LN 6-1 Koko Martono, FMIPA - ITB MBM – 058

Increasing, Decreasing, and Extremum

For the function y = f (x) in interval (a,b),

f ′(x) f (x) Graph of f Examples

Positive (+) Increase / Rises /

Negative (−) Decrease 2 Falls 2

Critical value The values of x in the domain of f where f ′(x) = 0 or does not
exist are called the critical value of f.
Local extremum local max
not extremum
local max
not extremum not critical
value/point
local min
local min
c1 c2 c3 c4 c5 c6 c7 x
The quantity f (c) is called local maximum of f if there exist interval (m,n)
containing c such that f (x) ≤ f (c) for all x in (m,n).
The quantity f (c) is called local minimum of f if there exist interval (m,n)
containing c such that f (x) ≥ f (c) for all x in (m,n).
The quantity f (c) is called a local extremum. A point of graph where a local
extremum occurs is called a turning point.
Theorem If f continuous on interval (a,b), c ∈ (a,b) and f (c) is a local
extremum of f, then either f ′(c) = 0 or f ′(c) does not exist (is not defined).
 LN 6- 2
MBM059
Graphing and Optimization

First Derivative Test for Local Extremum

Let c be a critical value of the f ( f (c) defined and either f ′(c) = 0 or f ′(c) not
defined). Construct a sign chart for f ′(x) close to and on either side of c.
Sign Test Critical Value
f ′(x) −−− +++ Local minimum
m c n x If f ′(x) changes from negative to positive at c,
f (x) decreasing increasing then f (c) is a local minimum

f ′(x) +++ −−− Local maximum

m c n x If f ′(x) changes from positive to negative at c,
f (x) increasing decreasing then f (c) is a local minimum

f ′(x) −−− −−− Not a local extremum

m c n x If f ′(x) does not change sign at c, then f (c) is a
f (x) decreasing decreasing neither a local maximum nor a local minimum.

f ′(x) +++ +++ Not a local extremum

m c n x If f ′(x) does not change sign at c, then f (c) is a
f (x) increasing increasing neither a local maximum nor a local minimum.

f ′(c) = 0: horizontal tangent

f (x) f (x) f (x) f (x)

f (c) f (c) f (c) f (c)

0 c x 0 c x 0 c x 0 c x
f ′(x) − − 0 + + f ′(x) + + 0 − − f ′(x) + + 0 + + f ′(x) − − 0 − −
local minimum local maximum not local extremum not local extremum

f ′(c) not defined but f (c) is defined

f (x) f (x) f (x) f (x)
tangent line
tangent line
f (c) f (c) f (c) f (c)
tangent line tangent line
0 c x 0 c x 0 c x 0 c x
f ′(x) − − N + + f ′(x) + + N − − f ′(x) + + N + + f ′(x) − − N − −
local minimum local maximum not local extremum not local extremum
 LN 6- 3
MBM060
Graphing and Optimization

f ′(x) = 3x2 − 3 = 3(x − 1)(x + 1) Example 6.1 Locating local extremum

3
f ′(x) Given the function f (x) = x − 3x. Find the critical value
of f, local extremum of f, and sketch the graph of func-
y = f ′(x) tion f and f ′.
Solution f ′(x) = 3x2 − 3 = 3(x − 1) (x + 1)
Find all number x in the domain f where f ′(x) = 0.
−1 0
−1 11 x
f ′(x) = 3x2 − 3 = 3(x − 1) (x + 1) = 0.
−3 x = −1 or x = 1.
The critical values of function f are x = −1 and x = 1.
Sign test for local extremum :
f (x) (−∞,−1) (−1,1) (1,∞)
f ′(x) + + + + + 0 − − − − − 0 + + + + +
y = f (x)
−1 1 x
2 f (x) increasing decreasing increasing
local max local min
−1 0 1 x
−2
The sign chart indicates that f increase on (−∞,−1), has
a local maximum at x = −1, decrease on (−1,1), has a
local minimum at x = 1, and increase on (1,∞).
f (x) = x3 − 3x The graph of f and f ′ are shown on the left figure.
B ′(t) Example 6.2 Agricultural Export and Import
10 Over the past several decades, the USA has exported
8
6
more agricultural product than it has imported, mainta-
4 ining a positive balance of trade in this area. However,
2 the trade balance fluctuated considerably during the pe-
0 4 12 15 t riod. The graph on the left figure approximates the rate
of change of the trade balance over a 15-year period,
where B(t) is the trade balance in billions of dollars and
B(t) t is time in years. (a) Write a brief verbal description of
the graph of y = B(t), including a discussion of any lo-
cal extreme. (b) Sketch a possible graph of y = B(t).
Solution B′(t) > 0 on (0,4), B′(4) = 0, B′(t) < 0 on
(4,12), B′(12) = 0, and B′(t) > 0 on (12,15). Function
B has local maximum at 4 and local minimum at 12.
0 4 12 15 t
The scale of vertical axes is depend on information of
B(t).
 LN 6- 4
MBM061
Graphing and Optimization

Student Work-sheet
I.N Name Signature

Problems Given f (x) = x4 − 18x2. Find the interval where f (x) is increasing, the interval where
f (x) is decreasing, and the local extreme.

