APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

2022 Ema105B: Engineering Mathematics I Groups I1 & I2

Mr N.K. Majozi c

MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM VALUES

Definition 1 Absolute (Global) Min/Max
A function f has an absolute (global) maximum at c if f (c) ≥ f (x) for all x ∈ Df , and f (c) is called
the maximum value of f on D.

A function f has an absolute (global) minimum at c if f (c) ≤ f (x) for all x ∈ Df , and f (c) is called
the minimum value of f on D.

Note: The maximum and minimum values of f are called the extreme values of f .

Definition 2 Local (Relative) Max/Min

A function f has a local (relative) maximum at c if f (c) ≥ f (x) when x is near c.

A function f has a local (relative) minimum at c if f (c) ≤ f (x) when x is near c.

Consider the function f sketched below:

What can we conclude about f ?

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Draw conclusions on the following curves:

a)

b)

c)

The Extreme Value Theorem

If f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b] then f attains an absolute maximum value f (c) and an
absolute minimum value f (d) at some numbers c and d in [a, b].

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eg1) Sketch the graph of function f that is continuous on [2, 6] and has
the following properties:
• absolute minimum at 3
• absolute maximum at 4
• local minimum at 5

CRITICAL NUMBERS

Definition 3 Critical Number

A critical number of a function f is a number c in the domain of f such that either f 0 (c) = 0 or f 0 (c)
does not exist.

Note: if f has a local maximum or minimum at c, then c is a critical number of f .

eg2) Find the critical number(s) of the following functions:

a) f (x) = 4x2 + 2x

3
 √
b) f (x) = ln( 1 − x2 )

c) g(x) = x3 + x2 + x

t−1
d) g(t) =
t2 −t+1

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 The Closed Interval Method
To find the absolute maximum and minimum values of a continuous function f on a closed interval
[a, b]:
1. Find the values of f at the critical numbers of f in (a, b).
2. Find the values of f at the endpoints of the interval.
3. The largest of the values from Steps 1 and 2 is the absolute maximum value; the smallest
of these values is the absolute minimum value.

eg3) Find the absolute max and min values of f on the given interval:
a) f (x) = 3x2 − 12x + 5 on [0, 3]

b) f (x) = x3 − 3x + 1 on [0, 2]

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 √
c) f (t) = t 4 − t2 on [−1, 2]

d) f (t) = e−t − e−2t on [0, 1]

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 HOW DERIVATIVES AFFECT THE SHAPE OF A GRAPH
Definition 4
A function f is called an increasing function on the interval if f (x1 ) < f (x2 ) whenever x1 < x2 .

A function f is called a decreasing function on the interval if f (x1 ) > f (x2 ) whenever x1 > x2 .

Example

Increasing and Decreasing Test

a) If f 0 (x) > 0 on an interval, then f is increasing on that interval.
b) If f 0 (x) < 0 on an interval, then f is decreasing on that interval.

eg1) Determine the interval(s) where the following functions are increasing and/or decreasing.

a) f (x) = 5 − 3x2 + x3

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b) f (x) = x4 − 2x2 + 3

The First Derivative Test

Suppose that c is a critical number of a continuous function f
a) If f 0 changes from positive to negative at c, then f has a local maximum at c.
b) If f 0 changes from negative to positive at c, then f has a local minimum at c.
c) If f 0 does not change sign at c (for example, if is positive on both sides of c or negative on both
sides), then f has no local maximum or minimum at c.

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eg2) Find the local minimum and maximum values of the following functions:
a) f (x) = x + 2 sin x, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π.

b) f (x) = 5 − 3x2 + x3

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 CONCAVITY
Definition 5
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.

Concavity Test
Suppose that c is a critical number of a continuous function f
a) If f 00 (x) > 0 for all x ∈ I, then the graph is concave upward on I.
b) If f 00 (x) < 0 for all x ∈ I, then the graph is concave downward on I.

Definition 6
A point P on a curve y = f (x) is called an inflection point if f is continuous there and the curve
changes from concave upward to concave downward or from concave downward to concave upward at
P.

eg3) Find the intervals of concavity and the inflection points (if they exist) of the following
function: f (x) = 2x3 + 3x2 − 36x.

