary variables

I want to minimize the following function: $$f(m,n)= \sum_{i=1}^N\Big\{ \alpha_i(x_i-m)^T(x_i-m) \Big\} + \sum_{i=1}^N\Big\{\beta_i (x_i-n)^T(x_i-n) \Big\}$$ where $$m,n$$ are all 2-d vectors: $$m:= (m_1,m_2) \in \mathbb{R}^2 \\ n:= (n_1,n_2)\in \mathbb{R}^2$$ and $$x=x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_N$$ with each $$x_i\in \mathbb{R}^2$$. Here, for $$N=4$$:

x = {{1.63178, -0.62983}, {0.981694, 0.337312}, {-0.00322503, 3.09137}, {2.19321, 3.3283}}

Finally $$\alpha_i$$ and $$\beta_i$$ are supposed to be binary variables, 0 or 1, (there exists one for each $$i$$). I want to minimize with respect to $$m_1,m_2,n_1,n_2$$ and all $$\alpha_i,\beta_i$$.

Questions:

1. Take all $$\alpha_i,\beta_i=1$$. How exactly can I define this problem in MATHEMATICA?

My attempt: First I substract from $$x$$ the corresponding variables by hand (I could not achieve it automatically) and then flatten:

I flatten my $$x$$:

Xa = Flatten[{{0.6327234822658077, -0.048234500163371045} - m, {-0.46270679942806625, 0.3272500354702919} - m, {2.9648320580126826, 1.3635663834593037} - m, {1.5996244007719167, 2.4898065623150427} - m}];

Xb = Flatten[{{0.6327234822658077, -0.048234500163371045} - n, {-0.46270679942806625, 0.3272500354702919} - n, {2.9648320580126826, 1.3635663834593037} - n, {1.5996244007719167, 2.4898065623150427} - n}];

Note: this is a problem if the $$x$$ vector has length 10000.

Then I simply write down: Minimize[Transpose[Xa].Xa]+Transpose[Xb].Xb],{m1,m2,n1,n2}]. I do get answer ok. The question is: a. How to optimally subtract $$m,n$$ from $$x$$ if I have 10000s of entries? and \$b. if this is the optimal way to minimize this function (I am doint it correct, right)?

1. How to include the binary variables $$\alpha_i$$ and $$\beta_i$$ in the same problem?

I am not sure how to define a $$N$$-dim binary vector so I write:

a={a1,a2,a3,4}

b={b1,b2,b3,b4}

And then:

$$Z_m=\sum_i a_i \, (x_i-m), \quad Z_n=\sum_i b_i \, (x_i-n)$$,

And I minimize:

Minimize[{ Transpose[Zm] . Zm + Transpose[Zn] . Zn, Element[{a1, a2, a3, a4, b1, b2, b3, b4}, Integers]}, {m1, m2, n1, n2, a1, a2, a3, a4, b1, b2, b3, b4}]

Of course I get nonsense. Any help?

• It is too many questions for one post. Please, split them into different posts. Jul 16 at 12:42

If I correctly understand the question, this can be done in such a way, doing a loop over a[i] andb[j] (N is reserved in WL, so is replaced by k):

ClearAll["Global*"]; x = {{1.63178, -0.62983}, {0.981694, 0.337312},
{-0.00322503, 3.09137}, {2.19321, 3.3283}};
m = {m1, m2}; n = {n1, n2}; k = 4;
f = Rationalize[Sum[a[i]*Transpose[x[[i]] - m] . (x[[i]] - m), {i, 1, k}],
10^-10] + Rationalize[Sum[b[j]*Transpose[x[[j]] - n] . (x[[j]] - n), {j, 1, k}],
10^-10];
Table [{Table[a[i], {i, 1, k}], Table[b[j], {j, 1, k}], Minimize[f, {n1, n2, m1, m2}]},
{a[2], 0, 1}, {a[1], 0, 1}, {a[3], 0, 1}, {a[4], 0, 1}, {b[2], 0, 1}, {b[1], 0, 1}, {b[3], 0, 1}, {b[4], 0, 1}]


{{{{{{{{{{0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, {n1 -> -(12/5), n2 -> -(1/2), m1 -> -(9/5), m2 -> 3/5}}},...,{{{1, 1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1, 0}, {30531465367227314056388526953/ 1313827153041987000000000000, {n1 -> 2731243536997/ 3139060950000, n2 -> 699713/750000, m1 -> 10052233651427/8370829200000, m2 -> 382947/250000}}}, {{1, 1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1, 1}, {702042163964416370873686483/ 24330132463740500000000000, {n1 -> 10052233651427/ 8370829200000, n2 -> 382947/250000, m1 -> 10052233651427/8370829200000, m2 -> 382947/250000}}}}}}}}}}}`