Lesson 18

Analysis of Functions II:

Relative Extrema;
Graphing Polynomials
OBJECTIVES:
•to define maximum, minimum, inflection,
stationary and critical points, relative maximum and
relative minimum;
•to determine the critical, maximum and minimum
points of any given curve using the first and
second derivative tests;
• to draw the curve using the first and second
derivative tests; and
•to describe the behavior of any given graph in
terms of concavity and relative extrema
EXAMPLE
:
y

1 4 4 3
y  x  x  x2  4 x  1
3 2 3
2 has a relative minima at x  1 and x  2
1 and a relative maximum at x  1
-1
x
-3 1 2 3

-3
The points x1, x2, x3, x4, and x5 are critical points. Of
these, x1, x2, and x5 are stationary points.
Figure 4.2.3 illustrates that a relative extremum can also
occur at a point where a function is not differentiable.
In general, we define a critical point for a function f to
be a point in the domain of f at which either the graph of
f has a horizontal tangent line or f is not differentiable
(line is vertical).to distinguish between the two types of
critical points we call x a stationary point of f if f’(x)=0.

Thus we have the following theorem:

 FIRST DERIVATIVE TEST

Theorem 4.2.2 asserts that the relative extrema

must occur at critical points, but it does not say
that a relative extremum occurs at every critical
point.

A function has a relative extremum at those critical

points where f’ changes sign.
The above theorem simply say that for a continuous function,
relative extrema occur at critical points where the derivative
changes from (+) to (–) and relative minima where it changes
from (–) to (+).
 SECOND DERIVATIVE TEST

There is another test for relative extrema that is based

on the following geometric observation:

• a function f has a relative maximum at stationary

point if the graph of f is concave down on an open
interval containing that point

• a function f has a relative minimum at stationary point

if the graph of f is concave up on an open interval
containing that point
Note: The second derivative test is applicable only to
stationary points where the 2nd derivative exists.
Example
s:
f x   x  3 x  1
1. The figure shows the graph of the function
3 2
. Use
the 1st and 2nd derivatives of f to determine the intervals on which f is
increasing, decreasing, concave up and concave down. Locate all inflection
points and confirm that your conclusions are consistent with the graph.
y

2 SOLUTION :
1 f '  x   3 x 2  6 x  3 x x  2 
x f ' ' x   6 x  6  6  x  1
-1  2 3

-3
 INTERVAL (3x)(x-2) f’(x) CONCLUSION
x<0 (-)(-) + f is increasing on
0<x<2 (+)(-) - f is decreasing on
x>2 (+)(+) + f is increasing on

INTERVAL (6)(x-1) f’’(x) CONCLUSION

x<1 (-) - f is concave down on
x>1 (+) + f is concave up on

The 2nd table shows that there is a point of inflection at

x=1,
since f changes from concave up to concave down at that
point.
The point of inflection is (1,-1).
2. Analyze and trace the curve of f x   3x 5  5 x 3 .

SOLUTION :

 
f ' x   15x 4 - 15x 2  15x 2 x 2  1  15x 2 x  1x  1
when f ' x   0  15x 2 x  1x  1  0
15x 2  0; x  1  0; x  1  0
x  0; x  -1; x1

 
f ' ' x   60x 3 - 30x  30x 2x 2  1
INTERVAL f’(x) Conclusion
x<-1 (+)(-)(-) +
x=-1 y=2 f has a relative maximum
-1<x<0 (+)(+)(-) -
x=0 y=0 f has neither a relative max nor min
0<x<1 (+)(+)(-) -
x=1 y=-2 f has a relative minimum
x>1 (+)(+)(+) +

STATIONARY 2nd DERIVATIVE TEST

POINTS f’’
x=-1 -30 - f has a relative maximum
x=0 0 0 inconclusive
x=1 30 + f has a relative minimum
 y

 2

x
-1 1 2

-2 
3. Analyze and trace the curve of y  3x  x 3

SOLUTION :
y  3x  x 3 y' '  6 x
y'  3  3 x 2 6x  0
 
3 1 - x 2  31  x 1  x   0 x 0
1  x   0 and 1  x   0
x  -1 and x1
INTERVAL f(x) f’(x) f”(x) Conclusion

x<-1 (+)(-)(+)= - + f is decreasing; concave upward

x=-1 -2 0 + f has a relative minimum
-1<x<0 (+)(+)(+)= + + f is increasing; concave upward
x=0 0 3 0 f has a point of inflection
0<x<1 (+)(+)(+)= + - f is increasing; concave downward
x=1 2 0 - f is has a relative maximum
x>1 (+)(+)(-)= - - f is decreasing; concave downward
 y

2 
y  3x  3x 3
1

x
-2 -1 1 2

 -2
 4x
3. Analyze and trace the curve of y 
4  x2
4x
y
4  x2

y' 
 
4  x 2 4   4 x2 x 

4  x2 2 
16  4 x 2  8 x 2 16  4 x 2
y'  
4x  2 2

4  x2 2  
y' 

4 4  x2


42  x 2  x 
0
 4x 2 2
4x 2 2
 
2  x   0 and 2  x   0
x  -2 and x2
 y' ' 
4  x  8 x    4 x  16 2 4  x 2 x 
2 2 2

4  x  2 4

4  x   8 x   4 x4  x  4 x  16   0
2 2 2 2

- 4x4  x 24  x    4 x  16   0
2 2 2

- 4x4  x 8  2 x  4 x  16   0
2 2 2

- 4x4  x  2 x  24   0
2 2

8 x4  x x  12   0
2 2

x  0 and x  2 3
 f x  f ' x  f ' ' x 
INTERVAL Conclusion

x  2 3 - - f is decreasing; concave downward

3 -0.125 0 f has a point of inflection
x  2 3 
2
 2 3  x  2 - + f is decreasing; concave upward

x= -2 -1 0 0.25 f has a relative minimum

-2<x<0 + + f is increasing; concave upward

x=0 0 1 0 f has a point of inflection

0<x<2 + - f is increasing; concave downward

x=2 1 0 -0.25 f is has a relative maximum

2x2 3 - - f is decreasing; concave downward

x2 3 3 -0.125 0 f has a point of inflection

2
x2 3 - + f is decreasing; concave upward
 y 4x
y
4  x2

1  
`
x
-4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4

-2