Chapter 3: Applications

of Differentiation
Lecture 1
By
Assoc.Prof. Mai Duc Thanh
 Outline
1. Maximum and Minimum Values
2. The Mean Value Theorem
3. How Derivatives Affect the Shape of a Graph
4. Indeterminate Forms and l’Hospital’s Rule
5. Summary of Curve Sketching

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 1. Maximum and Minimum Values
A function f has an absolute (global) maximum at
x = c if f ( x)  f (c) for all x in the domain of f.

A function f has an absolute (global) minimum at

x = c if f ( x)  f (c) for all x in the domain of f.

Absolute
Maximum

Absolute
Minimum
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 Local Maximum and Minimum Values
A function f has a local (or, relative) maximum at
x = c if there exists an open interval (r, s) containing
c such that f ( x)  f (c) for all x between r and s.
A function f has a local (relative) minimum at x = c
if there exists an open interval (r, s) containing c
such that f ( x)  f (c) for all x between r and s.

Local
Maximums

Local
Minimums
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Example 1

Local max: f(1)=5

Absolute max: f(-1)=37
This absolute max is not a local
max because it occurs at an
endpoint.

Local min: f(0)=0

Absolute min: f(3)=-27
Note that f has neither a local
max nor an absolute max at x=4
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Extrema
The (local) maximum and minimum values of f are
called the (local) extreme values of f

Theorem (Existence of Extrema) If f is continuous on a

closed interval [a, b], then f attains an absolute max f(c)
and an absolute min f(d) at some c and d in [a, b]

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 Fermat’s Theorem: If f has a local maximum or minimum
at c, and if f’(c) exists, then f’(c)=0.
Proof
We prove only the case f(c) is local
maximum, since the minimum case
is similar

c  (a, b), x  (a, b) : f ( x )  f (c )

f ( x ) − f (c ) f ( x ) − f (c )
For c  x  b,  0  f '(c) = xlim 0
x−c →c + x−c
f ( x ) − f (c ) f ( x ) − f (c )
For a  x  c,  0  f '(c) = lim 0
x−c x →c − x−c
 f '(c) = 0
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Fermat’s Theorem: Do not expect too much!

A critical number c of a function f is a point in the

domain of f where either f’(c)=0 or f’(c) does not exist
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Solution

Critical numbers: 3/2 and 0

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 The Closed Interval Method

To find the absolute max and min values of a

continuous function f on a closed interval [a, b]:
1. Find values of f at critical numbers in (a, b),
2. Evaluate f(a), f(b),
3. The largest values from Steps 1 and 2 is the absolute
maximum value, the smallest of these values is the
absolute mininum value.

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 Example
 1 
Find the absolute extrema of f ( x) = x − 3 x on  − , 4  .
3 2

 2 
f ( x) = 3x − 6 x = 3x( x − 2)
2

Critical values at x = 0, 2
f (0) = 0
f (2) = −4 Absolute Min.
Evaluate  1 7
f −  = −
 2 8
f ( 4 ) = 16 Absolute Max.

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 2. Mean-Value Theorem
• The Mean Value Theorem: If f is continuous
on [a, b] and differentiable in (a, b), then there
exists a number c in(a, b) such that
f (b) − f (a)
f '(c) =
b−a
or y=f(x)
f (b) − f (a) = f '(c)(b − a)

a c b
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 y=f(x)

Rolle’s Theorem c
a b
Let f be continuous on [a, b] and differentiable in (a, b). If
f (a ) = f (b), then there exists a point c  (a, b) such that f '(c) = 0
Proof: If f ( x) = f (a), x [a, b]  f '( x) = 0, x  (a, b)
x  (a, b) : f ( x)  f (a). Assume that f ( x)  f (a)
Max-Min Theorem  f attains max at c  [a, b]
f (c)  f ( x)  f (a ) = f (b)  c  a, b  c  (a, b)

Fermat's Theorem implies f '(c) = 0.

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 Proof of Mean-Value Theorem
f (b) − f (a )
Set g ( x) = f ( x) − f (a) − ( x − a)
b−a
It holds that g (a) = g (b) = 0
By Rolle's Theorem c  (a, b) such that g '(c) = 0
f (b) − f (a )
g '( x) = f '( x) −
b−a

f (b) − f (a )
g '(c) = f '(c) − =0
b−a
f (b) − f (a)
 f '(c) =
b−a y=f(x)

a c b
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3. How Derivatives Affect the
Shape of a graph
Proof
a Let 𝑥1 < 𝑥2 , we have to show that 𝑓(𝑥1 ) < 𝑓(𝑥2 )

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Calculus1
The First Derivative Test: Let c be a critical number of a
continuous function f. Sign of f’ changes across c:

left right
+ − f(c) is a local maximum
− + f(c) is a local minimum
No change No relative extremum

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Local minimum values:
𝑓 −1 = 0, 𝑓 2 = −27
Local maximum value:
𝑓 0 =5

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 Concavity
Definition: If the graph of f lies above all of its tangents on an
interval I, then it is called concave upward on I. If the graph of f
lies below all of its tangents on I, it is called concave downward on I.

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 Concavity Test
Let f be a twice differentiable function on (a, b).
1. f is concave upward on (a, b) if f 
is increasing on (a, b). That is, f ( x)  0
for each value of x in (a, b).

2. f is concave downward on (a, b) if f 

is decreasing on (a, b). That is, f ( x)  0
for each value of x in (a, b).

concave upward concave downward

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 Inflection Point
A point on the graph of f at which concavity changes
is called an inflection point.

To find inflection points, find any point, c, in the

domain where f ( x) = 0 or f ( x) is undefined.
If f changes sign from the left to the right of c,
then (c,f (c)) is an inflection point of f.

