Extreme Values

of a Function
Bilal Ahmed Usmani
Islamic Online University
 Introduction
O This section deals with another application of
derivatives.
O We will start by discussing various types of maximum
and minimum function values and how we find them.
O Finally, we use the derivative to analyze functions-
determining where they are increasing or decreasing,
where they are concave up or down, where (if
anywhere) they have inflection points and so on.
 Extrema
O The word “extrema” is used when
we want to talk about both
maximum function values and
minimum function values.
 Extrema
O For instance, a question may ask you to
find “the extrema” of a function, this
means that you need to find all of the
different types of maximum and
minimum function values for a
function-if indeed it has any at all.
 Types of Extrema
There are two types of extrema,

(1) absolute and

(2) Relative extrema.
 Absolute extrema
If we want to talk about both
absolute maximums and
absolute minimums, we use
the term “Absolute extrema”.
 Relative extrema
And if we want to talk about
both relative maximums and
relative minimums, we use
the term “relative extrema”.
 Absolute Extrema
O Firstly the definition:
O f has an absolute maximum
f (c) at x  c if f (c)  f ( x)x
O f has an absolute minimum
f (c) at x  c if f (c)  f ( x)x
O An absolute maximum is a function value above which the
function never goes. An absolute minimum is a function
value below which the function never goes.
 Absolute Extrema
O Consider f ( x)  x 2  10 . This is an upward
opening parabola with a vertex at (0,10).

O The smallest function value this function

takes on is 10. We say that f has an
absolute minimum of 10 at x  0
x f(x) 120
-10 110
-9 91
-8 74 100
-7 59
-6 46
-5 35 80
-4 26
-3 19
-2 14 60
-1 11
0 10
1 11 40
2 14
3 19
4 26 20
5 35
6 46
7 59 0
8 74 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15
9 91
10 110 f(x)
 Absolute Extrema
O Note that f does not have an
absolute maximum value.

O If you find a function value, I can

always find a larger one!
 Absolute Extrema
O Consider g ( x)  ( x  2)  3.
2

O This is a downward opening parabola with a

vertex at (2,3).
O The largest function value g we can ever get is
3. We can say that it has an absolute maximum
of 3 at. Note that x  2 does not have an
absolute minimum.
x f(x)
-10 -141 20
-9 -118
-8 -97 0
-7 -78
-6 -61 -20 -10 -20 0 10 20
-5 -46
-4 -33
-3 -22 -40
-2 -13
-1 -6 -60
0 -1
1 2 -80
2 3
3
4
2
-1
-100
5 -6
6 -13 -120
7 -22
8 -33 -140
9 -46
10
11
-61
-78
-160
12
13
-97
-118
f(x)
14 -141
 Absolute Extrema
Consider h( x)  x 3.
This
cubic has no absolute
extrema.
 1500

h( x)  x 3 1000

500

0
-15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15
-500

-1000

-1500
 Absolute Extrema
So, we need to realize that not all
functions have absolute extrema,
unless they are continuous functions
defined on a closed interval.
 Absolute Extrema
Now that’s and entirely different
situation. If a function is continuous on
a closed interval it must have both and
absolute maximum and an absolute
minimum. In fact , this is a theorem… A
very famous theorem.
 Extreme Value Theorem
O If f is continuous on a closed interval [a,b],
then f has:

O an absolute maximum f (c) at some x  c [a, b] and

O an absolute minimum f (d ) at some x  d [a, b.]

 Extreme Value Theorem
O This is an existence theorem. It tells us only
that these absolute extrema exist, it does not
tell us how to find them.
O To find these absolute extrema we must first
discuss another type of extrema, relative
extrema, sometimes called local extrema.
 Relative Extrema
O Firstly, the definition:
O f has a relative maximum f (c)at x  c if there
exists an open interval I containing c such that
f (c)  f ( x)x  I
O f has a relative minimum f (d ) at x  d if there
exists an open interval I containing d such that
f (d )  f ( x)x  I
 Relative Extrema
O The easiest way to get an initial idea of what a relative
extrema is, is to look at the graph below:
 Relative Extrema
O The graph of f above has
O Relative maximums at x  b and x  d
O Relative minimums at x  a, x  cand x  e

