Let Ω be a non-empty bounded open set in R2 with closure Ωˉ and boundary ∂Ω and let ϕ:Ωˉ→R be a continuous function. Give a proof or a counterexample for each of the following assertions.
(i) If ϕ is twice differentiable on Ω with ∇2ϕ(x)>0 for all x∈Ω, then there exists an x0∈∂Ω with ϕ(x0)⩾ϕ(x) for all x∈Ωˉ.
(ii) If ϕ is twice differentiable on Ω with ∇2ϕ(x)<0 for all x∈Ω, then there exists an x0∈∂Ω with ϕ(x0)⩾ϕ(x) for all x∈Ωˉ.
(iii) If ϕ is four times differentiable on Ω with
∂x4∂4ϕ(x)+∂y4∂4ϕ(x)>0
for all x∈Ω, then there exists an x0∈∂Ω with ϕ(x0)⩾ϕ(x) for all x∈Ωˉ.
(iv) If ϕ is twice differentiable on Ω with ∇2ϕ(x)=0 for all x∈Ω, then there exists an x0∈∂Ω with ϕ(x0)⩾ϕ(x) for all x∈Ωˉ.