AP Calculus

Sec 5.1 Analysis of Functions I - Increase, Decrease and Concavity

1. Increasing and Decreasing Functions

f ( x)
Let f be defined on an interval and let a, b, c, d denote points on that interval. Suppose that a < b < c < d . Then, a b c d

A function f is _____________ on an interval if f (a ) < f (b) whenever a < b and a and b are points in the interval. This means that the graph goes _____________________________. Tangent lines are ______________ ___________ A function f is _____________ on an interval if f (b) > f (c) whenever b < c and b and c are points in the interval. This means that the graph goes _____________________________. Tangent lines are ______________ ___________ A function f is _____________ on an interval if f (c ) = f (d ) whenever c < d and c and d are points in the interval. This means that the graph ____________. Tangent lines have ______________ ___________ Steps to finding the intervals on which a function is increasing or decreasing 1) Set up a sign chart for f '( x ) using the critical points. The critical points occur where f '( x ) ______ or f '( x ) __________________. These are break points in which the graph could possibly change directions. 2) On each interval determined by the critical points, pick a point at random and plug it into f '( x ) . 3) If a point gives a positive value for f '( x ) , then you know that f '( x ) is positive on the interval, and hence that the function _____________. Put a "+" above the interval and draw an upwardsloping line below it. 4) Likewise, if a point gives a negative value for f '( x ) , then you know that f '( x ) is negative on the interval, and hence that the function _____________. Put a "-" above the interval and draw a downward-sloping line below it. Example 1 Find the intervals on which the functions are increasing and decreasing. Justify your answer. a) f ( x ) = x 2 + 2 x + 2

Calculus Section 5.1 Page 1 of 4

b) f ( x ) = 2 x 3 3x 2 12 x

2. Concavity

f ( x)
Let f be differentiable on an open interval I. Suppose a < b < c . Then,

A function f is _________________ on an open interval if f '( x ) is increasing ___________ (Think concave up holds water.) A function f is _________________ on an open interval if f '( x ) is decreasing ___________ (Think concave down spills water.) A point where the graph changes concavity is called an _____________________. What do these conditions mean geometrically? Consider the curve below. The tangent line A has negative slope, the tangent line B has zero slope, and the tangent line C has positive slope. Therefore, as you move from left to right, the slope of the tangent line ____________. But the slope of the tangent line is given by f '( x ) , and to say something increases means its derivative is positive. So the derivative of f '( x ) --- which is _____ --- must be positive. By the definition, this means the curve is _________________. Now consider the curve below. The tangent line at A has positive slope, the tangent line at B has zero slope, and the tangent line at C has negative slope. As you move from left to right, the slope of the tangent line ____________. The slope of the tangent line is given by f '( x ) , and to say something decreases means its derivative is negative. So the derivative of f '( x ) --- which is f "( x ) --- must be negative. By the definition, this means the curve is _________________. Calculus Section 5.1 Page 2 of 4

The two pictures exemplify the geometric meanings of concave up and concave down.

Steps to finding the intervals of concavity 1. Set up a sign chart for f "( x ) using the critical points. The critical points occur where f "( x ) ______ or f "( x ) __________________. These are break points in which the graph could possibly change concavity. 2. On each interval determined by the critical points, pick a point at random and plug it into f "( x ) . 3. If a point gives a positive value for f "( x ) , then you know that f "( x ) is positive on the interval, and hence that the function is ________________. Put a "+" above the interval and draw a below it. 4. Likewise, if a point gives a negative value for f "( x ) , then you know that f "( x ) is negative on the interval, and hence that the function is __________________. Put a "-" above the interval and draw a below it.

Example 2 The graph of a function is pictured below. Determine the intervals on which the function is concave up and the intervals on which it is concave down. Find the x-coordinates of any inflection points.

Note that concavity is a property of a graph on an _______ interval, so the endpoints aren't included. Example 2 Find the intervals on which the functions are concave up or concave down. Find any inflection points. a) f ( x ) = x 4

Calculus Section 5.1 Page 3 of 4

b) y =

1 4 1 3 x + x 3x 2 + 6 4 2

c) f ( x ) =

x2 + 1 x2 1

Calculus Section 5.1 Page 4 of 4