Calculus (1) (Math 105)

5.3 Monotonic Functions and

the First Derivative Test

Page 1 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

5.3 Monotonic Functions and First Derivative Test

5.3.1 Increasing Functions and Decreasing Functions

5.3.1 First Derivative Test for Relative (Local) Extrema

Page 2 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 Increasing Functions and Decreasing Functions

Page 3 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Introduction

• In sketching the graph of a differentiable function, it is useful to know where it

increases (rises from left to right) and where it decreases (falls from left to
right) over an interval.
• This section gives a test to determine where it increases and where it
decreases.
• We also show how to test the critical points of a function to identify whether
Relative extreme values are present.

Increasing Functions and Decreasing Functions

What Does 𝑓 ′ Say About 𝑓 ?

• To see how the derivative of 𝑓 can tell us where a function is increasing or

decreasing, look at the Figure below.

• Between 𝐴 and 𝐵 and between 𝐶 and 𝐷, the tangent lines have positive slope
and so 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0.
• Between 𝐵 and 𝐶, the tangent lines have negative slope and so 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0.
• Thus it appears that 𝑓 increases when 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) is positive and decreases when
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) is negative.

Page 4 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 ✓ As another corollary to the Mean Value Theorem, we show that functions with
positive derivatives are increasing functions and functions with negative
derivatives are decreasing functions.
✓ A function that is increasing or decreasing on an interval is said to be
monotonic (‫ )مطردة‬on the interval.

COROLLARY 3

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

(a) If 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 at each point 𝑥 ∈ (𝑎, 𝑏), then 𝑓 is increasing on [𝑎, 𝑏].
(b) If 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 at each point 𝑥 ∈ (𝑎, 𝑏), then 𝑓 is decreasing on [𝑎, 𝑏].
(c) If 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 for every value of 𝑥 in (𝑎, 𝑏), then 𝑓 is constant on [𝑎, 𝑏].

Example 1

Find the critical points of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 12𝑥 − 5 and identify the open intervals on
which 𝑓 is increasing and on which 𝑓 is decreasing.

Solution

The function 𝑓 is everywhere continuous and differentiable on (−∞, ∞) because

𝑓(𝑥) is a polynomial.

Step1: Now we find the critical values where 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 or or undefined.

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 − 12 = 3(𝑥 2 − 4)
= 3(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0

⇒ 3(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2) = 0

⇒ 𝑥 = −2 and 𝑥 = 2 .

Because there are no points for which 𝑓 ′ does not exist, you can conclude that

𝑥 = −2 and 𝑥 = 2 are the only critical numbers.

Page 5 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Step3: Determining the sign of 𝑓 ′ :

(i) These critical values subdivide the domain of 𝑓 to create nonoverlapping open

intervals (−∞, −2), (−2,2), and (2, ∞) on which 𝑓 ′ is either positive or negative.

(ii) We determine the sign of 𝑓 ′ by evaluating 𝑓 ′ at a convenient point (Test Value) in

each subinterval.

(iii) The behaviour of 𝑓 is determined by then applying Corollary 3 to each

subinterval.

The results are summarized in the following table, and the graph of 𝑓 is given in the

Figure below.

Page 6 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 • We used "strict" less-than inequalities to identify the intervals in the summary
table for Example 1, since open intervals were specified.

• Corollary 3 says that we could use ≤ inequalities as well.

• That is, the function 𝑓 in the example is increasing on −∞ < 𝑥 ≤ −2, decreasing
on −2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2, and increasing on 2 ≤ 𝑥 < ∞.

• We do not talk about whether a function is increasing or decreasing at a single

point.

• Although stated for closed intervals, Corollary 3 is applicable on any interval

on which 𝑓 is continuous.

For example, if 𝑓 is continuous on [𝑎, +∞) and 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 on (𝑎, +∞), then 𝑓 is
increasing on [𝑎, +∞); and if 𝑓 is continuous on (−∞, +∞) and 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 on
(−∞, +∞), then 𝑓 is decreasing on (−∞, +∞).

Page 7 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Definition 1:

A function is strictly monotonic on an interval if it is either increasing on the entire

interval or decreasing on the entire interval.

