This paper presents an algorithm for the minimization of a nonlinear objective function subject to nonlinear inequality and equality constraints. The proposed method has the two distinguishing properties that, under weak assumptions, it converges to a Kuhn-Tucker point for the problem and under somewhat stronger assumptions, the rate of convergence is quadratic. The method is similar to a recent method proposed by Rosen in that it begins by using a penalty function approach to generate a point in a nighborhood of the optimum and then switches to Robinson's method. The new method has two new features not shared by Rosen's method. First, a correct choice of penalty function parameters is constructed automatically, thus guaranteeing global convergence to a stationary point. Second, the linearly constrained subproblems solved by the Robinson method normally contain linear inequality constraints while for the method presented here, only linear equality constraints are required. That is, in a certain sense, the new method 'knows' which of the linear inequality constraints will be active in the subproblems. The subproblems may thus be solved in an especially efficient manner. Preliminary computational results are presented. (Author)
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