202 Chapter 4 Applications of Differentiation

4.1 Extrema on an Interval

Understand the definition of extrema of a function on an interval.
Understand the definition of relative extrema of a function on an open interval.
Find extrema on a closed interval.

Extrema of a Function
In calculus, much effort is devoted to determining the behavior of a function f on an
interval I. Does f have a maximum value on I? Does it have a minimum value? Where
is the function increasing? Where is it decreasing? In this chapter, you will learn how
derivatives can be used to answer these questions. You will also see why these questions
are important in real-life applications.

y
Definition of Extrema
5 (2, 5) Maximum
Let f be defined on an interval I containing c.
4 f(x) = x 2 + 1
1. f 共c兲 is the minimum of f on I when f 共c兲  f 共x兲 for all x in I.
3
2. f 共c兲 is the maximum of f on I when f 共c兲  f 共x兲 for all x in I.
2
The minimum and maximum of a function on an interval are the extreme
values, or extrema (the singular form of extrema is extremum), of the function
(0, 1) Minimum
on the interval. The minimum and maximum of a function on an interval are
x
−1 1 2 3
also called the absolute minimum and absolute maximum, or the global
minimum and global maximum, on the interval. Extrema can occur at interior
(a) f is continuous, 关1, 2兴 is closed.
points or endpoints of an interval (see Figure 4.1). Extrema that occur at the
y
endpoints are called endpoint extrema.

5
Not a
maximum
4 A function need not have a minimum or a maximum on an interval. For instance,in
f(x) = x 2 + 1
Figure 4.1(a) and (b), you can see that the function f 共x兲  x 2  1 has both a minimum
3 and a maximum on the closed interval 关1, 2兴, but does not have a maximum on the
2 open interval 共1, 2兲. Moreover, in Figure 4.1(c), you can see that continuity (or the lack
of it) can affect the existence of an extremum on the interval. This suggests the theorem
(0, 1) Minimum below. (Although the Extreme Value Theorem is intuitively plausible, a proof of this
x theorem is not within the scope of this text.)
−1 1 2 3
(b) f is continuous, 共1, 2兲 is open.
THEOREM 4.1 The Extreme Value Theorem
y If f is continuous on a closed interval 关a, b兴, then f has both a minimum and a
Maximum maximum on the interval.
5 (2, 5)

4
g(x) = x 2 + 1, x ≠ 0
3 2, x=0
Exploration
2 Finding Minimum and Maximum Values The Extreme Value Theorem
Not a (like the Intermediate Value Theorem) is an existence theorem because it tells
minimum of the existence of minimum and maximum values but does not show how to
x
find these values. Use the minimum and maximum features of a graphing
−1 1 2 3
utility to find the extrema of each function. In each case, do you think the
(c) g is not continuous, 关1, 2兴 is closed.
x-values are exact or approximate? Explain your reasoning.
Figure 4.1
a. f 共x兲  x 2  4x  5 on the closed interval 关1, 3兴
b. f 共x兲  x 3  2x 2  3x  2 on the closed interval 关1, 3兴

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 4.1 Extrema on an Interval 203

Hill y f(x) = x 3 − 3x 2 Relative Extrema and Critical Numbers

(0, 0)
x In Figure 4.2, the graph of f 共x兲  x 3  3x 2 has a relative maximum at the point 共0, 0兲
−1 1 2
and a relative minimum at the point 共2, 4兲. Informally, for a continuous function, you
can think of a relative maximum as occurring on a “hill” on the graph, and a relative
minimum as occurring in a “valley” on the graph. Such a hill and valley can occur in
−2
two ways. When the hill (or valley) is smooth and rounded, the graph has a horizontal
−3 Valley tangent line at the high point (or low point). When the hill (or valley) is sharp and
(2, − 4) peaked, the graph represents a function that is not differentiable at the high point (or
−4 low point).

f has a relative maximum at 共0, 0兲 and

a relative minimum at 共2, 4兲. Definition of Relative Extrema
Figure 4.2 1. If there is an open interval containing c on which f 共c兲 is a maximum, then
f 共c兲 is called a relative maximum of f, or you can say that f has a relative
maximum at 冇c, f 冇c冈冈.
2. If there is an open interval containing c on which f 共c兲 is a minimum, then
f 共c兲 is called a relative minimum of f, or you can say that f has a relative
minimum at 冇c, f 冇c冈冈.
The plural of relative maximum is relative maxima, and the plural of relative
y 9(x 2 − 3) minimum is relative minima. Relative maximum and relative minimum are
Relative f(x) = sometimes called local maximum and local minimum, respectively.
maximum x3
2
(3, 2)
x
2 4 6
Example 1 examines the derivatives of functions at given relative extrema. (Much
more is said about finding the relative extrema of a function in Section 4.3.)
−2

