Maximum and Minimum

Lesson objectives

By the end of this session, you should be able to:


Understand the importance of turning points

Understand the definition of a turning point

Find a turning point

Determine whether a turning point is a maximum or a
minimum

Apply max and min points to practical situations
 Maximum Points
This is called a maximum point. The
At the point where it graph either side of a maximum point is
‘turns’ the gradient
lower.
must be zero.

Graph is going up – Graph is going down

positive gradient – negative gradient
 Maximum Points
Therefore, the We can use the fact that we know the gradient is
max value is 4 Gradient = 0 zero to find where this point on the graph is.
4 graph 2
𝑦 =4 𝑥 − 𝑥
2
𝑦 =4 𝑥 − 𝑥
gradient 𝑑𝑦
=4 −2 𝑥
𝑑𝑥

As the gradient is zero at the maximum point We can solve this to find x (the x-
4 −2 𝑥=0 coordinate of our maximum point)

2 𝑥=4
𝑥=2 Now we know the x-coordinate, we
can use the original equation of the
graph to find the y-coordinate.
𝑦 =4 (2) −( 2) 2
𝑦 =4
 Minimum Points
This is called a minimum point. The
graph either side of a minimum point is
higher.

Graph is going down

– negative gradient Graph is going up –
positive gradient

At the point where it

‘turns’ the gradient
must be zero.
 Maximum Points
We can use the fact that we know the gradient is
Therefore, the zero to find where this point on the graph is.
min value is-3
graph 2
𝑦 =𝑥 − 2 𝑥 − 2
gradient 𝑑𝑦
2
𝑦 =𝑥 − 2 𝑥 − 2 =2 𝑥 −2
𝑑𝑥
-3
Gradient = 0
As the gradient is zero at the maximum point We can solve this to find x (the x-
2 𝑥 −2=0 coordinate of our maximum point)

2 𝑥=2
𝑥=1 Now we know the x-coordinate, we
can use the original equation of the
graph to find the y-coordinate.
𝑦 =( 1 ) 2 − 2 ( 1 ) − 2
𝑦 =− 3
 Turning Points
At the point where it This graph has two turning point – one
‘turns’ the gradient maximum and one minimum.
must be zero.
Maximum and minimum points both
have a gradient of zero.

Note that max/min

points are local.

Points over here At the point where it

are lower than the ‘turns’ the gradient
min. must be zero.
 Turning Points
Gradient = 0 3
𝑦 =𝑥 − 6 𝑥 + 9 𝑥 − 2
2 We can use the fact that we know the gradient is
zero to find where these points on the graph are.
2
Therefore, the graph 3 2
max value is 2 𝑦 =𝑥 − 6 𝑥 +9 𝑥 − 2

Therefore, the
gradient 𝑑𝑦 2
min value is-2 =3 𝑥 −12 𝑥+ 9
-2
𝑑𝑥
Gradient = 0
We can solve this to find x (the x-
As the gradient is zero at the turning points
coordinate of our turning point)
2
3 𝑥 − 12 𝑥+ 9= 0
This is quadratic so factorise or use
− ( −12 ) ± √ ( −12 ) − 4 ( 3 ) ( 9 )
2
𝑥= the quadratic formula.
2(3)
𝑥=1 𝑥=3 We get two x-coordinates as
there are two turning points.
3 2
𝑦 =( 1 ) − 6 (1 ) + 9 ( 1 ) − 2 𝑦 =( 3 ) 3 − 6 ( 3 ) 2+ 9 ( 3 ) − 2 For each point, we can use the
original equation of the graph
𝑦 =2 𝑦 =− 2 to find the y-coordinate.
 Turning Points
graph 3 2
𝑦 = 𝑥 − 3 𝑥 −9 𝑥+ 10 max
gradient
𝑑𝑦 2 min
=3 𝑥 −6 𝑥 − 9
𝑑𝑥
We can solve this to find x (the x-coordinate of ourmax
turning
point)
At a turning point the gradient
min
This is quadratic so factorise or use the quadratic formula.
2
3 𝑥 − 6 𝑥 −9=0 You may recognise that our equation is for a cubic
− ( −6 ) ± √ ( − 6 ) − 4 ( 3 )( − 9 ) graph so isget
thetwo
graph on the left. However, it is not
2
We x-coordinates as there are two turning
𝑥= always so easyFor
points. toeach
recognise andcan
point, we sketch the
use the graph.
original
2(3) equation of the graph to find the y-coordinate.
x-coordinates
𝑥=−1 𝑥=3
y-coordinates
3 2
𝑦 =( − 1 ) − 3 ( − 1 ) − 9 ( − 1 ) +10 𝑦 =( 3 )3 − 3 ( 3 )2 − 9 ( 3 ) +10

𝑦 =15 𝑦 =−17 We need to confirm whether each point

is a max or a min. It may be tempting to
assume 15 is a max and -17 a min but
this may not necessarily be the case.
 Maximum or Minimum?
At the point where it We know that at both a maximum and
‘turns’ the gradient a minimum point, the gradient is zero.
must be zero.
This allows us to find the turning
points but does not distinguish
between a max or a min.

We therefore need to think about

what is different about a max
compared to a min.

At the point where it

‘turns’ the gradient
must be zero.
 The nature of a turning point
Max Min

Zero gradient

positive negative
gradient gradient

Zero gradient
negative
gradient
positive
gradient
Although both turning points
have a gradient of zero, how the
gradient is changing is different.