O We now know what relative extrema are, but haven’t

yet discussed how to find them. To actually find
these relative extrema, we will use our “main tool”,
the derivative.
Relative Extrema
 Relative Extrema
O We say that a function f (x) has a relative
maximum value at x  a , if f (a) is
greater than any value immediately
preceding or following.
O We call it a “relative ” maximum because
other values of the function may in fact be
greater.
O We say that a function f (x) has a relative
maximum value at x  b, if f (b) is less than
any value immediately preceding or following.
O Again, other values of the function may in fact
be less.
O The value of the function, the value of y , at
either a maximum or a minimum is called an
extreme value.
Now what characterizes
the graph at an
extreme value?
O The tangent to the curve is horizontal. We see
this at the points A and B. The slope of each
tangent line – the derivative when evaluated at a
or b – is 0.

f ( x)  0
O Moreover, at points immediately to the left of the maximum
– at a point C – the slope of the tangent is positive:
f ( x)  0
O While at points immediately to the right – at a point D – the
slope is negative f ( x)  0.
O In other words, at a maximum, f (x)changes sign from
positive to negative.
O At a minimum, f (x) changes sign from – to +. We can see
that at the points E and F.
O In the figure -- the critical values are x = a
and x = b
O The critical values determine turning points,
at which the tangent is parallel to the x-axis.
O The critical values – if any – will be the
solutions to f ( x)  0
O We can also observe that at a maximum, at A,
the graph is concave downward.
O While at a minimum, at B, it is concave upward.
O A value of x at which the function has either a
maximum or a minimum is called a critical
value.
 Example 1
O Let f ( x)  x 2  6 x. 5
Are there any critical values – any
turning points? If so, do they
determine a maximum or a minimum?
And what are the coordinates on the
graph of that maximum or minimum?
 Solution 1
• f ( x)  2 x  6 Implies x  3
• It is the only critical value. It is x-coordinate
of the turning point. To determine the y-
coordinate, evaluate f at that critical value –
evaluate f(3): f ( x)  x 2  6 x  5
f (3)  32  6  3  5
 4
 Solution 1
O The extreme value is –4. To see whether it
is a minimum or a maximum, in this case
we can simply look at the graph.
 Solution 1
O f(x) is a parabola, and we can see that the turning point
is a minimum.
O By finding the value of x where the derivative is 0, then
we have discovered that the vertex of the parabola is at
(3,–4).
O But we will not always be able to look at the graph. The
algebraic condition for a minimum is that f’(x) changes
sign from – to +, i.e., the value of slope is increasing.
 Solution 1
O Now to say that the slope is increasing, is to say that,
at a critical value, the second derivative, which is rate
of change of the slope, is positive.
O Again, here is f(x):
f ( x)  x 2  6 x  5
f ( x)  2 x  6
f ( x)  2
 Sufficient Conditions
O We can now state these sufficient conditions for extreme
values of a function at a critical value a:
O The function has a minimum value at x = a if f’(a) = 0 and
f’’(a) = a positive number.
O The function has a maximum value at x = a if f’(a) = 0
and f’’(a) = a negative number.
O In the case of maximum, the slope of the tangent is
decreasing – it is going from positive to negative.
 Solution 1
O f’’ evaluated at a critical value 3

O f’’(3) = 2 is positive. This tells us

algebraically that the critical
value 3 determines a minimum.
 Example 2
O Let f ( x)  2 x 3  9 x 2  12 x  3

O Are there any extreme values? First, are there any

critical values – solutions to f’(x) = 0 – and do
they determine a maximum or a minimum? And
what are the coordinates on the graph of that
maximum or minimum? Where are the turning
points?
 Solution 2
f ( x)  6 x 2  18x  12  6( x 2  3x  2)  0
6( x  1)( x  2)  0
O Implies x = 1 or x = 2
O Those are critical values. Does each one
determine a maximum or does it determine a
minimum? To answer, we must evaluate the
second derivative at each value.
 Solution 2
f ( x)  6 x 2  18 x  12
f ( x)  12 x  18
f (1)  12 1  18  6
O The second derivative is negative. The
function therefore has a maximum at x = 1.
 Solution 2
O To find the y – coordinate – the extreme value –
at that maximum we evaluate f(1):
f ( x)  2 x  9 x  12 x  3
3 2

f (1)  2.1  9.1  12.1  3

3 2

f (1)  2
O The maximum occurs at point (1,2).
 Solution 2
O Next, does x = 2 determine a maximum or
minimum?
f ( x)  12 x  18
f (2)  12.2  18  6
O The second derivative is positive. The
function therefore has a minimum at x = 2.
 Solution 2
O To find the y- coordinate – the extreme value –
at that minimum, we evaluate f(2):
f ( x)  2 x 3  9 x 2  12 x  3
f (2)  2.23  9.22  12.2  3
f (2)  1
O The minimum occurs at the point (2,1).
 Solution 2
O Here in fact is the graph of f(x):