−4 The Value of the Derivative at Relative Extrema

(a) f共3兲  0 Find the value of the derivative at each relative extremum shown in Figure 4.3.

y
Solution
9共x 2  3兲
f(x) = ⏐x⏐ 3 a. The derivative of f 共x兲  is
x3
2
x 3共18x兲  共9兲共x 2  3兲共3x 2兲
f 共x兲  Differentiate using Quotient Rule.
1 Relative 共x 3兲 2
minimum
x 9共9  x 2兲
−2 −1 1 2  . Simplify.
x4
−1 (0, 0)
At the point 共3, 2兲, the value of the derivative is f共3兲  0 [see Figure 4.3(a)].
(b) f共0兲 does not exist.
ⱍⱍ
b. At x  0, the derivative of f 共x兲  x does not exist because the following one-sided
y limits differ [see Figure 4.3(b)].

2
f(x) = sin x
lim
f 共x兲  f 共0兲
 lim ⱍxⱍ  1 Limit from the left
( π2 , 1( Relative
maximum
x→0 x0 x→0 x
1
lim
f 共x兲  f 共0兲
 lim ⱍⱍ
x
1 Limit from the right
x x→0  x0 x→0 x
π 3π
2 2
−1 c. The derivative of f 共x兲  sin x is
Relative 3π
−2 minimum 2
, −1 ( ( f共x兲  cos x.
At the point 共兾2, 1兲, the value of the derivative is f  共兾2兲  cos共兾2兲  0. At the
(c) f 冢2 冣  0; f  冢32冣  0 point 共3兾2, 1兲, the value of the derivative is f  共3兾2兲  cos共3兾2兲  0 [see
Figure 4.3 Figure 4.3(c)].

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204 Chapter 4 Applications of Differentiation

Note in Example 1 that at each relative extremum, the derivative either is zero or
does not exist. The x-values at these special points are called critical numbers. Figure
4.4 illustrates the two types of critical numbers. Notice in the definition that the critical
number c has to be in the domain of f, but c does not have to be in the domain of f.

TECHNOLOGY Use a Definition of a Critical Number

graphing utility to examine the
graphs of the following four Let f be defined at c. If f共c兲  0 or if f is not differentiable at c, then c is a
functions. Only one of the critical number of f.
functions has critical numbers.
Which is it?
y y
f 共x兲  ex
f 共x兲  ln x f ′(c) does not exist.
f 共x兲  sin x f ′(c) = 0
Horizontal
f 共x兲  tan x tangent

x x
c c

c is a critical number of f.
Figure 4.4

THEOREM 4.2 Relative Extrema Occur Only at Critical Numbers

If f has a relative minimum or relative maximum at x  c, then c is a critical
number of f.

Proof
Case 1: If f is not differentiable at x  c, then, by definition, c is a critical number of
f and the theorem is valid.
Case 2: If f is differentiable at x  c, then f共c兲 must be positive, negative, or 0.
Suppose f共c兲 is positive. Then
f 共x兲  f 共c兲
f共c兲  lim > 0
x→c xc
which implies that there exists an interval 共a, b兲 containing c such that
PIERRE DE FERMAT (1601–1665)
For Fermat, who was trained as f 共x兲  f 共c兲
> 0, for all x c in 共a, b兲. [See Exercise 80(b), Section 2.2.]
a lawyer, mathematics was more xc
of a hobby than a profession.
Nevertheless, Fermat made Because this quotient is positive, the signs of the denominator and numerator must
many contributions to analytic agree. This produces the following inequalities for x-values in the interval 共a, b兲.
geometry, number theory, calculus,
and probability. In letters to Left of c: x < c and f 共x兲 < f 共c兲 f 共c兲 is not a relative minimum.
friends, he wrote of many of the
Right of c: x > c and f 共x兲 > f 共c兲 f 共c兲 is not a relative maximum.
fundamental ideas of calculus,
long before Newton or Leibniz. So, the assumption that f 共c兲 > 0 contradicts the hypothesis that f 共c兲 is a relative
For instance,Theorem 4.2 is
extremum. Assuming that f 共c兲 < 0 produces a similar contradiction, you are left with
sometimes attributed to Fermat.
See LarsonCalculus.com to read only one possibility—namely, f 共c兲  0. So, by definition, c is a critical number of f
more of this biography. and the theorem is valid.
See LarsonCalculus.com for Bruce Edwards’s video of this proof.
The Print Collector/Alamy