Max Min
The gradient is going from +ve to –ve. The gradient is going from –ve to +ve.
The gradient is getting less. The gradient is getting more.
The rate of change of gradient is –ve The rate of change of gradient is +ve
Equation of graph Equation for gradient Equation for rate of change of gradient
𝑦 𝑑𝑦 2
𝑑 𝑦
Differentiate once to get the rate of
change of the graph (or gradient) 𝑑𝑥 Differentiate again to get the rate
of change of the gradient. 𝑑𝑥
2
 Back to our example…
graph
𝑦 = 𝑥 − 3 𝑥 −9 𝑥+ 10 What do the values -12 and +12 tell us?
3 2
max It is whether it is positive
The actual value doesn’t matter.
gradient
𝑑𝑦Zero gradient2 or negative
Differentiate that matters.
the gradient to
=3 𝑥 −6 𝑥 − 9 find an equation for the rate
positive 𝑑𝑥 negative Positive
of change – the
of the gradient is getting more so it is a minimum
gradient.
gradient gradient point.
rate of 2
change of 𝑑 𝑦 We can now use this equation to
gradient 2
=6 𝑥 − 6 Negative
determine how–the
thegradient
gradientisis getting less so it is a maximum
𝑑Zero
𝑥 gradient point.
changing at each turning point.

negative
x-coordinates
gradient
𝑥=−1 positive
𝑥=3 min
gradient
y-coordinates
3 2
𝑦 =( − 1 )3 − 3 ( − 1 )2 − 9 ( − 1 ) +10 𝑦 =( 3 ) − 3 ( 3 ) − 9 ( 3 ) +10

𝑦 =15 Notice that it is the x

value that we are using
𝑦 =−17
Max or Min? as our equation is 6x-6
2 2
𝑑 𝑦 𝑑 𝑦
2
=6 ( − 1 ) − 6=−12 2
=6 ( 3 ) − 6=+12
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
is negative, therefore, 15 is a max is positive, therefore, -17 is a min
 Question: Find the turning points
graph
2 3 2
𝑦= 𝑥 −3 𝑥 + 4 𝑥 +8
3 is a maximum
gradient
𝑑𝑦 2
=2 𝑥 − 6 𝑥+ 4
𝑑𝑥 is a minimum
rate of 2
change of 𝑑 𝑦
2
= 4 𝑥 −6
gradient 𝑑𝑥
At a turning point the gradient
− ( −6 ) ± √ ( − 6 ) − 4 ( 2 ) ( 4 )
2
2
2 𝑥 − 6 𝑥 + 4=0 𝑥=
2(2)
x-coordinates
𝑥=1 𝑥=2
y-coordinates
2 29 2 28
𝑦= (1 )3 − 3 ( 1 )2+ 4 ( − 1 ) +8= 𝑦= ( 2 )3 − 3 ( 2 )2 + 4 ( 2 ) + 8=
3 3 3 3
Max or min?
2 2
𝑑 𝑦 𝑑 𝑦
2
= 4 ( 1 ) − 6=− 2 Negative 2
= 4 ( 2 ) − 6=+ 2 Positive
𝑑𝑥 max point 𝑑𝑥 min point
 If then this side is 7m 7m
also 7m.
6m We have of rope in total. Therefore, the
remaining side must be

Find the length of that will give the maximum possible area.
We could start by
guessing and use
We
Let’scan
trycontinue
another
start making
value
by picking forguesses
x –for
a value maybe
–and
say6m
fill
7min the table. trial and error.
We can
If the now
width calculate
Thisisworks butthe
6m. The areamust
length
is slow for this
and be value of
clunky
– we could however 2
2
Area=6
Area=8 ×use 7calculus.
6 =42
= 48 𝑚
We can plot a graph of area against width
Width (x) Length Area and we can see that the maximum area
7 6 42 is with a width of
52
6 8 48
50
5 10 50 48
46
4 12 48 44
42
3 14 42
40
38
2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5
 Let’s call the
length 20𝑦− 2 𝑥

Find the length of that will give the maximum possible area.

We are asked for a maximum area so we need to find an equation in terms of area.

𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎=𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡h × 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡h
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎=𝑥𝑦
This doesn’t help us much yet, because we have both and in our equation.

H and are not independent because we have a fixed length of rope. If we make longer, then will get
shorter.
𝑦 =20 − 2 𝑥
We can substitute this into our equation for area to get an equation is terms of only.
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎=𝑥( 20 −2 𝑥)
2
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎=20 𝑥 −2 𝑥

Now we have an equation for area in terms of x, we can use calculus to find the maximum area
 20 − 2 𝑥

Find the length of that will give the maximum possible area. Now we have an equation for area
Equation for graph of in terms of x, we can use calculus
area against width 𝐴=20 𝑥 − 2 𝑥
2 to find the maximum area

Gradient of graph
𝑑𝐴
=20 − 4 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
rate of 2
change of 𝑑 𝐴
2
=− 4
gradient 𝑑𝑥 Therefore, a width of
gives us a maximum area
At a turning point the gradient of
2 0 − 4 𝑥=0
x-coordinate (width) 𝑥=5 𝑚
2 2
y-coordinates (area) 𝐴= 20 (5 ) − 2 ( 5 ) =50 𝑚
2
𝑑 𝐴 Negative
We must confirm that this is a max and not a min 2
=− 4
𝑑𝑥 max point