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 The Second Derivative Test
Suppose f 00 is continuous near c.
(a) If f 0 (c) = 0 and f 00 (c) > 0 , then f has a local minimum at c.
(b) If f 0 (c) = 0 and f 00 (c) < 0 , then f has a local maximum at c.

Note: The Second Derivative Test is inconclusive when f 00 (c) = 0.

eg4) Use the second derivative test to find the local extrema of the function f (x) = x4 − 4x3 .

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eg5) Find the interval of increasing and decreasing, local minimum and maximum values,
interval(s) of concavity and the inflection point(s) of the following functions and use this
information to sketch the graph of the function.

a) f (x) = ln(x4 + 27) b) g(t) = t + cos t, −2π ≤ t ≤ 2π

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 L’HOSPITAL’S RULE
L’Hospital’s Rule
Suppose f and g are differentiable and g 0 (x) 6= 0 on an open interval I that contains a (except possibly
at a). Suppose that
lim f (x) = 0 and lim g(x) = 0
x→a x→a

or that
lim f (x) = ±∞ and lim g(x) = ±∞
x→a x→a
0 ∞
in other words, we have an indeterminate form of type 0
or ∞
. Then

f (x) f 0 (x)
lim = lim 0
x→a g(x) x→a g (x)

if the limit on the right hand side exists (or is ∞ or−∞).

eg1) Find the following limits:

sin x
a) lim
x→0 x

x−1
b) lim
x→1 ln x

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 ex
c) lim
x→∞ x2

sin x
d) lim−
x→π 1 − cos x

Indeterminate Products
If x→a lim g(x) = ±∞, then it is not clear what the value of the x→a
lim f (x) = 0 and x→a lim f (x)g(x), if any, will
be. This kind of limit is called an indeterminate form of type 0.∞. We can deal with it by writing
the product f g as a quotient:
f g
fg = or f g = .
1/g 1/f

0 ∞
This converts the given limit into an indeterminate form of type 0
or ∞
, therefore we can use l’Hospital’s
Rule.

eg2) Evaluate the !following limits:

1
a) lim x sin
x→∞ x

14
b) lim x ln x
x→0+

c) lim x2 ex
x→−∞

d) lim cot 2x sin 6x

x→0

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 Indeterminate Differences
If lim f (x) = ∞ and lim g(x) = ∞, then the limit
x→a x→a

lim [f (x) − g(x)]

x→a

is called an indeterminate form of type ∞ − ∞. To evaluate the limit, we convert the difference
into a quotient, for example, by using a common denominator, or by rationalization or even factoring
out a common factor so that we can have an indeterminate form of type 00 or ∞
∞
.

eg3) Compute the following limits:

a) lim
π−
(sec x − tan x)
x→ 2

√
b) lim ( x2 + x − x)
x→∞

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c) lim (x − ln x)
x→∞

Indeterminate Power
Consider the limit of the form lim [f (x)]g(x) . If
x→a

1. lim f (x) = 0 and lim g(x) = 0, then we have indeterminate form of type 00 .
x→a x→a

lim g(x) = 0, then we have indeterminate form of type ∞0 .

lim f (x) = ∞ and x→a
2. x→a

3. lim f (x) = 1 and lim g(x) = ∞, then we have indeterminate form of type 1∞ .
x→a x→a

To evaluate these type of limits, we take the natural logarithm or exponent of both sides so that we
have an indeterminate product g(x) ln(f (x)) of type 0.∞ which we can rewrite as 00 or ∞
∞
.

eg4) Evaluate the following limits:

3
a) lim xx
x→0

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b) lim x1/x
x→∞

!bx
a
c) lim 1+
x→∞ x

Do Exercise 2.1

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 CURVE SKETCHING
To sketch a curve y = f (x) by hand we follow these guidelines. We take note that not every item is relevant
to every function, for example, a curve might not have an asymptote or symmetry.

GUIDELINES FOR SKETCHING A CURVE

A Domain
B Intercepts
y−int:

x−int:

C Symmetry
If f (−x) = f (x) for all x ∈ Df then f is an

If f (−x) = −f (x) for all x ∈ Df then f is an

D Asymptotes
Horizontal Asymptotes:

Vertical Asymptotes:

E Intervals of Increase or Decrease

F Local Maximum and Minimum Values

G Concavity and Points of Inflection

H Sketch the curve

Using the information in items A–G, draw the graph. Sketch the asymptotes as dashed lines.