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 4.1 Extrema on an Interval 205

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

Theorem 4.2 states that the relative extrema of a function can occur only at the critical
numbers of the function. Knowing this, you can use the following guidelines to find
extrema on a closed interval.

GUIDELINES FOR FINDING EXTREMA ON A CLOSED INTERVAL

To find the extrema of a continuous function f on a closed interval 关a, b兴, use
these steps.
1. Find the critical numbers of f in 共a, b兲.
2. Evaluate f at each critical number in 共a, b兲.
3. Evaluate f at each endpoint of 关a, b兴.
4. The least of these values is the minimum. The greatest is the maximum.

The next three examples show how to apply these guidelines. Be sure you see that
finding the critical numbers of the function is only part of the procedure. Evaluating the
function at the critical numbers and the endpoints is the other part.

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

Find the extrema of
f 共x兲  3x 4  4x 3
on the interval 关1, 2兴.
Solution Begin by differentiating the function.
f 共x兲  3x 4  4x 3 Write original function.
f  共x兲  12x 3  12x 2 Differentiate.

y To find the critical numbers of f in the interval 共1, 2兲, you must find all x-values for
which f 共x兲  0 and all x-values for which f共x兲 does not exist.
16 (2, 16)
Maximum 12x 3  12x 2  0 Set f 共x兲 equal to 0.
12
12x 2共x  1兲  0 Factor.

(−1, 7) 8 x  0, 1 Critical numbers

4 Because f  is defined for all x, you can conclude that these are the only critical numbers
(0, 0) of f. By evaluating f at these two critical numbers and at the endpoints of 关1, 2兴, you
x can determine that the maximum is f 共2兲  16 and the minimum is f 共1兲  1, as
−1 2
(1, −1) shown in the table. The graph of f is shown in Figure 4.5.
−4 Minimum

f(x) = 3x 4 − 4x 3
Left Critical Critical Right
On the closed interval 关1, 2兴, f has a Endpoint Number Number Endpoint
minimum at 共1, 1兲 and a maximum
at 共2, 16兲. f 共1兲  1 f 共2兲  16
f 共1兲  7 f 共0兲  0
Minimum Maximum
Figure 4.5

In Figure 4.5, note that the critical number x  0 does not yield a relative minimum
or a relative maximum. This tells you that the converse of Theorem 4.2 is not true. In
other words, the critical numbers of a function need not produce relative extrema.

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
206 Chapter 4 Applications of Differentiation

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

y
Find the extrema of f 共x兲  2x  3x 2兾3 on the interval 关1, 3兴.
(0, 0) Maximum
x Solution Begin by differentiating the function.
−2 −1 1 2
f 共x兲  2x  3x2兾3 Write original function.
(1, − 1)
2
)3, 6 − 3 3 9 ) f 共x兲  2  1兾3 Differentiate.
x
x 1兾3  1
2
x 1兾3冢 冣 Simplify.

−4
Minimum From this derivative, you can see that the function has two critical numbers in
(− 1, −5) −5 the interval 共1, 3兲. The number 1 is a critical number because f 共1兲  0, and the
number 0 is a critical number because f 共0兲 does not exist. By evaluating f at these two
f(x) = 2x − 3x 2/3 numbers and at the endpoints of the interval, you can conclude that the minimum is
f 共1兲  5 and the maximum is f 共0兲  0, as shown in the table. The graph of f is
On the closed interval 关1, 3兴, f has a shown in Figure 4.6.
minimum at 共1, 5兲 and a maximum
at 共0, 0兲.
Figure 4.6 Left Critical Critical Right
Endpoint Number Number Endpoint

