Lecture 19

First Derivative Test

Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Increasing and decreasing functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Increasing/decreasing test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The first derivative test at a critical point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The first derivative test at a singular point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
First derivative test: example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The method of intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Drawing the graph: beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Drawing the graph: completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Graphing a function and its derivatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Graphing functions with singular points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Graphing functions with singular points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Comprehension checkpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

1
Objectives
In this lecture we will learn how to use the first derivative of a function
to explore the function’s behavior, namely how
• to find intervals where the function increases and intervals where it decreases
• to find and classify critical and singular points.
We will see how to use the information to draw the graph of a function.

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Increasing and decreasing functions

Definition. Let f be a function defined on an interval I.
f is called increasing on I if f (x1 ) < f (x2 ) whenever x1 , x2 ∈ I and x1 < x2 .
f is called decreasing on I if f (x1 ) > f (x2 ) whenever x1 , x2 ∈ I and x1 < x2 .
Example. f (x) = x2 decreases on (−∞, 0] and increases on [0, ∞) .
Indeed, for any x1 < x2 ≤ 0 , we have
f (x1 ) − f (x2 ) = x21 − x22 = (x1 − x2 ) (x1 + x2 ) > 0 .
| {z } | {z }
<0 <0

So f (x1 ) > f (x2 ) . Thus f decreases on (−∞, 0] . For any 0 ≤ x1 < x2 , we have
f (x1 ) − f (x2 ) = x21 − x22 = (x1 − x2 ) (x1 + x2 ) < 0 .
| {z } | {z }
<0 >0

So f (x1 ) < f (x2 ) . Thus f increases on [0, ∞) .

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2
The Increasing/decreasing test
To check from the definition whether a function is increasing/decreasing may be cumbersome. The theorem
below gives a simple and convenient criterion for increasing/decreasing in terms of the derivative.
Theorem. If f ′ (x) > 0 for all x in an interval, then f is increasing on that interval.
If f ′ (x) < 0 for all x in an interval, then f is decreasing on that interval.
Proof. Assume that f ′ (x) > 0 for all x in an interval.
Choose any two points x1 , x2 in the interval with x1 < x2 .
Then, by the Mean Value Theorem, there exists a point x in the interval such that
f (x2 ) − f (x1 ) = f ′ (x)(x2 − x1 ) .
Since f ′ (x) > 0 and x2 − x1 > 0 , this means that f (x2 ) − f (x1 ) > 0 ,
that is f (x2 ) > f (x1 ) . Therefore, f is increasing.
For f ′ (x) < 0 , the proof is similar. 

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The first derivative test at a critical point

Definition. A point x is called a critical point of f if f ′ (x) = 0 .
The following theorem follows directly from the increasing/decreasing test.
Theorem (First derivative test).
Let c be a critical point of a differentiable function f , that is, f ′ (c) = 0 .
• If the sign of f ′ changes from + to − at c , then c is a local maximum:
+ 0 − f′
x
c f
loc max
• If the sign of f ′ changes from − to + at c , then c is a local minimum:
− 0 + f′
x
c f
loc min
• If the sign of f′ does not change at c , then c is neither local maximum nor local minimum.

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3
The first derivative test at a singular point
Definition. A point x in the domain of a function f is called a singular point of f if f ′ (x) does not
exist (that is f (x) is defined, but f ′ (x) is not.)
Theorem (First derivative test).
Let c be a singular point of a continuous function f (i.e. f ′ (c) does not exist) and assume that f
is differentiable at all x near c excluding c .
• If the sign of f ′ changes from + to − at c , then c is a local maximum:
+ DNE − f′
x
c f
loc max
• If the sign of f′ changes from − to + at c , then c is a local minimum:
− DNE + f ′
x
c f
loc min
• If the sign of f′ doesn’t change at c , then c is nether local maximum nor local minimum.

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First derivative test: example

Problem. For the function f (x) = x3 − 3x , find
• local extrema and determine their types (local maximum or local minimum),
• the intervals of increase and intervals of decrease,
• draw the graph of the function.
Solution. We know that if a function is differentiable,
then the derivative vanishes at local extreme points (Fermat’s theorem).
The function is differentiable, so our plan of our solution is the following:
1. Find the critical points (CP) of f , that is the points where f ′ (x) = 0 .
The extreme points are among them.
2. Apply the first derivative test to determine
the intervals of increase/decrease and the types of the extreme points.
3. Use information from 1 and 2 to draw the graph of the function.

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4
Example
We start with finding the critical points of f (x) = x3 − 3x :
f ′ (x) = 0 ⇐⇒ 3x2 − 3 = 0 ⇐⇒ x2 − 1 = 0 ⇐⇒ (x − 1)(x + 1) = 0
⇐⇒ x = −1 or x = 1 .
So there are two critical points: x = −1 and x = 1 . To determine whether they are extreme points
and find the intervals of increase/decrease,
we perform the first derivative test.
To determine the sign of f ′ , we have to solve the inequalities f ′ > 0 and f ′ < 0 . We solve the
inequalities by the method of intervals.
On the real axis, we place the critical points:
0 0 f′
x
−1 1 f
Two critical points split the real axis into three intervals.
The sign of the derivative stays unchanged on each interval.

