MAT1005

WEEK 11

Chapter 4

Graphing and
Optimization

Section 4
Curve Sketching
Techniques
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 Modifying the Graphing Strategy

When we summarized the graphing strategy in a previous

section, we omitted one very important topic: asymptotes.
Since investigating asymptotes always involves limits, we can
now use L’Hôpital’s rule as a tool for finding asymptotes for
many different types of functions. The final version of the
graphing strategy is as follows on the next slide.

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 Graphing Strategy

 Step 1. Analyze f (x)

• Find the domain of f.
• Find the intercepts.
• Find asymptotes
 Step 2. Analyze f ´(x)
• Find the partition numbers and critical values of f ´(x).
• Construct a sign chart for f ´(x).
• Determine the intervals where f is increasing and
decreasing
• Find local maxima and minima
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 Graphing Strategy
(continued)
 Step 3. Analyze f ´´(x).
• Find the partition numbers of f ´´(x).
• Construct a sign chart for f ´´(x).
• Determine the intervals where the graph of f is
concave upward and concave downward.
• Find inflection points.
 Step 4. Sketch the graph of f.
• Draw asymptotes and locate intercepts, local max
and min, and inflection points.
• Plot additional points as needed and complete the
sketch
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 Example
x
Analyze f (x) = − x
e
x
Step 1.Analyze f (x) = − x
e
Domain: All reals
x and y-intercept: (0,0)
x
Horizontal asymptote: lim − x Apply L'Hopital's rule
x→-∞ e

1
= lim − x = lim − e x = 0
x→-∞ −e x→-∞

So y = 0 is a horizontal asymptote as x → –∞ .
There is no vertical asymptote.
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 Example
(continued)
Step 2 Analyze f ′(x)
d x x d
f ′(x) = x e + e x
dx dx
= xe x + e x = e x (x + 1)

Critical value for f (x): –1

Partition number for f ´(x): –1
A sign chart reveals that f (x) decreases on (–∞, –1), has
a local min at x = –1, and increases on (–1, ∞)

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 Example
(continued)
Step 3. Analyze ′′(x)
d d x
f ′′(x) = ex
(x + 1) + (x + 1) e
dx dx
= e x + (x + 1)e x = e x (x + 2)
Partition number is − 2.
A sign chart reveals that the graph of f is concave
downward on (–∞, –2), has an inflection point at x = –2,
and is concave upward on (–2, ∞).

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 Example
(continued)
Step 4. Sketch the graph of f using the information
from steps 1-3.

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 Chapter 4

Graphing and
Optimization

Section 5
Absolute Maxima and
Minima

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 Absolute Maxima and Minima

Definition:
f (c) is an absolute maximum of f if f (c) > f (x) for all x in
the domain of f.
f (c) is an absolute minimum of f if f (c) < f (x) for all x in
the domain of f.

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Barnett/Ziegler/Byleen Business Calculus
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 Extreme Value Theorem

Theorem 1. (Extreme Value Theorem)

A function f that is continuous on a closed interval [a, b] has
both an absolute maximum value and an absolute minimum
value on that interval.

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 Finding Absolute Maximum
and Minimum Values

Theorem 2. Absolute extrema (if they exist) must always

occur at critical values or at end points.
a. Check to make sure f is continuous over [a, b] .
b. Find the critical values in the interval (a, b).
c. Evaluate f at the end points a and b and at the critical values
found in step b.
d. The absolute maximum on [a, b] is the largest of the values
found in step c.
e. The absolute minimum on [a, b] is the smallest of the values
found in step c.
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 Example

Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum value of

on [–1, 7]. f ( x) = x − 6 x 3 2

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 Example

Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum value of

on [–1, 7]. f ( x) = x − 6 x 3 2

a. The function is continuous.

b. f ´(x) = 3x2 – 12x = 3x (x – 4).
Critical values are 0 and 4.
c. f (–1) = –7, f (0) = 0,
f (4) = –32, f (7) = 49
The absolute maximum is 49.
The absolute minimum is –32.
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 Second Derivative Test

Theorem 3. Let f be continuous on interval I with only one

critical value c in I.
If f ´(c) = 0 and f ´´(c) > 0, then f (c) is the absolute
minimum of f on I.
If f ´(c) = 0 and f ´´(c) < 0, then f (c) is the absolute maximum
of f on I.

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Second Derivative and Extrema

f ´(c) f ´´(c) graph of f f (c) is

is
0 + concave up local
minimum
0 – concave local
down maximum
0 0 ? test fails

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 Example
(continued)

Find the local maximum and minimum values

of f ( x) = x − 6 x on [–1, 7].
3 2

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 Example
(continued)

Find the local maximum and minimum values

of f ( x) = x − 6 x on [–1, 7].
3 2

a. f ´(x) = 3x2 – 12x = 3x (x – 4).

f ´´(x) = 6x – 12 = 6 (x – 2)
b. Critical values of 0 and 4.
f ´´(0) = –12, hence f (0) local maximum.
f ´´(4) = 12, hence f (4) local minimum.

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 Finding an Absolute Extremum
on an Open Interval
Example: Find the absolute minimum value of
f (x) = x + 4/x on (0, ∞).
Solution:
4
f (x) = x +
x
4 x 2 − 4 (x − 2)(x + 2)
f ′(x) = 1− 2 = 2
= 2
Critical values are − 2 and 2
x x x
8
f ′′(x) = 3
x
The only critical value in the interval (0, ∞) is x = 2. Since
f ´´(2) = 1 > 0, f (2) is the absolute minimum value of f on (0,
∞)
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 Summary

■ All continuous functions on closed and bounded intervals have

absolute maximum and minimum values.
■ These absolute extrema will be found either at critical values
or at end points of the intervals on which the function is
defined.
■ Local maxima and minima may also be found using these
methods.

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