f 共1兲  5 f 共0兲  0
f 共1兲  1 f 共3兲  6  3冪
3 9 ⬇ 0.24
Minimum Maximum

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

y
See LarsonCalculus.com for an interactive version of this type of example.
4 π , 3 Maximum
3
( (
2
Find the extrema of
f(x) = 2 sin x − cos 2x f 共x兲  2 sin x  cos 2x
2
on the interval 关0, 2兴.
1
( 32π , − 1( Solution Begin by differentiating the function.
x
π π (2π , − 1)
−1 2 f 共x兲  2 sin x  cos 2x Write original function.
(0, − 1)
f 共x兲  2 cos x  2 sin 2x
−2
( 76π , − 23 ( (116π , − 23 (  2 cos x  4 cos x sin x
Differentiate.
sin 2x  2 cos x sin x
−3
Minima
 2共cos x兲共1  2 sin x兲 Factor.
On the closed interval 关0, 2兴, f has
two minima at 共7兾6, 3兾2兲 and Because f is differentiable for all real x, you can find all critical numbers of f by
共11兾6, 3兾2兲 and a maximum finding the zeros of its derivative. Considering 2共cos x兲共1  2 sin x兲  0 in the interval
at 共兾2, 3兲. 共0, 2兲, the factor cos x is zero when x  兾2 and when x  3兾2. The factor
Figure 4.7 共1  2 sin x兲 is zero when x  7兾6 and when x  11兾6. By evaluating f at these
four critical numbers and at the endpoints of the interval, you can conclude that the
maximum is f 共兾2兲  3 and the minimum occurs at two points, f 共7兾6兲  3兾2 and
f 共11兾6兲  3兾2, as shown in the table. The graph is shown in Figure 4.7.

Left Critical Critical Critical Critical Right

Endpoint Number Number Number Number Endpoint

f 共0兲  1
f冢2 冣  3 f 冢76冣   23 f 冢32冣  1 f 冢116冣   23 f 共2兲  1
Maximum Minimum Minimum

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 4.1 Extrema on an Interval 207

4.1 Exercises See CalcChat.com for tutorial help and worked-out solutions to odd-numbered exercises.

9. y 10. y
Finding the Value of the Derivative at Relative Extrema
In Exercises 1–6, find the value of the derivative (if it exists) at 5 8
each indicated extremum. 4 6
x2 x 3
1. f 共x兲  2 2. f 共x兲  cos 4
x 4 2 2
2
y y 1
x x
−1 1 2 3 4 5 −2 2 4 6 8
2 2 −2
(0, 1)
1

x x
Finding Critical Numbers In Exercises 11–20, find the
−2 (0, 0) 1 2 1 2 3 critical numbers of the function.
−1 −1
(2, − 1) 11. f 共x兲  x3  3x2 12. g共x兲  x 4  8x 2
−2 −2
4x
13. g共t兲  t冪4  t , t < 3 14. f 共x兲 
x2  1
4
3. g共x兲  x  4. f 共x兲  3x冪x  1 15. h共x兲  sin 2 x  cos x 16. f 共 兲  2 sec  tan
x2
y y 0 < x < 2 0 < < 2

6 17. f 共t兲  te2t 18. g共x兲  4x 2共3x兲

5 (− 2, 2 3
3 3
2
( 19. f 共x兲  x 2 log2共x 2  1兲 20. g共t兲  2t ln t
4
3 x Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval In Exercises
(2, 3) −3 − 2 (− 1, 0) 1 21–44, find the absolute extrema of the function on the closed
2
1 −1 interval.
x
−2 21. f 共x兲  3  x, 关1, 2兴 22. f 共x兲  34 x  2, 关0, 4兴
1 2 3 4 5 6
23. g共x兲  2x2  8x, 关0, 6兴 24. h共x兲  5  x 2, 关3, 1兴
5. f 共x兲  共x  2兲 2兾3 6. f 共x兲  4  x ⱍⱍ 3
25. f 共x兲  x 3  x 2, 关1, 2兴 26. f 共x兲  2x 3  6x, 关0, 3兴
y y 2
2 6 27. y  3x 2兾3  2x, 关1, 1兴 28. g共x兲  冪
3
x, 关8, 8兴
(− 2, 0) (0, 4) 1 t
1 4 29. h共s兲  , 关0, 1兴 30. h共t兲  , 关1, 6兴
s2 t3
ⱍ ⱍ ⱍ ⱍ
x 2
−4 −3 −2 −1 31. y  3  t  3 , 关1, 5兴 32. g共x兲  x  4 , 关7, 1兴
−1 x
33. f 共x兲  冀x冁, 关2, 2兴 34. h 共x兲  冀2  x冁, 关2, 2兴
−4 −2 2 4
5 11  
冤6, 冥 冤 6 , 3冥
−2 −2
35. f 共x兲  sin x, 36. g共x兲  sec x,
6
Approximating Critical Numbers In Exercises 7–10,
approximate the critical numbers of the function shown in
37. y  3 cos x, 关0, 2兴 38. y  tan 冢8x冣, 关0, 2兴
the graph. Determine whether the function has a relative ln x
maximum, a relative minimum, an absolute maximum, an 39. f 共x兲  arctan x 2, 关2, 1兴 40. g共x兲  , 关1, 4兴
x
absolute minimum, or none of these at each critical number on
the interval shown. 41. h共x兲  5e x  e 2x, 关1, 2兴 42. y  x 2  8 ln x, 关1, 5兴

