Derivatives and Shapes of Graphs
Derivatives and Shapes of Graphs
Objectives
- Explain how the sign of the first derivative affects the shape of a function’s graph.
- State the first derivative test for critical points.
- Use concavity and inflection points to explain how the sign of the second derivative affects the shape of a function’s graph.
- Explain the concavity test for a function over an open interval.
- Explain the relationship between a function and its first and second derivatives.
- State the second derivative test for local extrema.
Summary
The critical numbers of a continuous function \(f\) are the values of \(p\) for which \(f'(p) = 0\) or \(f'(p)\) does not exist. These values are important because they identify horizontal tangent lines or corner points on the graph, which are the only possible locations at which a local maximum or local minimum can occur.
Given a differentiable function \(f\text{,}\) whenever \(f'\) is positive, \(f\) is increasing; whenever \(f'\) is negative, \(f\) is decreasing. The first derivative test tells us that at any point where \(f\) changes from increasing to decreasing, \(f\) has a local maximum, while conversely at any point where \(f\) changes from decreasing to increasing \(f\) has a local minimum.
Given a twice differentiable function \(f\text{,}\) if we have a horizontal tangent line at \(x = p\) and \(f''(p)\) is nonzero, the sign of \(f''\) tells us the concavity of \(f\)and hence whether \(f\) has a maximum or minimum at \(x = p\text{.}\) In particular, if \(f'(p) = 0\) and \(f''(p) \lt 0\text{,}\) then \(f\) is concave down at \(p\) and \(f\) has a local maximum there, while if \(f'(p) = 0\) and \(f''(p) \gt 0\text{,}\) then \(f\) has a local minimum at \(p\text{.}\) If \(f'(p) = 0\) and \(f''(p) = 0\text{,}\) then the second derivative does not tell us whether \(f\) has a local extreme at \(p\) or not.