# How can I ensure that the quadratic constraints I am creating are convex?

Essentially, how can I check if functions like this are convex, and how can I know before I write a quadratic constraint that it will be convex? So essentially, how can I write feasible convex quadratic constraints so that I don't waste my time writing non-convex ones. Is there a certain form quadratic constraints look like in convex form? I am writing an optimization program that's mixed-integer and quadratic in constraints and objective function but am running into the issue of having a non-semidefinite matrix Q to be used in my solver. Some of the quadratic constraints I have are:

-x8*x10 + 1.4*x7*x9 <= 0

x7*x1 + x8*x4 <= 1470, "Rows Constraint"

x9*x2 <= 163.128, "Seats Per Row Constraint First-Class"

x10*x5 <= 163.128, "Seats Per Row Constraint Premium-Economy"


Which of the above are non-convex? Also, all x's are a positive number.

Thank you so much in advance! PS I am a master's of aerospace engineering student looking for help!

Convex constraints in standard form are given by $$g(\mathbf{x}) \le 0,$$ where $$g(\cdot)$$ is a convex function. Your constraints are already in the form given above, but your $$g(\cdot)$$ functions are not convex.
To check whether $$g(\cdot)$$ is convex, you need to check whether the Hessian -- the matrix of partial second derivatives -- is positive semidefinite. So, for example, the Hessian of your first constraint is $$\left[\matrix{0 & 0 & 1.4 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & -1 \\ 1.4 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\0 & -1 & 0 & 0}\right],$$ which is not PSD (it has negative eigenvalues $$\implies$$ not PSD).
I gather that you are trying to find a way to "write" a nonconvex constraint as a convex one. But it's not a matter of just writing it in a specific way. A constraint is either convex or not; shifting things to one side of the inequality or the other, multiplying both sides by $$-1$$, etc. --- things like that are not going to convert a nonconvex constraint into a convex one.