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Module 4 : Local / Global Maximum / Minimum and Curve Sketching

Lecture 10 : Sufficient conditions for increasing / decreasing [Section 10.1]
Objectives
In this section you will learn the following :
How the knowledge about the derivatives of a function helps us to draw conclusions regarding
the increasing / decreasing nature of the function.

The key result that helps us to deduce conclusions about nature of a function
about its derivative function

from the knowledge

is the following:

10.1.1Theorem:
Let

be differentiable. Then the following hold:

10.1.1Theorem:
Let

be differentiable. Then the following hold:

Proof:
To prove (i), let

for all

. Let

with

. Then, by the mean value

theorem for
Since

, we have
for all

, we get

Thus,
Hence,
(i). In fact, if
increasing in

, for all
implies that is increasing in
proving the only if part of
for all
, then the above argument also tells us that is strictly
, proving (iii). To prove the converse statement in (i), suppose that is

increasing in

.Then for all

. Hence,

.
This proves (i). Proof of (ii) is similar to that of (i) and of (iv) is similar to that of (iii), and are
left as exercises.

Click here to see a visualization: Applet 10.1

10.1.2Examples:
(i)

Let

Thus

(ii)

Let

. Thus

is increasing in the interval

and decreasing in

Then
.
Thus,

.
Thus

(iii)

Let

Then,

is strictly increasing in

and strictly decreasing in

is differentiable everywhere, except

. Further,

Since

strictly decreasing in

and strictly increasing in

10.1.3Remarks:
(i)

is necessary. For example

In part (i) of the theorem the condition

some

need not imply

is strictly increasing in a neighborhood of

for

. For this, consider the

function

Then,

is differentiable at

with

. But,

is neither strictly increasing nor decreasing

in any neighborhood of

for all

(ii) In theorem 10.1.2 we showed that

, implies that

. However, the converse of this need not hold, i.e.,

imply

. For example

is strictly increasing in

strictly increasing in

is strictly increasing in every interval

, but

need not
.

10.1.4Definitions:
Let
(i) We say

.
is locally order preserving if there exists some
whenever

(ii) We say

is locally order reversing if there exists some

whenever

such that
.
such that
.

10.1.5Example:
Let

Then, for

Thus,

, we have

. Hence,

is locally order preserving.

We state next a theorem which helps us to analyze local order preserving functions. Before that we
prove an important result.
Theorem (Sign of Limit):

10.1.6
Let

be such that

(i) If

exists.

, then there exists some

such that

whenever

, then there exists some

(ii) If

such that

whenever

10.1.6Theorem (Sign of Limit)

Let

be such that

(i) If

exists.

, then there exists some

whenever

(ii) If

such that

.
, then there exists some

whenever

such that

Proof:
We prove (i), proof of (ii) is similar.
. Then given

Let

there exists

such that

whenever

i.e.,

whenever

10.1.7Theorem (Derivative test

Let

for local order preserving):

be such that

is differentiable at

(i) If

, then

is locally order preserving at

(ii) If

, then

is locally order reversing at

.
.

10.1.7Theorem (Derivative test for local order preserving):

Let

be such that

is differentiable at .

(i) If

, then

is locally order preserving at .

(ii) If

, then

is locally order reversing at .

Proof:
We prove (i), proof of (ii) is similar. Since
exists,
by theorem 10.1.6, there exists

such that

whenever
Thus

whenever

and

whenever

Thus
Hence

for
is locally order preserving at .

please refer web site for quiz

PRACTICE EXCERCISES
1. For the following functions find the intervals in which the functions are increasing, decreasing:
(i)

(ii)

(iii)
(iv)
(v)
2. Show that
(i)
(ii)

3. Find a polynomial function

which has all the following properties:

(i) Decreasing in

(ii) Increasing in
(iii)

4. Show that

.
.

for every

5. In the following statements, prove if you think they are true, give examples if they are false: for
functions
on
:
(i) If

are increasing, then

(ii) If

are increasing, than so in

6. Give examples of functions

is also increasing.
.

on

with the following properties:

(i)

are both increasing but

(ii)

are both strictly increasing, but

(iii)

are both increasing and

7. Let

is decreasing.
is a constant function.
is also increasing.

and

.If

is continuous, is increasing in

and

also increasing

.
Show that

is increasing in

Using this, prove the following:

is increasing in

8. State a result corresponding to exercise 7 for decreasing functions and use that to show that
is decreasing

Recap
In this section you have learnt the following
How the knowledge about the derivatives of a function helps us to draw conclusions regarding
the increasing / decreasing nature of the function.

