1. First and Second Derivative Test for Relative Extrema
Lesson 4-3
First and Second Derivative Test for Relative Extrema

2. Objectives
Understand and use the First Derivative Test to determine min’s and max’s
Understand and use the Second Derivative Test to determine min’s and max’s

3. Vocabulary Increasing – going up or to the right
Decreasing – going down or to the left
Inflection point – a point on the curve where the concavity changes

4. First Derivative Test for Critical Points
Examine the behavior of the first derivative close to the critical value. If the sign of the first derivative changes before and after the critical value, then a relative extrema has occurred. Most folks like to use a table like those below.
x = c
f’ > 0 for x < c
f’ < 0 for x > c
Relative Max
x = c
f’ > 0 for x > c
f’ < 0 for x < c
Relative Min
Relative Max
x < c
x = c
x > c
Sign of f’(x) + -
Relative Min
x < c
x = c
x > c
Sign of f’(x) - +

5. Example 1
Determine analytically where f(x) = x / (1 + x²) is increasing or decreasing
f’(x) = (1 + x²) (1) – (2x) (x) / (1 + x²)²
= (1 – x²) / (1 + x²)²
f’(x) > 0 if |x| < so -1 < x < increasing
f’(x) < 0 if |x| > so x < -1 or x > decreasing

6. Example 2
Use the first derivative test to determine relative extrema for
f(x) = x4 – 4x3
f’(x) = 4x³ - 12x² = 4x² (x – 3)
f’(x) = 0 if x = 0 or if x = 3
Interval x < < x < x > 3
f’(x)
Since we have a slope going from – to + at x = 3,
we have a relative minimum at x = 3. f(3) = -27

7. Example 3 Determine the concavity and inflection points of
f(x) = x⅔(1-x)
f’(x) = (2 – 5x) / (3x⅓)
f’’(x) = -2(5x + 1) / (9x4/3)
f’’(x) = 0 at x = -1/5 and f’’(x) = undefined at x = 0
Interval x < -1/ /5 < x < x > 0
f’’(x)
Therefore f(x) is concave up until x = -1/5 where it has an
Inflection point and it is concave down afterwards

8. Second Derivative Test for Critical Points
Examine the sign of the second derivative close at the critical value. If the sign of the second derivative is negative, then the function is concave down at that point and a relative maximum has occurred. If the sign of the second derivative is positive, then the function is concave up at that point and a relative minimum has occurred.
Relative Max
Relative Min
x = c
x = c
Relative Max
x = c
Sign of f’’(x) -
Relative Min
x = c
Sign of f’’(x) +
Note: rate of change of first derivative is always negative.
Note: rate of change of first derivative is always positive.

9. Example 4
Use the second derivative test to identify relative extrema for
g(x) = ½ x – sin x for (0,2π).
g’(x) = ½ - cos x
g’(x) = 0 at π/3 and 5π/3
g’’(x) = sin x
g’’(π/3 ) = √3/ g’’(5π/3 ) = -√3/2
Therefore since g’’(π/3) > 0 a minimum occurs there and since g’’(5π/3) < 0 a maximum occurs there.

10. Example 5
Use the second derivative test to determine relative extrema for
f(x) = x4 – 4x3
f’(x) = 4x³ - 12x² = 4x² (x – 3)
f’(x) = 0 at x = 0 and x = 3
f’’(x) = 12x² - 24x = 12x (x – 2)
f’’(0) = 0 and f’’(3) = 36
Therefore a relative minimum occurs at x = 3

11. Example 6
Sketch the graph of f(x) over [0,6] satisfying the following conditions:
f(0) = f(3) = 3
f(2) = 4
f(4) = 2
f(6) = 0
f’(x) > 0 on [0,2)
f’(x) < 0 on (2,4)(4,5]
f’(2) = f’(4) = 0
f’(x) = -1 on (5,6)
f’’(x) < 0 on (0,3) (4,5)
f’’(x) > 0 on (3,4) y x

12. Graphing Summary Using Information from Derivatives
f(x) = x4 – 4x3 = x3(x – 4)
f’(x) = 4x3 – 12x2 = 4x2(x – 3)
f’’(x) = 12x2 – 24x = 12x (x – 2)
Interval
Values or Signs
Comments
f(x)
f’(x)
f’’(x)
x-axis
Slope
Concave
(-∞, 0) + -
above
decreasing up
Inflection point – change in concavity
(0,2)
below
down 2
-16
(2,3) 3
-27 36
Relative (and Absolute) Min
(3,4)
increasing 4 64 96
crosses
(4, ∞)

13. Intervals - Table Notation
f(x) = x4 – 4x3 = x3(x – 4)
f’(x) = 4x3 – 12x2 = 4x2(x – 3)
f’’(x) = 12x2 – 24x = 12x (x – 2)
Intervals
(-∞,0)
0,2) 2
(2,3) 3
(3,4) 4
(4,∞)
f(x) + -
-16
-27
f’(x) - slope 64
f’’(x) - concavity 36 96
Notes: IP
y=0
min

14. Summary & Homework Summary:
First derivative test looks at the slope before and after the critical value
Second derivative test looks at the concavity of the function at the critical value