Lesson Title: Determination of maximum and minimum values of functions.

References: Differential Calculus , B.C. Das & B.N. Mukherjee

A function f (x) is said to have a maximum value for x  c , provided we can get a positive quantity
 such that for all values of x in the interval c    x  c   , ( x  c) , f (c)  f ( x) ;
i.e. if f (c  h)  f (c)  0 , for │h│ sufficiently small.

A function f (x) is said to have a minimum value for x  c , provided we can get a positive quantity
 such that for all values of x in the interval d     x  d    , ( x  d ) , f (d )  f ( x) ;
i.e. if f ( d  h)  f ( d )  0 , for │h│ sufficiently small.

A necessary condition for maximum and minimum:

If f (x) be a maximum or a minimum at x  c , and if f (c) exists, then f (c)  0 .

Determinate of Maxima and Minimum: (A) If c be a point in the interval in which the
function f (x) is defined, and if f (c)  0 , and

f (c)  0 then f (c) is (і) a maximum if f (c) is negative and (іі) a minimum if f (c) is
positive.

(B) Let c be an interior point of the interval of definition of the function f (x) and let
f (c)  f (c)    f n 1 (c)  0 and f n (c)  0 ; then (i) if n be even, f (c) is a maximum or
a minimum according as f n (c) is negative or positive, (ii) if n be odd, f (c) is neither a minimum nor
a maximum.

1. Find the max. and min. value of x  7 x  6

2

x  10
x2  7x  6 36
Sol: let f ( x)  = x 3
x  10 x  10
36
f ( x)  1 
( x  10) 2
For maximum or minimum f ( x )  0
36 36
1  0   1  ( x  10)  6  x  4 or 16.
( x  10) 2
( x  10) 2
72
Now f ( x) 
( x  10)3
When x  4, f ( x) is negative, hence f (x) is maximum.
When x  16, f ( x) is positive, hence f (x) is minimum.
f (x) is maximum when x  4 and the maximum value is f ( 4)  1
f (x) is minimum when x  16 and the minimum value is f (16)  25 .

2. Show that minimum value of (2 x  1)( x  8) is greater than its maximum value.
( x  1)( x  4)

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 ( 2 x  1)( x  8) 2 x 2  17 x  8 7x
Sol: Let, f ( x)   2  2 2
( x  1)( x  4) x  5x  4 x  5x  4
( x 2  5 x  4).7  7 x(2 x  5)  7 x 2  28  7 ( x 2  4)
f ( x)   
( x 2  5 x  4) 2 ( x 2  5 x  4) 2 ( x 2  5 x  4) 2
For maximum or minimum f ( x)  0
 7( x 2  4)
 0  4  x2  0  x  2
( x 2  5 x  4) 2
Again, f ( x )  ( x  5 x  4 ) { 7 (  2 x )}  7 ( 4  x ). 2 ( x  5 x  4 )( 2 x  5)
2 2 2 2

( x  5 x  4)
2 4

14 x  70 x  56 x
3 2

( x 2  5 x  4) 3
When x  2, f ( x) is positive , hence f (x) is minimum.
When x  2, f ( x) is negative, hence f (x) is maximum.
14
f (x) is minimum when x  2 and the minimum value is f (2)  2   9
2
25
f (x) is maximum when x  2 and the maximum value is f (2)  Thus minimum value
9
(2 x  1)( x  8)
of is greater than its maximum value.
( x  1)( x  4)
Again, f ( x )  ( x  5 x  4 ) { 7 (  2 x )}  7 ( 4  x ). 2 ( x  5 x  4 )( 2 x  5)
2 2 2 2

( x  5 x  4)
2 4

14 x  70 x  56 x
3 2

( x 2  5 x  4) 3
When x  2, f ( x) is positive , hence f (x) is minimum.
When x  2, f ( x) is negative, hence f (x) is maximum.
14
f (x) is minimum when x  2 and the minimum value is f (2)  2   9
2
25
f (x) is maximum when x  2 and the maximum value is f (2)  Thus minimum value
9
(2 x  1)( x  8)
of is greater than its maximum value.
( x  1)( x  4)

3. Show the function sin( x  a) possess neither a max. nor a min.

sin( x  b)
sin( x  a)
Sol: Let, f ( x ) 
sin( x  b)
sin( x  b) cos( x  a )  sin( x  a) cos( x  b)
 f ( x) 
sin 2 ( x  b)
sin( x  b) cos( x  a)  sin( x  a) cos( x  b)

sin 2 ( x  b)
sin(b-a)
= which is not equal to zero for any real value of x .
sin 2 ( x  b)
So, the function sin( x  a) is neither a max. nor a min.
sin( x  b)

4. Show that x 5  5 x 4  5 x 3  1 is a max. when , a min when ; neither when x  0 .

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Sol:
Again

When is zero.
Now, and also
So, neither max. nor min. at .
When is maximum,
is minimum.

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