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The method of intervals

To determine the sign of derivative on each interval,
we choose a test point x within the interval and determine the sign of f ′ (x) .
+ 0 − 0 + f′
x
−1 0 1 f
loc max
loc min

For example, f ′ (0) = 3x2 − 3

= −3 < 0 .
x=0
In a similar way we determine the sign of f ′ on the other two intervals.
Using the increasing/decreasing test, we find the intervals of increase/decrease.
f increases on (−∞, −1] and [1, ∞) , decreases on [−1, 1] .
Now apply now the first derivative test to determine the types of the critical points.
Then we will be ready to draw the graph of the function.

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5
Drawing the graph: beginning
First of all, we determine the locations of the extreme points on the graph.
The value of the function f (x) = x3 − 3x at the local maximum x = −1 is
f (−1) = (−1)3 − 3(−1) = −1 + 3 = 2 .
The value of f at the local minimum x = 1 is f (1) = 13 − 3 · 1 = −2 . Therefore,

f has a local maximum at (−1, 2) and a local minimum at (1, −2) .

y
2

Draw a small “hat” at (−1, 2)

x
−1 1 and a small “cup” at (1, −2) .

−2

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Drawing the graph: completion

To continue the drawing, we observe that f (x) = x3 − 3x is an odd function since f (−x) = −f (x)
for any x :
f (−x) = (−x)3 − 3(−x) = −x3 + 3x = −(x3 − 3x) = −f (x) .
Therefore, the graph of f is symmetric about the origin.
We locate the x -intercepts of the graph by solving f (x) = 0 :
√ √
f (x) = 0 ⇐⇒ x3 − 3x = 0 ⇐⇒ x(x2 − 3) = 0 ⇐⇒ x = 0 or x = 3 or x = − 3 .
y
y = x3 − 3x
2

√
Using this information,
− 3 we can complete our sketch
√ x
−1 1 3
of the graph.

−2

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6
Graphing a function and its derivatives
y = f (x) Compare the graphs of the function f (x) = x3 − 3x
and of its first three derivatives
−1 1
f ′ (x) = 3x2 − 3 , f ′′ (x) = 6x , f ′′′ (x) = 6 :

y = f ′ (x)
f ր ⇐⇒ f ′ > 0 ⇐⇒ x ∈ (−∞, −1] or x ∈ [1, ∞)
−1 1 f ց ⇐⇒ f ′ < 0 ⇐⇒ x ∈ [−1, 1]

f ′ ր ⇐⇒ f ′′ > 0 ⇐⇒ x ∈ [0, ∞)
y = f ′′ (x) f ′ ց ⇐⇒ f ′′ < 0 ⇐⇒ x ∈ (−∞, 0]

f ′′ ր ⇐⇒ f ′′′ > 0 ⇐⇒ x ∈ (−∞, ∞)

Don’t mix up a function and its derivative!

y = f ′′′ (x)

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Graphing functions with singular points

Example. For the function f (x) = 3x2/3 − 2x , find
• local extrema and determine their types (local maximum or local minimum),
• the intervals of increase and intervals of decrease,
• draw the graph of the function.
 √ 
2/3 1− 3x
′
Solution. f (x) = (3x − 2x) = 2x ′ −1/3 −2=2 √3
.
x
Critical points: f ′ (x) = 0 ⇐⇒ x = 1 .
Singular points: f ′ (x) does not exist ⇐⇒ x = 0 .
First derivative test:
− SP + CP − f′
x
0 1 f
loc max
loc min

At x = 0 , f has a vertical tangent line, since lim |f ′ (x)| = ∞ .

x→0

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7
Graphing functions with singular points
− SP + CP − f′
x
0 1 f
loc max
loc min

From the first derivative test, we are obtain the following information:
f increases on [0, 1] , f decreases on (−∞, 0] and [1, ∞) .
f has local minimum at x = 0 , f (0) = 3 · 02/3 − 2 · 0 = 0 ,
B Warning: at (0, 0) , the graph has a vertical tangent line.
f has a local maximum at x = 1 , f (1) = 3 · 12/3 − 2 · 1 = 1 .
x -intercepts: f (x) = 0 ⇐⇒ 3x2/3 −2x = 0 ⇐⇒ y


2x2/3 3/2 − x1/3 = 0 ⇐⇒ x = 0 or x = 27/8.
With this information, we can make a sketch
of the graph. (1, 1)
y = 3x2/3 − 2x
x
(0, 0) 27
8

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Summary
In this lecture we learned how to apply the first derivative test to a function
• to find and classify the critical and singular points of the function
• to find the function’s intervals of increase and intervals of decrease.
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8
Comprehension checkpoint
• From the first derivative test, you obtained the following information
about a function y = f (x) :
0 DNE 0 0 f′
+ + − + −
x
−1 0 1 2 f
(The values written under the axis are the values of x, not f. )
Additionally, you know that f (−1) = f (1) = 1, f (0) = 3 and f (2) = 3.
Sketch the graph of y = f (x).
• Given this graph for y = f (x),
draw the graphs of y = f ′ (x), y = f ′′ (x), y = f ′′′ (x) and y = f (4) (x) :
y
y = f (x)

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