• For instance, the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 is strictly monotonic on the entire real
number line because it is increasing on the entire real number line, as shown in
Figure (a).
• The function shown in Figure (b) is not strictly monotonic on the entire real
number line because it is constant on the interval [0,1].

Page 8 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 First Derivative Test for Relative (Local)
Extrema

Page 9 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Relative (Local) Extreme Values:
• After you have determined the intervals on which a function is increasing or
decreasing, it is not difficult to locate the relative extrema of the function.
• For instance, in the Figure below (from the previous Example), the function

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 12𝑥 − 5

has a relative maximum at the point (−2,11) because 𝑓 is increasing

immediately to the left of 𝑥 = −2 and decreasing immediately to the right of 𝑥 =
−2.

• Similarly, 𝑓 has a relative minimum at the point (2, −21) because 𝑓 is

decreasing immediately to the left of 𝑥 = 2 and increasing immediately to the
right of 𝑥 = 2.

The following theorem, called the First Derivative Test, makes this more explicit.

Page 10 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

First Derivative Test for Relative Extrema

Theorem 1:

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,

a. if 𝑓 ′ changes from negative to positive at 𝑐, then 𝑓 has a Relative minimum at 𝑐;

b. if 𝑓 ′ changes from positive to negative at 𝑐, then 𝑓 has a Relative maximum at 𝑐;

c. if 𝑓 ′ does not change sign at 𝑐 (that is, 𝑓 ′ is positive on both sides of 𝑐 or negative
on both sides), then 𝑓 has no Relative extremum at 𝑐.

Page 11 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 2

3
Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2 .
2
(a) Find the open intervals on which is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

(a) Determining Intervals on Which 𝑓 Is Increasing or Decreasing

Note that 𝑓 is differentiable on (−∞, ∞).

Step1: We need to find the critical values where 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 or undefined.

3
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2
2

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 − 3𝑥

= 3𝑥(𝑥 − 1)

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0

⇒ 3𝑥(𝑥 − 1) = 0

⇒ 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑥 = 1 .

Because there are no points for which 𝑓 ′ does not exist, we can conclude that

𝑥 = 0 and 𝑥 = 1

are the only critical values.

Step2: Determining the sign of 𝑓′(𝑥):

The table summarizes the testing of the three intervals determined by these two

critical values.

Page 12 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

So, 𝑓 is increasing on the intervals (−∞, 0) and (1, ∞) and decreasing on the interval
(0,1), as shown in the Figure below.

(b) Finding the Relative Extrema:

By applying the First Derivative Test, we can conclude that 𝑓 has a relative
maximum occurs at 𝑥 = 0 (Note that the value of the relative maximum is
3
𝑓(0) = (0)3 − (0)2 = 0).
2

There is also a relative minimum occurs at

𝑥 = 1 (Note that the value of the Relative minimum

3 1
is 𝑓(1) = (1)3 − (1)2 = − ).
2 2

(See the Figure on the right.)

Page 13 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 Additional Solved
Problems

Page 14 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 ▪ Increasing Functions and Decreasing Functions
▪ Relative (Local) Extrema

Example 3

4 1
Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 3 .
(a) Find the open intervals on which is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

4 1
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 3 .

The function 𝑓 is continuous at all 𝑥.

Step1: We need to find the critical values where 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 or 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) is undefined.

4 1 4 2
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 𝑥 −3
3 3

4 2 4(𝑥 − 1)
= 𝑥 −3 (𝑥 − 1) = 2
3
3𝑥 3

4(𝑥 − 1)
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 ⇒ 2 =0⇒ 𝑥=1
3𝑥 3

We can see easily 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) is undefined at 𝑥 = 0 .

Thus the critical values are only 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑥 = 1 .

The critical points partition the 𝑥-axis into open intervals on which 𝑓 ′ is either positive

or negative.

The sign pattern of 𝑓 ′ reveals the behavior of 𝑓 between and at the critical points, as

summarized in the following table.