2x2
eg1) Use the guidelines to sketch the curve y = .
x2 − 1
A Domain

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B Intercepts

C Symmetry

D Asymptotes

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E Intervals of Increase or Decrease

F Local Maximum and Minimum Values

G Concavity and Points of Inflection

H Sketch the curve

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 √
eg2) Use the guidelines to sketch the curve f (x) = x 5 − x.

A Domain

B Intercepts

C Symmetry

D Asymptotes

E Intervals of Increase or Decrease

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F Local Maximum and Minimum Values

G Concavity and Points of Inflection

H Sketch the curve

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 OPTIMIZATION
STEPS IN SOLVING OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS

1 Understand the Problem

Read the problem carefully and outline the following:
– What is unknown?
– What are the given quantities?
– What are the given conditions?
2 Draw a Diagram
If possible draw a a diagram to understand the given and required quantities.
3 Introduce a notation (symbol) for the quantity to be maximized or minimized for instance Q (use
other symbols x, y, a, b for other unknowns).
4 Express Q in terms of some other unknowns (from 3).
5 Express Q as a function of one variable, by eliminating other symbols so that Q = f (x) and write
down the domain.
6 Use an appropriate method to find the absolute max or min value of f . For instance if the domain
of f is a closed interval, then use the closed interval method.

eg1) A cylindrical can is to be made to hold 1` of oil. Find the dimensions that will minimize the cost of
the metal to manufacture the can.

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 √
eg2) Find the point on the curve y = x that is closest to the point (3, 0).

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eg3) The rate (in mg carbon/m3 /h) at which photosynthesis takes place for a species of phytoplankton is
modeled by the function
100I
P =
I2
+I +4
where I is the light intensity (measured in thousands of foot-candles). For what light intensity is P a
maximum?

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 MACLAURIN SERIES
Maclaurin series are often used to represent certain functions in a form of a series.

∞
X f (n) (0) n
f (x) = x
n=0 n!

eg1) Find the Maclaurin series of the function f (x) = ex .

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eg2) Show that the Maclaurin series of
x3 x 5
sin x = x − + + ...
3! 5!

Exercise 1: What can you say about the Maclaurin series of cos x?

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eg3) Find the first three non-zero terms using Maclaurin series of f (x) = sin x + x cos x.

HW1) What can be said about the Maclaurin representation of ln x?

eg4) Find the first two non-zero terms using Maclaurin series of f (x) = ex ln(1 + x).

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 BINOMIAL EXPANSION
In this topic we want to find a smart way of expanding (a + b)n where n is a positive integer. The Binomial
Theorem assists us.
The Binomial Theorem
Let n be a positive integer, Then
! ! ! !
n n 0 n n−1 n n 0 n
(a + b)n = a b + a b + ... + abn−1 + ab ,
0 1 n−1 n
 
n n!
where the combinatorial r
=n Cr = C(n, r) = .
r!(n − r)!

eg1) Expand:
a) (a + b)5

b) (x + 1)5

c) (3x − y)3

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n
We take note that the rth term is given by r−1
an−(r−1) br−1 .
!12
x
eg2) Determine the sixth term of −y .
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The Binomial Series

If k is any real number and |x| < 1, then
∞
!
k n
(1 + x)k =
X
x .
n=0 n

eg3) Use
√ the Binomial Series to determine the expansion of:
a) 1+x

1
b) √
4−x

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 NEWTON–RAPHSON METHOD
Newton-Raphson’s method is one of the most powerful and well-known numerical methods for solving a
root-finding problem. This method uses tangent lines to approximate the graph of the function near its
x−intercepts.

Newton-Raphson Formula
Newton-Raphson’s method starts with an initial approximation x0 and generates the sequence {xn }∞
n=0 ,
by
f (xn )
xn+1 = xn − 0 for n ≥ 0.
f (xn )

eg1) Let f (x) = x2 − 6. Use Newton-Raphson method to determine the root of the function with an initial
guess of x0 = 1.

eg2) Determine the root of cos x = x correct to six decimal places by using the Newton-Raphson method.

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eg3) Determine the root of x2 − 2x − 5 = 0 correct to three decimal places by using the Newton-Raphson
method.

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