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Second Derivative Test
Second Derivative Test: Suppose f” is continuous near c
a) If f’(c)=0 and f”(c)>0 then f has a local min at c
b) If f’(c)=0 and f”(c)<0 then f has a local max at c

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4. Indeterminate Forms and
l’Hospital’s Rule
 L’Hospital’s Rule
If f and g are two differentiable functions
such that substituting x = a in the
expression
f ( x) 0 
results in or , then
g ( x) 0 

f ( x) f ( x)
lim = lim
x →a g ( x ) x →a g ( x)

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 L’Hospital’s Rule

x2 + 6 x + 5 0
Notice form
Ex. xlim
→−5 x 2 − 25 0

2x + 6
= lim L’Hospital’s
x →−5 2 x
Rule
−4 2
= =
−10 5
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 Notes
• Verify first the conditions of Indeterminate Forms
• L’Hospital’s Rule is also valid for one-sided limits
and for limits at infinity or negative infinity; that is,
“x→ a ” can be replaced by any of the following
symbols: x→ a+, x→ a-, x→∞, x→-∞

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 Indeterminate Products and
Difference
• Indeterminate Products:
lim x→a f ( x) = 0, and lim x→a g ( x) = 
then we have limx→a f ( x) g ( x) has the form 0.∞
• Indeterminate Difference: If
limx→a f ( x) = , and lim x→a g ( x) = 

then lim x→a ( f ( x) − g ( x)) has the form  − 

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 Indeterminate Powers
Several indeterminate forms arise from the limit
lim [ f ( x)]g ( x )
x→a

1. lim f ( x) = 0 lim g ( x) = 0 type 0 0

x →a x →a
2. lim f ( x) =  lim g ( x) = 0 type  0
x →a x →a

3. lim f ( x) = 1 lim g ( x) =  type 1

x →a x →a
Each of these cases can be treated by taking natural logarithm
y = [ f ( x)]g ( x )  ln y = g ( x) ln f ( x)
or by writing the function as an exponential: [ f ( x)]g ( x ) = e g ( x )ln f ( x )
In either method we are led to the indeterminate product
g ( x) ln f ( x) of type 0.
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 Example
Calculate lim (1 + sin 4 x) cot x 
x →0 +
1
Solution:
y = (1 + sin 4 x) cot x
 ln y = cot x ln(1 + sin 4 x)
4cos 4 x
ln(1 + sin 4 x)
lim ln y = lim = lim 1 + sin 4 x = 4
x →0 + x →0 + tan x x →0 + 1
cos 2 x
lim ln y
lim y = lim e ln y
=e x→0+
=e 4
x →0 + x →0 +

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 Two Basic Limits
The following results can be obtained using
l’Hospital rule
sin x ln(1 + x )
1) lim =1 2 ) lim =1
x →0 x x →0 x

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 Example 3
• Find the limit

tan x − sin x
lim 3
x→0 x

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 Solution

We have
tan x − sin x sin x(1 − cos x )
lim 3
= lim
x →0 x x3 .cos x
x →0

1 sin x 1 − cos x
= lim . .
x →0 cos x x x2
1 1
= 1.1. = .
2 2

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 x x
 1  1
4) Show that lim  1 +  = lim  1 +  = e
x →
 x x →−
 x

34
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 Exercise 5
• Find 1
 1 + tan x  sin 3 x
lim  
x →0 1 + sin x
 

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 tan x − sin x
Solution u=
1 + sin x
→ 0 as x → 0

ln(1 + u )
lim =1
u →0 u
1 1  1+ tan x 
It holds that 1 + tan x  sin3 x = e sin 3
x
.ln
 1+sin x 
 1 + sin x 
 

 tan x − sin x 
ln  1 +
1  1 + tan x  1  1 + sin x  tan x − sin x
lim ln   = lim . .
3
x →0 sin x 3
 1 + sin x  x→0 sin x tan x − sin x 1 + sin x
1 + sin x

tan x − sin x 1 tan x − sin x

= lim . = lim
x →0 sin 3 x 1 + sin x x→0 sin 3 x
tan x − sin x x3 1
= lim . =
x →0 x3 3
sin x 2
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 Exercises
• Find the limit. Use l’Hospital’s Rule. If l’Hospital’s
Rule doesn’t apply, explain why.
cos mx − cos nx ln ln x
1) lim x →0 2
, lim x →
x x
x 2 x
2) lim x → , lim x→− x e
ln(1 + 2e )
x

bx
 a
3) lim x→0+ x sin x
, lim x→ 1 + 
 x
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5. Summary of Curve Sketching
A. Domain
B. Intercepts
C. Symmetry
D. Asymptotes
E. Intervals of Increase or Decrease
F. Maximum and minimum values
G. Concavity and Inflection Points
H. Sketch the Curve

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f "( x)  0, x  −1

H.

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 Slant Asymptotes
Some curves have asymptotes that are oblique, that is, neither
horizontal nor vertical. If

lim[ f ( x) − (mx + b)] = 0

x →

then the line y= mx + b is called a slant asymptote

The vertical distance between

the curve y=f(x) and the line
y=mx+b approaches 0

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 Homework of Chapter 3
• Section 3.1 (Maximum and Minimum Values): 6, 34, 38
• Section 3.3 (How Derivatives Affect the Shape of a Graph):
12, 18, 47
• Section 6.8 (Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule): 18,
21, 38
• Section 3.5 (Summary of Curve Sketching): 12, 16, 25
• Section 3.7 (Optimization Problems): 12, 14, 24
• Section 3.8 (Newton’s Method): 10, 16, 24

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