151ch4 3-5

4.
3 Derivatives and the Shapes of Curves

What does f 0 say about f ?
If f 0 (x) > 0 on an interval, then f is INCREASING on that interval.
If f 0 (x) < 0 on an interval, then f is DECREASING on that interval.
The First Derivative Test: Suppose 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, then f does not have a local maximum or minimum at c.
Given the graph of f 0 below, find the following:

(a) The places where f has a horizontal tangent line.
(b) The intervals on which f is increasing and decreasing.
(c) The values of x at which f has a local maximum or minimum.
1
What does f 00 say about f ?
If f 00 (x) > 0 on an interval, then f 0 is increasing (slopes are becoming bigger), which means
f is CONCAVE UP.
If f 00 (x) < 0 on an interval, then f 0 is decreasing (slopes are becoming smaller), which means
f is CONCAVE DOWN.
If a function changes concavity at x = a (i.e., the 2nd derivative changes sign), then f has an INFLECTION
POINT at x = a (provided x = a is in the domain of f .)
Given the graph of f 0 below, find the following. Then, sketch a possible graph of f .
(a) Intervals where f is increasing or decreasing.
(b) Values of x where f has a local maximum or minimum.
(c) Intervals where f is concave up or concave down.
(d) Values of x where f has an inflection point.
2
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.
If f 0 (c) = 0 and f 00 (c) = 0, the test is inconclusive, so you would need to use the First Derivative Test.
Example:
Suppose for a graph f that f 0 (5) = 0 and f 00 (5) = −3. What can be said about the graph of f at x = 5?
Sketch a possible graph of a continuous function f that satisfies the following properties:
•f (−4) = 0 and f (3) = −4
•f has y-intercept (0, 2)
•f 0 (x) > 0 on the intervals (−∞, −2) and (3, ∞)
•f 0 (x) < 0 on the interval (−2, 3)
•f 00 (x) > 0 on the interval (−∞, −4)
•f 00 (x) < 0 on the interval (−4, 3) ∪ (3, ∞)
• lim f (x) = −5
x→−∞
• lim f (x) = 4
x→∞
3
For the given functions, find the following:
A) Domain
B) Asymptotes
C) Intercepts
D) Intervals of increase/decrease
E) Local Extrema
F) Intervals of Concavity
G) Inflection Points
H) Sketch a graph
f (x) = 14 x4 − 3x3
4
2x + 3 −2(x + 4) 00 2(2x + 13)
f (x) = 2
, f 0 (x) = 3
, f (x) = [Verify these on your own.]
(x − 1) (x − 1) (x − 1)4
5
f (x) = (2 + 3 ln x)2
6
√
Find intervals of increase/decrease and any local extrema for the function f (x) = x2 x + 3.
Suppose that f is continuous and has a domain all real numbers. Given f 00 (x) below, find all inflection
points for f .
f 00 (x) = e−x (x − 1)2 (5 − x)
7
4.4 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule
We have seen limits in the past that take the form 00 , ∞
∞ , and ∞ − ∞. When we encountered these, we had
to do something else...algebra, simplification, factoring...to be able to find the limit. These types of limits
are examples of indeterminate forms.
f (x) 0 ∞
If lim = or , then we can use L’Hospital’s Rule to find the limit.
x→a g(x) 0 ∞
f (x) 0 ∞
L’Hospital’s Rule: Suppose f and g are differentiable functions. If lim = or , then
x→a g(x) 0 ∞
f (x) f 0 (x)
lim = lim 0
x→a g(x) x→a g (x)
−∞ −∞ ∞
Notes: The limit could also be of the form −∞ , ∞ , or −∞ .
f (x) 0
If lim = ∞, this is NOT indeterminate: The limit is 0.
x→a g(x)
f (x) ∞
If lim = 0 , this is NOT indeterminate: The limit will be ∞ or −∞.
x→a g(x)
ex − 1
(1) lim
x→0 sin 3x
(ln x)3
(2) lim
x→∞ x2
8
Indeterminate Products: If lim f (x)g(x) = 0 · ∞, this limit is indeterminate. Why?
x→a
1 2 3 5
lim ·x lim ·x lim · x2
x→∞ x x→∞ x2 x→∞ x2
0 ∞
To find the limit, the goal is to write the indeterminate product in the form 0 or ∞ and use L’Hospital’s
Rule.
(1) lim csc x · ln(1 + sin 7x)
x→0+
(2) lim xex

x→−∞
9
Indeterminate Difference: If lim [f (x) − g(x)] = ∞ − ∞, this limit is indeterminate. To find the limit, first
x→a
use algebra and, if necessary, L’Hospital’s Rule.
2x + 1 1

lim −
x→0+ sin x x
Indeterminate Powers: If lim [f (x)]g(x) is of the form 00 , ∞0 , or 1∞ , these are indeterminate. These cases
x→a
are treated by first taking the natural logarithm, which will make the limit of the form 0 · ∞. Then, proceed
as we did with indeterminate products. However, we must remember to “undo” the natural logarithm to
find our final answer. (Note that 0∞ is NOT an indeterminate form. A limit of this form will be 0.)
x2
4

(1) lim 1+ 2
x→∞ x
10
(2) lim xtan x
x→0+
(3) lim (ex + x)1/x

x→∞
0 ±∞
Summary: There are 7 basic indeterminate forms: , , ∞ − ∞, 0 · ∞, 00 , ∞0 , 1∞ .
0 ±∞
11
4.5 Summary of Curve Sketching
For the given functions, find the following:
A) Domain
B) Asymptotes
C) Intercepts
D) Intervals of Increase/Decrease
E) Local Extrema
F) Intervals of Concavity
G) Inflection Points
H) Sketch a Graph
f (x) = x4 e−x
12
ln x
f (x) =
x
13

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4.

3 Derivatives and the Shapes of Curves

The First Derivative Test: Suppose c is a critical number of a continuous function f .

Given the graph of f 0 below, find the following:

(2) lim xex

(3) lim (ex + x)1/x

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