Concavity and Second Derivative Test with first derivative test

Concavity
Concave UP Concave DOWN

Inflection point: Where concavity changes

Inflection Point
Consider the slope as curve changes through concave up to concave down
At inflection point slope reaches maximum positive value Slope starts negative

Slope Becomes Slopebecomes becomes zero less negative (horizontal) positive, then more positive

After inflection point, slope becomes less positive Graph of the slope

Inflection Point
What could you say about the slope function when the original function has an inflection point
Slope function has a maximum (or minimum Thus second derivative = 0

Graph of the slope

Second Derivative
This is really the rate of change of the slope When the original function has a relative minimum
Slope is increasing (left to right) and goes

through zero Second derivative is positive Original function is concave up

Second Derivative
When the original function has a relative maximum
The slope is decreasing (left to right) and goes

through zero The second derivative is negative The original function is concave down
View Geogebra Demo

Second Derivative
If the second derivative f (x) = 0
The slope is neither increasing nor decreasing

If f (x) = 0 at the same place f (x) = 0

The 2nd derivative test fails You cannot tell what the function is doing

f ''( x) 12 x

f ( x) x
Not an inflection point

Example
Consider

f ( x) x 3 x 4
3

Determine f (x) and f (x) and when they are zero

f '( x) 3x 3 0 when x 1 f ''( x) 6 x 0 when x 0

2

Example
f ( x) x 3 x 4
3
f (x)

f (x) = 0, f(x) > 0, this is concave up, a relative minimum

f(x)

f (x) = 0, f (x) < 0 this is concave down, a maximum f (x)

f (x) = 0 this is an inflection point

Summary
Interval x<-1 x=-1 f(x) f(x) + 0 -2 -4 -6 f(x) Information obtained f is increasing, concave downward (-1, -2) is relative maximum

-1<x<0
x=0 0<x<1 x=1 1<x

0 +

0 + + +

f is decreasing, concave downward

(0,-4) is a point of inflection f decreasing, concave upward (1,-6) is relative minimum f is increasing, concave upward

Try this!
f(x)=x6/6 -5x4/4 +2x2

f (x) = ? f (x) = ? Where are relative max, min, inflection point?

Algorithm for Curve Sketching

Determine critical points
Places where f (x) = 0

Plot these points on f(x) Use second derivative f(x) = 0

Determine concavity, inflection points

Use x = 0 (y intercept) Find f(x) = 0 (x intercepts) Sketch