Page 15 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Summary:

✓ Corollary 3 to the MVT implies that 𝑓 decreases on (−∞, 0), decreases on

(0,1), and increases on (1, ∞).
✓ The First Derivative Test for Relative Extrema tells us that 𝑓 does not have
an extreme value at 𝑥 = 0 ( 𝑓 ′ does not change sign) and that 𝑓 has a Relative
minimum at 𝑥 = 1 ( 𝑓 ′ changes from negative to positive).
1
✓ The value of the Relative minimum is 𝑓(1) = 13 (1 − 4) = −3.
✓ This is also an absolute minimum since 𝑓 is decreasing on (−∞, 1) and
increasing on (1, ∞).
✓ The Figure above shows this value in relation to the function's graph.
✓ Note that lim 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = −∞, so the graph of 𝑓 has a vertical tangent at the
𝑥→0

origin.

Page 16 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 4

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 3)𝑒 𝑥 .

(a) Find the open intervals on which is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

The function 𝑓 is continuous and differentiable for all real numbers, so the critical

points occur only at the zeros of 𝑓 ′ .

Step1: We need to find the critical values where 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0

𝑑 𝑥 𝑑 2
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 3) ⋅ 𝑒 + (𝑥 − 3) ⋅ 𝑒 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= (𝑥 − 3) ⋅ 𝑒 + (2𝑥) ⋅ 𝑒 𝑥
2 𝑥

= (𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3)𝑒 𝑥 .

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 ⇒ 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3 = 0

(𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 − 1) = 0

𝑥 = −3 or 𝑥 = 1 .

Step2: Determining the sign of 𝑓′(𝑥):

The zeros 𝑥 = −3 and 𝑥 = 1 partition the 𝑥-axis into open intervals as follows.

Page 17 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 Summary of the Example above:

• We can see from the table that there is a relative maximum value

(about 0.299 ) at 𝑥 = −3 and a relative minimum value (about −5.437 ) at 𝑥 = 1 .

• The relative minimum value is also an absolute minimum because 𝑓(𝑥) > 0
for |𝑥| > √3.

• There is no absolute maximum.

• The function increases on (−∞, −3) and (1, ∞) and decreases on (−3,1).

• The Figure above shows the graph

Page 18 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Checkpoint 1

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 4 + 4𝑥 3 − 12𝑥 2 + 2.

(a) Find the open intervals on which is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

Page 19 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Checkpoint 2

5 2
Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 3 − 15𝑥 3 .
(a) Find the open intervals on which is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

Page 20 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 5

Let 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 2 − 9𝑥 + 2 on the interval −2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2.

(a) Find the open intervals on which 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

(c) Then find the absolute extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

Since 𝑔 is a polynomial, it can have no singular points (𝑓′(𝑥) is defined on its domain).

For critical points, we calculate

𝑔′ (𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 − 9 = 3(𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3)
= 3(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 3)
= 0 if 𝑥 = −1 or 𝑥 = 3

However, 𝑥 = 3 is not in the domain of 𝑔, so we can ignore it.

We need to consider only the values of 𝑔 at the critical point 𝑥 = −1 and at the

endpoints 𝑥 = −2 and 𝑥 = 2 :

𝑔(−2) = 0, 𝑔(−1) = 7, 𝑔(2) = −20.

The maximum value of 𝑔(𝑥) on −2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2 is 7 ,

at the critical point 𝑥 = −1, and the minimum

value is −20 , at the endpoint 𝑥 = 2.

Page 21 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 6

Show that the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 − cos 2𝑥 is increasing.

Solution

The derivative 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 3 + 2sin 2𝑥 satisfies 𝑓(𝑥) > 0 for all 𝑥.

Indeed, sin 2𝑥 ≥ −1, and thus 3 + 2sin 2𝑥 ≥ 3 − 2 = 1.

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) is an increasing function on (−∞, ∞).

See the Figure below.

Page 22 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 7

Find the intervals on which 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3 is monotonic (increasing or

decreasing).

Solution

The derivative 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 2 = 2(𝑥 − 1) is positive for 𝑥 > 1 and negative for 𝑥 < 1.

So, 𝑓 is decreasing on the interval (−∞, 1) and increasing on the interval (1, ∞), as

confirmed in the Figure below.

Page 23 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

A Critical Point Without a Sign Transition

Example 8

1
Analyse the critical points of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2 + 𝑥.
3

Solution

The derivative is 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1 = (𝑥 − 1)2 , so 𝑥 = 1 is the only critical point.