y y 43. y  ex sin x, 关0, 兴 44. y  x ln共x  3兲, 关0, 3兴

7. 8.
5 Finding Extrema on an Interval In Exercises 45 and 46,
1
4 find the absolute extrema of the function (if any exist) on each
3 interval.
2 x
−1 1 45. f 共x兲  2x  3 46. f 共x兲  冪4  x 2
1
x
(a) 关0, 2兴 (b) 关0, 2兲 (a) 关2, 2兴 (b) 关2, 0兲
−1
−1 1 2 3 4 5 (c) 共0, 2兴 (d) 共0, 2兲 (c) 共2, 2兲 (d) 关1, 2兲

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
208 Chapter 4 Applications of Differentiation

Finding Absolute Extrema In Exercises 47–50, use a

graphing utility to graph the function and find the absolute WRITING ABOUT CONCEPTS
extrema of the function on the given interval. Creating the Graph of a Function In Exercises 63
and 64, graph a function on the interval [ⴚ2, 5] having the
3 2
47. f 共x兲  , 共1, 4兴 48. f 共x兲  , 关0, 2兲 given characteristics.
x1 2x
2兾10 63. Absolute maximum at x  2
49. f 共x兲  冪x  4 ex , 关2, 2兴
Absolute minimum at x  1
x
50. f 共x兲  冪x  cos , 关0, 2兴 Relative maximum at x  3
2
64. Relative minimum at x  1
Finding Extrema Using Technology In Exercises 51–54, Critical number (but no extremum) at x  0
(a) use a computer algebra system to graph the function Absolute maximum at x  2
and approximate any absolute extrema on the given interval. Absolute minimum at x  5
(b) Use the utility to find any critical numbers, and use them
to find any absolute extrema not located at the endpoints. Using Graphs In Exercises 65–68, determine from the
Compare the results with those in part (a). graph whether f has a minimum in the open interval 冇a, b冈.
51. f 共x兲  3.2x 5  5x 3  3.5x, 关0, 1兴 65. (a) (b)
y y
4
52. f 共x兲  x冪3  x, 关0, 3兴
3
f f
53. f 共x兲  共x2  2x兲 ln共x  3兲, 关0, 3兴
x
54. f 共x兲  共x  4兲 arcsin , 关2, 4兴
4

Finding Maximum Values Using Technology In

x x
Exercises 55–58, use a computer algebra system to find the a b a b
ⱍ ⱍ
maximum value of f ⴖ 冇x冈 on the closed interval. (This value is
used in the error estimate for the Trapezoidal Rule, as 66. (a) (b)
y y
discussed in Section 5.6.)

冤 12, 3冥
1
55. f 共x兲  冪1  x3, 关0, 2兴 56. f 共x兲  ,
x2  1 f f
57. f 共x兲  ex 兾2, 关0, 1兴 58. f 共x兲  x ln共x  1兲, 关0, 2兴
2

Finding Maximum Values Using Technology In

Exercises 59 and 60, use a computer algebra system to find the
ⱍ ⱍ
x x
maximum value of f 冇4冈 冇x冈 on the closed interval. (This value a b a b
is used in the error estimate for Simpson’s Rule, as discussed in
Section 5.6.) 67. (a) (b)
y y
1
59. f 共x兲  共x  1兲 2兾3, 关0, 2兴 60. f 共x兲  2 , 关1, 1兴
x 1
f f
61. Think About It Explain why the function f 共x兲  tan x has
a maximum on 关0, 兾4兴 but not on 关0, 兴.

