 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SIGN OF THE DERIVATIVE.

GRADIENT OF A CURVE
Monotonic increasing or decreasing function:
function is always increasing or decreasing

The first derivative always gives the Reading from left to right:
gradient of the curve & tells us When gradient is +: curve is going up, increasing Q. SHOW THAT is monotonic decreasing.
whether the curve (the value of y) is When gradient is -: curve is going down, decreasing A.
increasing, decreasing or stationary When gradient is 0: curve is stationary
=
HIGHER DERIVATIVES

 STATIONARY POINTS ON CURVES.

Stationary (turning) point: local point where the gradient of the tangent is zero and the tangent is horizontal, f’(x) = 0
To determine the nature of a stationary point, check the gradient either side of the point.
If f(x) is - 0 + ………………. the point is a minimum
If f(x) is + 0 - ………………. the point is a maximum
If f(x) is + 0 + or - 0 - …… the point is a horizontal point of inflexion
Lo cal m in im u m p oin t Lo cal m a x im u m p oin t

Th e cu rve is decreasin g on t h e left an d in creasin g o n th e righ t of th e Th e cu rve is in creasin g o n t h e left an d d ecreasin g on th e righ t o f t h e
m in im u m tu rn in g p o in t. m axim u m tu rn in g p oin t .

x LHS Minim um RHS x LHS Maxim um RHS

f l ]x g <0 0 >0 f l ]x g >0 0 <0

Local m axim u m an d m in im u m p oin ts are also called t u rn in g p o in t s ,

Poin t o f h o rizo n t a l in fl ex io n
as th e cu rve tu rn s arou n d at th ese p o in t s. Th ey can also b e called relative
m axim a o r m in im a.
x LHS Infl exion RHS
f l ]x g >0 0 >0
or <0 0 <0

Make sure when choosing points for the table of values that
Th e cur ve is eith er in creasin g on both sid es of th e in fl exion or it is decreasin g the x value isn’t a stationary point
on bot h sides. It is n ot called a turn in g poin t as t h e cu r ve does n ot t urn
arou n d at t h is poin t .

Horizontal point of inflexion: stationary point

where the concavity of the curve changes
Point of inflexion: point where the curve is
neither concave up/down, but where concavity
changes

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  THE SECOND DERIVATIVE. THE NOTATIONS
 GEOMETRICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SECOND DERIVATIVE.
THE SECOND DERIVATIVE TELLS US
When f”(x) > 0 f’(x) is increasing The curve is concave upwards
WHETHER THE gradient of f(x)
When f”(x) < 0 f’(x) is decreasing The curve is concave downwards is increasing, decreasing or
When f”(x) = 0 f’(x) is stationary If concavity also changes, there is a point of inflexion stationary
If f m]x g> 0 th en f l ]x gis in creasin g. Th is m ean s t h at t h e gr ad ien t o f t h e
If f m]x g< 0 t h en f l ]x gis decreasin g. Th is m ean s th at t h e gradien t of t h e
t a n gen t is in creasin g, t h at is, th e cu r ve is b ecom in g st eep er.
tan gen t is decreasin g. Th at is, th e cu r ve is becom in g less st eep.

Not ice th e d own ward sh ape of th ese cu r ves. Th e cu rve lies below t h e
Not ice th e u pward sh ap e of t h ese cu r ves. Th e cu r ve lies abo ve t h e
tan gen ts. We say t h at th e cu r ve is con ca ve d ow n w a rd s .
t an gen t s. We say th at th e cu r ve is co n cave u p w a rd s . ] g= ] g
If f m]x g= 0 th en f l ]x gis st at ion ar y. Th at is, it is n eit h er in creasin g n or dy dy dy
d ecreasin g. Th is h appen s wh en t h e cu r ve goes from bein g con cave u pwards t o >0 <0 =0
dx dx dx
con cave down ward s, or wh en th e cu r ve ch an ges from con cave down wards to
con cave u pwards. W e say th at t h e cu r ve is ch a n gin g con ca vit y .
d2 y
>0
dx 2

d2 y
<0
dx 2

d2 y
=0
dx 2

Th e curve h as a poin t of in fl exion as lon g as co n ca vit y ch a n ges .

