http://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/UnconstrainedOptimizationOverview.html Unconstrained Optimization Introduction Methods for Local Minimization Introduction Newton's Method Quasi-Newton Methods Gauss–Newton Methods Nonlinear Conjugate Gradient Methods Principal Axis Method Methods for Solving Nonlinear Equations Introduction Newton's Method The Secant Method Brent's Method Step Control Introduction Line Search Methods MoreThuente Backtracking Brent Trust Region Methods Setting Up Optimization Problems in the Wolfram System Specifying Derivatives Variables and Starting Conditions Vector and Matrix Valued Variables Termination Conditions Symbolic Evaluation UnconstrainedProblems Package Plotting Search Data Test Problems References