However, (𝑥 − 1)2 ≥ 0, so 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) does not change sign at 𝑥 = 1, and 𝑓(1) is neither a

relative min nor a relative max (See the Figure below).

Page 24 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

 Appendix

Page 25 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 9

Analyse the critical points and the increase/decrease behaviour of

𝑓(𝑥) = cos 2 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 in (0, 𝜋).

Solution

First, find the critical points:

1
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = −2cos 𝑥sin 𝑥 + cos 𝑥 = (cos 𝑥)(1 − 2sin 𝑥) = 0 ⇒ cos 𝑥 = 0 or sin 𝑥 =
2

𝜋 𝜋 5𝜋
The critical points are , , and .
6 2 6

They divide (0, 𝜋) into four intervals:

𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 5𝜋 5𝜋
(0, ) , ( , ) , ( , ) , ( , 𝜋)
6 6 2 2 6 6

We determine the sign of 𝑓 ′ by evaluating 𝑓 ′ at a test point inside each interval. Since
𝜋 𝜋 5𝜋
≈ 0.52, ≈ 1.57, ≈ 2.62, and 𝜋 ≈ 3.14, we can use the following test points.
6 2 6

Now apply the First Derivative Test:

𝜋 5𝜋
• Local max at 𝑐 = and 𝑐 = because 𝑓 ′ changes from + to − .
6 6
𝜋
• Local min at 𝑐 = because 𝑓 ′ changes from − to +
2
The behavior of 𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) is reflected in the graphs in the Figure below.

Page 26 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Page 27 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi
Example 10

Let 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2 sin 𝑥 , 0 ⩽ 𝑥 ⩽ 2𝜋.

(a) Find the open intervals on which 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

(c) Then find the absolute extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

We start by finding the critical numbers. The derivative is:

𝑔′ (𝑥) = 1 + 2cos 𝑥

1
so 𝑔′ (𝑥) = 0 when cos 𝑥 = − . The solutions of this equation are 2𝜋/3 and 4𝜋/3.
2

Because 𝑔 is differentiable everywhere, the only critical numbers are 2𝜋/3 and 4𝜋/3.

We split the domain into intervals according to the critical numbers. Within each

interval, 𝑔′ (𝑥) is either always positive or always negative and so we analyze 𝑔 in the

following chart.

Because 𝑔′ (𝑥) changes from positive to negative at 2𝜋/3, the First Derivative Test

tells us that there is a local maximum at 2𝜋/3 and the local maximum value is

2𝜋 2𝜋 2𝜋 2𝜋 √3 2𝜋
𝑔( )= + 2 sin = + 2( ) = + √3 ≈ 3.83
3 3 3 3 2 3

Page 28 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Likewise, 𝑔′ (𝑥) changes from negative to positive at 4𝜋/3 and so

4𝜋 4𝜋 4𝜋 4𝜋 √3 4𝜋
𝑔( )= + 2 sin = + 2 (− ) = − √3 ≈ 2.46
3 3 3 3 2 3

is a relative minimum value. The graph of 𝑔 in the Figure below supports our

conclusion.

Page 29 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

Example 11

1
Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 − sin 𝑥, 𝑥 ∈ (0,2𝜋).
2
(a) Find the open intervals on which 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Then find the relative extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

(c) Then find the absolute extrema of the function 𝑓(𝑥).

Solution

Note that 𝑓 is continuous on the interval (0,2𝜋).

To determine the critical numbers of 𝑓 in this interval, set 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) equal to 0.

1
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = − cos 𝑥 =0
2
1
cos 𝑥 =
2
𝜋 5𝜋
𝑥 = ,
3 3

Because there are no points for which 𝑓 ′ does not exist, you can conclude that 𝑥 =

𝜋/3 and 𝑥 = 5𝜋/3 are the only critical numbers. The table summarizes the testing of

the three intervals determined by these two critical numbers.

Page 30 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi

By applying the First Derivative Test, you can conclude that 𝑓 has a relative minimum

at the point where

𝜋
𝑥= (𝑥-value where relative minimum occurs).
3

and a relative maximum at the point where

5𝜋
𝑥= (𝑥-value where relative maximum occurs).
3

as shown in the Figure below.

Page 31 of 31 Math 105 (Semester 1 2024/2025) Dr. Omar Alsuhaimi