CHAPTER

Applications of Differentiation
3
3.1 LINEAR APPROXIMATIONS AND NEWTON’S
METHOD
3.2 INDETERMINATE FORMS AND l’HÔPITAL’S RULE
3.3 MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM VALUES
3.4 INCREASING AND DECREASING FUNCTIONS
3.5 CONCAVITY AND THE SECOND DERIVATIVE TEST
3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING
3.7 OPTIMIZATION

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 CHAPTER
Applications of Differentiation
3
3.8 RELATED RATES
3.9 RATES OF CHANGE IN ECONOMICS AND THE
SCIENCES

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

Preliminaries
We begin this section by summarizing the various tests
that you should perform on a function when trying to
draw a graph of y = f (x).
Domain: Always determine the domain of f first.
Vertical Asymptotes: For any isolated point not in the
domain of f, check the limit of f (x) as x approaches that
point, to see if there is a vertical asymptote or a jump or
removable discontinuity at that point.
First Derivative Information: Determine where f is
increasing and decreasing, and find any local extrema.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

Preliminaries
Vertical Tangent Lines: At any isolated point not in the
domain of f’, but in the domain of f , check the limit of f’(x), to
determine whether there is a vertical tangent line at that
point.
Second Derivative Information: Determine where the graph
is concave up and concave down, and locate any inflection
points.
Horizontal Asymptotes: Check the limit of f (x) as x → ∞and
as x → −∞.
Intercepts: Locate x- and y-intercepts, if any. If this can’t be
done exactly, then do so approximately (e.g., using Newton’s
method).
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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.1 Drawing a Graph of a Polynomial

Draw a graph of f (x) = x4 + 6x3 + 12x2 + 8x + 1, showing all
significant features.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.1 Drawing a Graph of a Polynomial

Note that the domain of f is the entire real line.
Solution Further, since f is a polynomial, its graph
doesn’t have any vertical or horizontal
asymptotes.

There is a local minimum at

x = −1/2 and there are no
local maxima.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.1 Drawing a Graph of a Polynomial

Solution

There are inflection points at x = −2 and at x = −1.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.1 Drawing a Graph of a Polynomial

Solution
Solve f (x) = 0 approximately (for instance by using
Newton’s method or your calculator’s solver).

Two x-intercepts: x = −1 (exactly) and x ≈ −0.160713.

The significant x-values are x = −2, x = −1 and x = −1/2.

Computing the corresponding y-values, we get the points
(−2, 1), (−1, 0) and (−1/2, ,−11/16).

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.1 Drawing a Graph of a Polynomial

Solution

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

Solution
The domain of f includes all real numbers x = 0.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

Solution

local minimum at x = −3, local

maximum at x = 3.
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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

Solution

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

Solution

There are inflection points

at

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

Solution

The line y = 0 is a horizontal asymptote both as x → ∞and

as x → −∞.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

Solution

x-intercepts:

There are no y-intercepts, since x = 0 is not in the

domain of the function.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.2 Drawing a Graph of a Rational Function

Solution

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution
Since f is a rational function, it is defined for all x, except
for where the denominator is zero, that is, where
g(x) = x3 + 3x2 + 3x + 3 = 0.

g appears to have only one

zero, around x = −2.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution

So, g(x) has only one zero.

Approximate the zero using Newton’s method or your
calculator’s solver: x = a ≈ −2.25992

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution
Use the graph of g(x) to help
compute the limits:

f has a vertical
asymptote at
x = a.
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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution

Thus, f is decreasing for x < a and x > a.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution
Also, notice that the only critical number is x = −1, but
since f is decreasing everywhere except at x = a, there
are no local extrema.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution
Since (x2 + 3x + 3) > 0 for all x, we need not consider this
factor. Considering the remaining factors,

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution

There are inflection points at x = 0 and at x = −1.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution

The function is never zero and hence, there are no

x-intercepts.

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 3.6 OVERVIEW OF CURVE SKETCHING

EXAMPLE 6.4 Graphing Where the Domain and

Extrema Must Be Approximated
Solution

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