Solution

4
Problems Given f (x) = x + x . Find the interval where f (x) is increasing, the interval where f (x)
is decreasing, and the local extreme.

Solution
 LN 6- 5
MBM062
Graphing and Optimization

Student Work-sheet
I.N Name Signature

y Problems
If the function y = f (x) continuous on (−∞,∞), use the given
information to sketch the graph of f.

f ′(x) + + + + + 0 − − − − − 0 − − − − −
−1 1 x

x −2 −1 0 1 2
f (x) 1 3 2 1 −1

Sketch the graph of f on left figure!

y Problems
If the function y = f (x) continuous on (−∞,∞), use the given
information to sketch the graph of f.

f ′(x) + + + N + + 0 − − − − 0 + + + +
x −1 0 2 x

x −2 −1 0 2 3
f (x) −3 0 2 −1 0

Sketch the graph of f on left figure!

 LN 6- 6
MBM063
Graphing and Optimization

Student Work-sheet
I.N Name Signature

Problems Medicine A drug is injected into the bloodstream of a patient through the right arm.
The concentration of the drug in the bloodstream of the left arm t hours after the injection is given
0.14 t
by C (t ) = , 0 < t < 24. Find the critical values for C (t), the interval where the concentration
t2 + 1
of the drug is increasing, the interval where the concentration of the drug is decreasing, and the
local extreme.

Solution
 LN 6- 7
MBM064
Graphing and Optimization

Second Derivative, Concavity, and Optimization

Second Derivative For y = f (x), the second derivative of f, denoted by y″,

d 2y
f ″(x), or , d
provided that it exist, is f ¢¢( x) = dx f ¢( x) .
d x2

Concavity For the function y = f (x) in the interval (a,b) we have

f ″(x) f ′(x) Graph of f Examples

Positive (+) Increasing Concave upward

Negative (−) Decreasing Concave downward

f ″(x) > 0 over (a,b), f concave upward f ″(x) < 0 over (a,b), f concave downward

f f f f f f

a b a b a b a b a b a b
f ′(x) is negative f ′(x) increase f ′(x) is positive f ′(x) is positive f ′(x) decrease f ′(x) is negative
and increasing from neg. → pos. and increasing and decreasing from pos. → neg. and decreasing
graph f falling graph f fall → rise graph f rising graph f rising graph f rise→fall graph f falling

Inflection point
An inflection point is a point on a graph f where the concavity changed.
For the concavity to change at a point, f ″(x) must be change sign at that point.
Theorem If y = f (x) is continuous on (a,b) and has an inflection point at x = c,
then either f ″(c) = 0 or f ″(c) does not exist.
A partition number c of f ″, c at the domain f produced in inflection point for the
graph of f only if f ″(x) changes sign at c.
Optimization
The quantity f (c) is absolute maximum of f if f (c) ≥ f (c) for all x in domain of f.
The quantity f (c) is absolute minimum of f if f (c) ≤ f (c) for all x in domain of f.
Theorem A continuous function f on a closed interval [a,b] has both an absolute
maximum value and an absolute minimum value on that interval.
Theorem If f is continuous on an interval I and c is the only critical value of I,
f ′(c) = 0 and f ″(c) < 0 (> 0), than f has an absolute maximum (minimum) on I.
 LN 6- 8
MBM065
Graphing and Optimization
y
Example 6.3
For the function f (x) = x , we have
3
y = x3
f ′(x) = 3x and f ″(x) = 6x.
2

concave
inflection upward Sign chart for f ″(x) about partition number 0:
point
−3 −2 0 1 2 3 x (−∞,0) (0,∞)
concave
f ″(x) −−−−0++++
downward Graph of f : concave concave
downward upward
inflection point

