Applications of Differentiation

DN1.8: CURVE SKETCHING

To sketch a curve, find

• ● the maximum and minimum stationary points

• ● the intercepts on the axes

A stationary point is a point on a graph of a function y = f(x) where the tangent to the curve is horizontal.
At a stationary point the derivative function y = f '(x) = 0.

A maximum stationary point occurs at x = a if

●
● f '(x) < 0 for x < a

● f '(x) = 0 for x = a

f '(x) > 0 for x > a

A minimum stationary point occurs at x = a if

● f '(x) < 0 for x < a ●

f '(x) = 0 for x = a

● f '(x) > 0 for x > a

DN1.8 – Differentiation: Applications: Curve Sketching Page 1 of 3 June 2012

Example
Find the turning point of the parabola defined by y = x² + 4x + 5

f(x) = x² + 4x + 5 ⇒ f '(x) = 2x + 4

At a stationary point f '(x) = 0

ie 2x + 4 = 0
2x = -4
x = -2

When x = -2, y = (-2)² + 4(-2) + 5 = 1

So there is a stationary point at (-2, 1).

Sign Test
Do a sign test to check whether the stationary point is a minimum or maximum. (Check the slope of the tangent
on each side of the stationary point)

x -2.1 -2 -1.9
f '(x) - 0 +
gradient \  ⁄

∴ There is a minimum point at (-2,1)

Example

Sketch the graph of y = x3 – x

f(x) = x3 – x ⇒ f '(x) = 3x² - 1

Stationary points: f '(x) = 0

3x² - 1 = 0
3x² = 1
1
x² =
3
1
x = ±
3
x ≈ ± 0.58
When x = 0.58, y = -0.38 (0.58,-0.38)
x = -0.58, y = 0.38 (-0.58, 0.38)

Do sign tests to check whether stationary points are minima or maxima:

x 0.5 0.58 0.6 -0.6 -0.58 -0.5

x
f '(x) - 0 + f '(x) + 0 -
gradient \  ⁄ gradient ⁄  \

There is a minimum point at (0.58, -38) and a maximum point at (-0.58, 0.38)

DN1.8 – Differentiation: Applications: Curve Sketching Page 2 of 3 June 2012

x-intercepts: When y = 0, x3 – x = 0 y = x3 - x
x(x² - 1) = 0
x(x- 1)(x + 1) = 0
2
x-intercepts at x = 0, x = 1 and x = -1 1.5

1
y-intercepts: When x = 0, y = 0 0.5

0
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2

Exercise

Sketch the graphs of the following functions showing all intercepts and turning points

1. y = x² - 4x 2. y = x3 – 2x² + x

3. y = 6 – x - x² 4. y = (x + 1)4

Answers

1. 2.
6
2
1
4
0
2
-2 -1 -1 0 1 2 3
0
-2
-2 -2 0 2 4 6
-3
-4
-4
-6
-5

3. 4.
10 20

5 15

10
0
-5 0 5 5
-5
0
-10 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
-5

DN1.8 – Differentiation: Applications: Curve Sketching Page 3 of 3 June 2012