If f l ]x g= 0 an d f m]x g> 0 , th ere is a m in im u m tu rn in g poin t.

If f l ]x g= 0 an d f m]x g< 0 , th ere is a m a x im u m tu rn in g p oin t.

• Min im u m tu rn in g poin t: f l ]x g= 0 , f m]x g> 0 .
• Ma xim u m tu rn in g poin t: f l ]x g= 0 , f m]x g< 0 .
• H orizon ta l in fl exion : f l ]x g= 0 , f m]x g= 0
an d con cavity ch an ges.

If f l ]x g= 0 , f m]x g= 0 an d con cavity ch an ges, t h en th ere is a h o rizo n t a l There is a point of inflexion on y=f(x) at
p o in t of in fl ex ion . x=a if
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2. f”(x) changes sign around x=a
When f’(x) = 0 and f”(x) = 0, there is a
possible horizontal point of inflexion
  THE SKETCHING OF SIMPLE CURVES.

 PROBLEMS ON MAXIMA AND MINIMA

The maximum and minimum turning points of a curve aren’t
necessarily the maximum and minimum values of the
function.
 Relative maximum point: also called local maximum point
 Relative minimum point: also called local minimum point
 Absolute maximum point: greatest value of the curve in
the domain
 Absolute minimum point: least value of the curve in the
domain
To find the maximum/minimum value of a curve: find the
values of the function at the endpoints of the domain and
its turning points

1. Draw a diagram (if not drawn already)

2. Make sure the unknowns are expressed by the same variable
3. Form an equation (if not given)
4. Differentiate twice
5. For maximum/minimum, y’ = 0
6. Check the second derivative for concave up/down
7. Make sure you answer the question

So h = 3 gives a m in im u m V.
W h en h = 1 , V = 2 ]1 g3 - 12 ]1 g2 + 18 ]1 g+ 50
= 58
So th e m axim um volum e is 58 m 3.
2. ABCD is a rectan gle with AB = 10 cm an d BC = 8 cm . Len gth AE = x cm
an d CF = y cm .
(c) Sid e FD = y + 10 an d side ED = x + 8
1
A= bh
2
1
= (y + 10 ) (x + 8 )
2
1
= (xy + 8 y + 10 x + 80 )
2
We n eed t o elim in ate y from t h is eq u atio n .

(a) Sh ow t h at t rian gles AEB an d CBF are sim ilar. If xy = 80 ,

(b) Sh ow t h at xy = 80. 80
320 th en y = x
(c) Sh ow t h at t rian gle EDF h as area given by A = 80 + 5 x + x .

(a) + EAB = + BCF = 90 ° (given ) 80

Sub stitu tin g xy = 80 an d y = x in to th e area equ ation gives:
+ BFC = + EBA (co rresp o n d in g + s, AB < DC )
+ BEA = + FBC (sim ilarly, AD < BC ) A=
1
(xy + 8 y + 10 x + 80 )
` ∆ AEB an d ∆ CBF are sim ilar (AAA) 2
1 80
10 x = ( 80 + 8 $ x + 10 x + 80 )
(b) ` 2
y =8 (sim ilar t rian gles h ave sid es in p ro po rt ion )
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xy = 80
All= Rights
1
( 160 +
Reserved.
640
+ 10 x )
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2 x
320
= 80 + x + 5 x
 TANGENTS AND NORMALS TO CURVES.

 THE PRIMITIVE FUNCTION AND ITS GEOMETRICAL INTERPRETATION .

Primitive function: original function found by anti-differentiation

Sometimes you may know f’(x) and need to find the original function f(x). This process is called anti-differentiation, and the original function is
called the primitive function.
 When intercepts x-axis: gdt = 0 (show stationary points on primitive function)
 When gdt is +: original function is increasing (gdt is + when above x-axis)
 When gdt is -: original function is decreasing (gdt is - when below x-axis)
2 3
 The shape of the curve depends on the power, e.g. x becomes x

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