[Section 10.2]
Objectives
In this section you will learn the following :
How the knowledge about the derivatives of a function helps us to draw conclusions regarding
the points of local maximum / minimum for the function.

In this section we analyze the problem of locating point of local maximum/minimum for a function.

10.2.1Theorem (continuity test

for local maximum/minimum):

Let
(i) If

is increasing in an interval

, then

has a local maximum at

(ii) If
then

and decreasing in an interval

, for some

and increasing in an interval

, for some

is decreasing in an interval
has a local minimum at

10.2.1Theorem (continuity test for local maximum/minimum):

Let
(i) If is increasing in an interval
, then
has a local maximum at .
(ii) If is decreasing in an interval
, then
has a local minimum at .

and decreasing in an interval

and increasing in an interval

, for some

, for some

Proof:
We prove (i), proof of (ii) is similar. Let

Then, by the given condition,

get

. Letting

and using the continuity of

at . We

Similarly,

Hence,

has a local maximum at .

10.2.2Examples:
Let

We want to find
decreasing in

such that

has a local maximum at

. Since

, by theorem 10.2.1, it will have a local maximum at

is increasing in

and

if it is continuous at

. That will be so if

10.2.3Remark:
In theorem 10.2.1 , the continuity for the function

at the point

is necessary. For example

consider the function:

Then,

is not continuous at

and has no local maximum/minimum.

A sufficient condition for the existence of local maxima/minima in terms of the first derivative is given in
the next theorem.

10.2.4Theorem ( First derivative test

Let
(i)

for local maxima/minima):

and be such that

If there exists some

then,

, such that

has a local maximum at

exists in

with

10.2.7Theorem (Second derivative test

Let

is continuous at

for local maximum/ minimum):

(i) If

exists in

has a local maximum at

(ii) If

for some

and

exists with

, then

exists in

for some

then
has a local minimum at

with

with

and

exists with

10.2.7 Theorem (Second derivative test for local Maximum):

Let

(i) If
exists in
then
has a local maximum at .

for some

with

and

exists with

(ii) If
exists in
then
has a local minimum at .

for some

with

and

exists with

Proof:
We give a proof of (i), proof of (ii) is similar. Consider

there exists

. Since

such that

Hence,

Now by the first derivative test,

10.2.8Local

has local maximum at

maximum/ minimum procedure:

In view of Lemma 9.1.5, the possible points in the domain of a function

, where

can

have local maximum/ minimum are the following:

(i) The end points of closed intervals, if any, contained in
(ii) The points at which
(iii) The interior points of

is not differentiable.
such that

These points of (ii) and (iii) are called critical points of

probable points for local maximum/minimum for

. These points provide a complete list of

. Now we can apply theorems 10.1.1, 10.2.4 and

10.2.7 to analyze for local maximum/ minimum at these points. Note that,
maximum/minimum at a critical point.

10.2.9Examples:
(i) Let
(ii) Let

.
The function is differentiable everywhere and

need not have a local

Thus, the critical points are

. However, none of these points is a point of local

maximum/ minimum since

please refer web site for quiz

PRACTICE EXCERCISES
1.

In the following the derivative function

which

.
.

(ii)
.

(iii)
.

(iv)

For the following functions, find the critical points and points of local maximum / minimum.
.

(i)

(ii)
.

(iii)

(iv)
3.

is given. Find the critical points, the intervals on

is increasing / decreasing and the points of local maximum/minimum.

(i)

2.

of a function

Find the intervals in which the function

local maximum / minimum of

4. Consider the cubic

roots,
then show that

is increasing/ decreasing. Also find points of

.
, where

are real numbers. If

has three distinct real

by proving the following:

(i)
(ii)

(iii)

5. In each case, find a function

exists:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

which satisfies all the given conditions, or else show that no such function

(iv)
6. Show that a cubic polynomial can have atmost three distinct real roots.
7. Let

be such that

exists and is continuous. If

has three distinct zeros in

that
will have at least one real zero in

Recap

In this section you have learnt the following

How the knowledge about the derivatives of a function helps us to draw conclusions regarding
the points of local maximum / minimum for the function.

, show