x x
62. HOW DO YOU SEE IT? a b a b
Determine whether y

each labeled point G 68. (a) (b)

is an absolute B y y
E
maximum or
minimum, a C
x
relative maximum F
or minimum, or
none of these. D
A f f

x x
a b a b

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 4.1 Extrema on an Interval 209

69. Power The formula for the power output P of a battery is 72. Highway Design In order to build a highway, it is
necessary to fill a section of a valley where the grades (slopes)
P  VI  RI 2 of the sides are 9% and 6% (see figure). The top of the filled
where V is the electromotive force in volts, R is the resistance region will have the shape of a parabolic arc that is tangent to
in ohms, and I is the current in amperes. Find the current that the two slopes at the points A and B. The horizontal distances
corresponds to a maximum value of P in a battery for which from A to the y-axis and from B to the y-axis are both 500 feet.
V  12 volts and R  0.5 ohm. Assume that a 15-ampere fuse
bounds the output in the interval 0  I  15. Could the power
output be increased by replacing the 15-ampere fuse with a y
20-ampere fuse? Explain.
70. Lawn Sprinkler A lawn sprinkler is constructed in such a 500 ft 500 ft Highway
way that d 兾dt is constant, where ranges between 45 and A
B
135 (see figure). The distance the water travels horizontally is 9% ade
grad
e 6 % r
g
x
v2 sin 2
x , 45   135
32 Not drawn to scale

where v is the speed of the water. Find dx兾dt and explain why
(a) Find the coordinates of A and B.
this lawn sprinkler does not water evenly. What part of the
lawn receives the most water? (b) Find a quadratic function y  ax 2  bx  c for
500  x  500 that describes the top of the filled region.
y
θ = 105° θ = 75° (c) Construct a table giving the depths d of the fill for
x  500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 0, 100, 200, 300,
θ = 135° θ = 45° 400, and 500.
θ (d) What will be the lowest point on the completed highway?
x
2 Will it be directly over the point where the two hillsides
−v − v2 v 2
v 2
32 64 64 32 come together?
Water sprinkler: 45° ≤ θ ≤ 135°
True or False? In Exercises 73–76, determine whether the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION For more information on statement is true or false. If it is false, explain why or give an
the “calculus of lawn sprinklers,” see the article “Design of an example that shows it is false.
Oscillating Sprinkler” by Bart Braden in Mathematics Magazine.
73. The maximum of a function that is continuous on a closed
To view this article, go to MathArticles.com.
interval can occur at two different values in the interval.
71. Honeycomb The surface area of a cell in a honeycomb is 74. If a function is continuous on a closed interval, then it must
have a minimum on the interval.
冢
3s 冪3  cos
冣
2
S  6hs  75. If x  c is a critical number of the function f, then it is also a
2 sin
critical number of the function g共x兲  f 共x兲  k, where k is a
where h and s are positive constants and is the angle at which constant.
the upper faces meet the altitude of the cell (see figure). Find the
76. If x  c is a critical number of the function f, then it is also a
angle 共兾6   兾2兲 that minimizes the surface area S.
critical number of the function g共x兲  f 共x  k兲, where k is a
constant.
θ
77. Functions Let the function f be differentiable on an
interval I containing c. If f has a maximum value at x  c,
show that f has a minimum value at x  c.
h 78. Critical Numbers Consider the cubic function
f 共x兲  ax 3  bx2  cx  d, where a 0. Show that f can
have zero, one, or two critical numbers and give an example of
each case.
s

PUTNAM EXAM CHALLENGE

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION For more information on
the geometric structure of a honeycomb cell, see the article “The 79. Determine all real numbers a > 0 for which there exists
Design of Honeycombs” by Anthony L. Peressini in UMAP a nonnegative continuous function f 共x兲 defined on 关0, a兴
Module 502, published by COMAP, Inc., Suite 210, 57 Bedford with the property that the region R  再(x, y兲; 0  x  a,
Street, Lexington, MA. 0  y  f 共x兲冎 has perimeter k units and area k square
units for some real number k.
This problem was composed by the Committee on the Putnam Prize Competition.
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