1. A system for numerical analysis of physical data comprising: an input operable to receive multiple, discrete data input values corresponding to a physical phenomenon of an associated physical system, wherein: a multivariable functional relationship associated with the physical phenomenon is defined by first and second subfunctions, each subfunction is operable on at least one data input value as a parameter of the multivariable functional relationship, the first subfunction is bounded between a first subfunction minimum value corresponding thereto and a first subfunction maximum value corresponding thereto, and the second subfunction is bounded between a second subfunction minimum value corresponding thereto and a second subfunction maximum value corresponding thereto; a memory operable to store received digital data; a processor operable to evaluate the first subfunction defining the functional relationship for each of a plurality of first data input values from the first subfunction minimum value to the first subfunction maximum value to determine, while holding a second subfunction of the multivariable functional relationship constant at the second subfunction maximum value, a first subfunction candidate maximum value resulting in a system maximum value achievable by the multivariable functional relationship; the processor being operable to evaluate the second subfunction for each of a plurality of second data input values from the second subfunction minimum value to the second subfunction maximum value to determine, while holding the first subfunction of the multivariable functional relationship constant at the first subfunction candidate maximum value, a second subfunction candidate maximum value resulting in the system maximum value achievable by the multivariable functional relationship; and an output operable to communicate the first and second subfunction candidate maximum values after termination to a monitoring system as extremum values so as to perform a monitoring operation relative to the associated physical system when the second subfunction candidate maximum value exceeds the system maximum value.