Example 6.4 Maximum Rate of Change Using past records, a company

estimates that it will sell N(x) items after spending $ x thousand on advertising, as
given by N(x) = 2,000 − 2x + 60x − 450x, 5 ≤ x ≤ 15. When is the rate of change
3 2

of sales with respect to advertising expenditures increasing and increasing? What is

the maximum rate of change? Graph N and N ′ on the same coordinate system.
N(x)
Solution The rate of change of sales with respect
2,000 to advertising expenditures is
y = N(x)
N ′(x) = −6x + 120x − 450 = −6(x − 5)(x − 15)
2
N ″(x) > 0 N ″(x) < 0

1,000
To determine when this rate is increasing and de-
creasing, we find N ″(x), the derivative of N ′(x).
N ′(x) N ′(x)
N ″(x) = −12x + 120 = −12(x − 10)
0 5 10 15 20 x The information obtained by analyzing the sign of
N ′(x) and N ″(x) is summarized in table below.
point of
diminishing return

x N ″(x) N ′(x) N ′(x) N (x)

5 < x < 10 + + increasing increasing, concave upward
x = 10 0 + local maximum inflection point
10 < x < 15 − + decreasing increasing, concave downward

Thus, we see that N ′(x), the rate of change of sales, is increasing on (5,10), and de-
creasing on (10,15). An examination of the graph of N ′(x) shows that the maximum
rate of change is N ′(10) = 150. Notice that N ′(x) has a local maximum and N (x)
has an inflection point at x = 10. This value of x is referred to as the point of dimi-
nishing return, since the rate of change of sales begins to decrease at this point.
 LN 6- 9
MBM066
Graphing and Optimization

Student Work-sheet
I.N Name Signature

Problems Find the absolute maximum for f ′(x) if f (x) = 6x2 − x3 + 8. Graph f and f ′ on the
same coordinate system for 0 ≤ x ≤ 4.

y Solution
40

32

24

16

0 1 2 3 4 5 x

Problems Find two positive numbers whose product is 100 and whose sum is minimum.
What is the minimum sum of these numbers?

Solution
 LN 6-10
MBM067
Graphing and Optimization

Student Work-sheet
I.N Name Signature

Problems Given f (x) = 2x2 − x4.

(a) Find the interval where f (x) is increasing, decreasing, and the local extreme.
(b) Find the interval where f (x) concave upward, concave downward, and the point of inflection.
(c) Sketch the graph of f.

Solution

x
 LN 6-11
MBM068
Graphing and Optimization

Student Work-sheet
I.N Name Signature

Problems A cardboard box manufacturer wishes to make open boxes from pieces of cardboard
12 inches square by cutting equal squares from the four corners and turning up the sides. Find
the length of the side of the square to be cut out in order to obtain a box of the largest possible
volume and find the largest volume.

Solution

←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯12⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→
x x
x ? x

? ? 12

x ? x
x x
 LN 6-12
MBM069
Graphing and Optimization

Exercise 6
1. If f (x) = 32x − x , find the intervals where f (x) is increasing, the intervals where
4

f (x) is decreasing, and the local extreme.

2. If f is continuous on (−∞,∞) and satisfy the condition
(a) f (−1) = 2, f (0) = 0, f (1) = 2,
(b) f ′(−1) = 0, f ′(1) = 0, f ′(0) is not defined,
(c) f ′(x) > 0 on (−∞,1) and (0,1),
(d) f ′(x) < 0 on (−1,0) and (1,∞);
use these information to sketch the graph of f.
3. Find the critical value, the intervals where f (x) is increasing, the intervals where
f (x) is decreasing, and the local extreme of f (x) = 1 + x -1 + x -2 .
4. Given f (x) = x − 8x + 10.
4 2

(a) Find the intervals where f (x) is increasing, decreasing, and the local extreme.
(b) Find the interval where f (x) concave upward, concave downward, and the
point of inflection.
5. Average cost A manufacturer incurs the following cost in producing x blenders
in one day for 0 < x < 250; fixed cost $450, unit production cost $30 per blender,
2
equipment maintenance and repair $0.08x . What is the average cost C ( x) per
blender if x blenders are produced in one day? Find the intervals where the C ( x )
is decreasing, is increasing, and the local extreme.
6. Botany If it is known from past experiments that the height (in feet) of a given
plant after t months is given approximately by H(t) = 4 t − 2t, 0 ≤ t ≤ 2. How
long the plant to reach its maximum height? What is the maximum height?
7. Politics In a new suburb, it is estimated that the number of registered voters
will grow according to N = 10 + 6t − t , 0 ≤ t ≤ 2, when t is time in years and N
2 2

is in thousand. When will the rate of increase be maximum?

Math Quote
Nothing is more important than to see the source of invention which
are, in my opinion more interesting then the inventions themselves.
A method of solution is perfect if we can foresee from the start, and
even prove, than following that method we shall attain our aim.
Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1646 – 1716)