Calculus For Engineers

Maxima and Minima of a Function

Dr. Ramesh Arumugam

Department of Mathematics
School of Advanced Sciences
VIT-AP University, Amaravati

[email protected]
Extrema of a function

DEFINITIONS: Let f be a function with domain D. Then f has an

absolute maximum value on D at a point c if

f (x) ≤ f (c) for all x in D

and f has an absolute minimum value on D at a point d if

f (x) ≥ f (d) for all x in D

Relative Extrema of a function

DEFINITIONS: A function f has a local maximum value at a point

c within its domain D if f (x) ≤ f (c) for all x lying in some open
interval containing c.

A function f has a local minimum value at a point d within its

domain D if f (x) ≥ f (d) for all x lying in some open interval
containing d.
Examples

1. Sketch the graph and determine whether the function has any
absolute extrema values on its domain.

−x if 0 ≤ x < 1
(a) f (x) =
x−1 if 1 ≤ x ≤ 2

(b) g(x) = |x − 5|, 4≤x≤7


x+1 if − 1 ≤ x < 0
(c) h(x) =
cos (x) if 0 < x ≤ 2π

(d) p(x) = |x + 1| + |x − 3|, −∞<x<∞

Extrema of a function

The First Derivative Theorem

for Local Extreme Values

If f has a local maximum or

minimum value at an interior
point c of its domain, and if f 0
is defined at c, then

f 0 (c) = 0
Critical Points and Extrema of a function

Critical Points

An interior point of the domain of a function f where f 0 is zero or

undefined.
Critical Points and Extrema of a function

Critical Points

An interior point of the domain of a function f where f 0 is zero or

undefined.

How to Find the Absolute Extrema of a Continuous Function f on

a Finite Closed Interval

1. Evaluate f at all critical points and endpoints.

2. Take the largest and smallest of these values.
Examples

1. Find the critical points of

(a) f (x) = x3 − 5x2 − 8x + 3

(b) g(x) = cos2 x + sin x on [0, π]


x3 − x3 if 0 ≤ x ≤ 1
(c) h(x) =
x2 + x − 4
3
if 1 < x ≤ 2

p
(d) p(x) = 2x − x2

2. Find the absolute extrema of f (x) = sin x − cos x on [0, π].

√
3. Find the extrema values (absolute and local) of f (x) = x 4 − x2 .
Examples

4. The height of a body moving vertically is given by

1
s = − gt2 + v0 t + s0 , g > 0
2
with s in meters and t in seconds. Find the body’s maximum
height.

5. Suppose that at any given time t (in seconds) the current I (in
amperes) in an alternating current circuit is

I = 2 cos t + 2 sin t.

What is the peak current for this circuit (largest magnitude)?

Rolle’s Theorem

Rolle’s Theorem

Suppose
f (x) is continuous over the closed interval [a, b],
Differentiable at every point of its interior (a, b), and
f (a) = f (b), then
there exists atleast a number c in (a, b) at which f 0 (c) = 0.
Rolle’s Theorem

Rolle’s Theorem

Suppose
f (x) is continuous over the closed interval [a, b],
Differentiable at every point of its interior (a, b), and
f (a) = f (b), then
there exists atleast a number c in (a, b) at which f 0 (c) = 0.
Rolle’s Theorem

Rolle’s Theorem

Suppose
f (x) is continuous over the closed interval [a, b],
Differentiable at every point of its interior (a, b), and
f (a) = f (b), then
there exists atleast a number c in (a, b) at which f 0 (c) = 0.
Rolle’s Theorem

Rolle’s Theorem

Suppose
f (x) is continuous over the closed interval [a, b],
Differentiable at every point of its interior (a, b), and
f (a) = f (b), then
there exists atleast a number c in (a, b) at which f 0 (c) = 0.
Rolle’s Theorem

Rolle’s Theorem

Suppose
f (x) is continuous over the closed interval [a, b],
Differentiable at every point of its interior (a, b), and
f (a) = f (b), then
there exists atleast a number c in (a, b) at which f 0 (c) = 0.
Rolle’s Theorem

Rolle’s Theorem

Suppose
f (x) is continuous over the closed interval [a, b],
Differentiable at every point of its interior (a, b), and
f (a) = f (b), then
there exists atleast a number c in (a, b) at which f 0 (c) = 0.
Rolle’s Theorem

Rolle’s Theorem fails

There may be no horizontal tangent if the hypotheses of Rolle’s Theorem

do not hold
The Mean Value Theorem

The Mean Value Theorem

Suppose f (x) is continuous over the closed interval [a, b], and
Differentiable at every point of its interior (a, b), then
there exists atleast one pint c in (a, b) at which

f (b) − f (a)
f 0 (c) = .
b−a
Monotonic Functions

Increasing and Decreasing Functions

Suppose f (x) is continuous on [a, b], and differentiable on (a, b). Then

If f 0 > 0 at each point x ∈ (a, b), then f is increasing on (a, b)

If f 0 < 0 at each point x ∈ (a, b), then f is decreasing on (a, b)
First Derivative test for Local Maxima

The critical points of a function locate where it is increasing and

where it is decreasing

The first derivative changes sign at a critical point where a local

extremum occurs
First Derivative test for Local Maxima

First Derivative test

Suppose that c is a critical point of a continuous function f , and that

f is differentiable at every point in some interval containing c except
possibly at c itself.

Moving across this interval from left to right,

1. if f 0 changes from negative to positive at c, then f has a local
minimum at c;

2. if f 0 changes from positive to negative at c, then f has a local

maximum at c;

3. if f 0 does not change sign at c (i.e., f 0 is positive on both sides of

c or negative on both sides), then f has no local extremum at c.
Concavity

The first derivative tells us

where a function is increasing, where it is decreasing
whether a local maximum or local minimum occurs at a critical
point

The Second derivative gives us information about how the graph of a

differentiable function bends or turns
Concavity

The graph of a differentiable function y = f (x) is

0
concave up on an open interval I if f is increasing on I;
0
concave down on an open interval I if f is decreasing on I.
Concavity

The Second Derivative Test for Concavity

Let y = f (x) be twice-differentiable on an interval I.

If f 00 > 0 on I, then the graph of f over I is concave up.
If f 00 < 0 on I, then the graph of f over I is concave down.
Points of Inflection

Inflection Point

A point (c, f (c)) where the graph of a function has a tangent line and
where the concavity changes

00 00
At a point of inflection (c, f (c)), either f (c) = 0 or f (c) fails to
exist.
Second Derivative test for Local Maxima

Second Derivative test

00
Suppose f is continuous on an open interval that contains x = c.
00
0
1. If f (c) = 0 and f (c) < 0, then f has a local maximum at
x = c;
00
2. If f 0 (c) = 0 and f (c) > 0, then f has a local minimum at
x = c;
00
3. If f 0 (c) = 0 and f (c) = 0, then the test fails. The function
may have a local maximum, a local minimum, or neither.
Examples

2
x
1. Find the critical points of f (x) = x−1 and determine whether they
yield relative maxima and relative minima

2. A closed box with a square base is to contain 252 cubic feet. The
bottom costs $5 per square foot, the top costs $2 per square foot,
and the sides cost $3 per square foot. Find the dimensions that will
minimize the cost.

3. Find the value of k so that the sum of the cubes of the roots of
the equation

x2 − kx + (2k − 3) = 0 assumes the minimum value.

Examples

Example 4

Example 5