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Applications of Differentiation

Section 3.1

Extrema on an Interval
Understand the definition of extrema of a function on an interval.
Understand the definition of relative extrema of a function on an open interval.
Find extrema on a closed interval.

Extrema of a Function

Maximum

(2, 5)

In calculus, much effort is devoted to determining the behavior of a function f on an

interval I. Does f have a maximum value on I? Does it have a minimum value? Where
is the function increasing? Where is it decreasing? In this chapter you will learn how
derivatives can be used to answer these questions. You will also see why these
questions are important in real-life applications.

f(x) = x 2 + 1

Definition of Extrema

Let f be defined on an interval I containing c.

Minimum

(0, 1)

(a) f is continuous, 
1, 2 is closed.

y
5

Not a
maximum

f(x) = x 2 + 1

3
2

Minimum

(0, 1)

Maximum

(2, 5)

g(x) =
3

x 2 + 1, x 0
2,
x=0

Not a
minimum
x

(c) g is not continuous, 
1, 2 is closed.

Extrema can occur at interior points or
endpoints of an interval. Extrema that occur at
the endpoints are called endpoint extrema.

Figure 3.1

A function need not have a minimum or a maximum on an interval. For instance,

in Figure 3.1(a) and (b), you can see that the function f
x  x 2  1 has both a
minimum and a maximum on the closed interval 
1, 2, but does not have a maximum on the open interval

1, 2. Moreover, in Figure 3.1(c), you can see that
continuity (or the lack of it) can affect the existence of an extremum on the interval.
This suggests the theorem below. (Although the Extreme Value Theorem is intuitively
plausible, a proof of this theorem is not within the scope of this text.)

(b) f is continuous,

1, 2 is open.

1. f
c is the minimum of f on I if f
c f
x for all x in I.

2. f
c is the maximum of f on I if f
c f
x for all x in I.
The minimum and maximum of a function on an interval are the extreme
values, or extrema (the singular form of extrema is extremum), of the function
on the interval. The minimum and maximum of a function on an interval are
also called the absolute minimum and absolute maximum on the interval.

THEOREM 3.1

The Extreme Value Theorem

If f is continuous on a closed interval a, b, then f has both a minimum and a
maximum on the interval.

E X P L O R AT I O N

Finding Minimum and Maximum Values The Extreme Value Theorem (like
the Intermediate Value Theorem) is an existence theorem because it tells of the
existence of minimum and maximum values but does not show how to find
these values. Use the extreme-value capability of a graphing utility to find the
minimum and maximum values of each of the following functions. In each case,
do you think the x-values are exact or approximate? Explain your reasoning.
a. f
x  x 2
4x  5 on the closed interval 
1, 3
b. f
x  x 3
2x 2
3x
2 on the closed interval 
1, 3

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SECTION 3.1

Hill
(0, 0)

2
3

165

Relative Extrema and Critical Numbers

f(x) = x 3 3x 2

Extrema on an Interval

Valley
(2, 4)

In Figure 3.2, the graph of f
x  x 3
3x 2 has a relative maximum at the point

0, 0 and a relative minimum at the point
2,
4. Informally, you can think of a
relative maximum as occurring on a hill on the graph, and a relative minimum as
occurring in a valley on the graph. Such a hill and valley can occur in two ways. If
the hill (or valley) is smooth and rounded, the graph has a horizontal tangent line at
the high point (or low point). If the hill (or valley) is sharp and peaked, the graph
represents a function that is not differentiable at the high point (or low point).

f has a relative maximum at
0, 0 and a

relative minimum at
2,
4.
Figure 3.2

f(x) =

Relative
maximum

9(x2 3)
x3

(3, 2)

Definition of Relative Extrema

1. If there is an open interval containing c on which f
c is a maximum, then f
c
is called a relative maximum of f, or you can say that f has a relative
maximum at c, f c

.
2. If there is an open interval containing c on which f
c is a minimum, then f
c
is called a relative minimum of f, or you can say that f has a relative
minimum at c, f c

.
The plural of relative maximum is relative maxima, and the plural of relative
minimum is relative minima.

Example 1 examines the derivatives of functions at given relative extrema. (Much

more is said about finding the relative extrema of a function in Section 3.3.)

2
4

The Value of the Derivative at Relative Extrema

EXAMPLE 1
(a) f
3  0

Find the value of the derivative at each of the relative extrema shown in Figure 3.3.
y

Solution

f(x) = x 3

a. The derivative of f
x 

2
1

x 3
18x

9
x 2
3
3x 2

x 3 2
9
9
x 2

.
x4

f
x 

Relative
minimum

1
1

(0, 0)

f(x) = sin x

1
2

(c) f

( 2 , 1) Relative
maximum

Relative 3
, 1
minimum 2

2   0; f32  0

Figure 3.3

f
x
f
0
 lim

x0
x0
x
0
f
x
f
0
lim
 lim
x0 
x0
x
0
lim

3
2

Simplify.



Differentiate using Quotient Rule.

At the point
3, 2, the value of the derivative is f
3  0 [see Figure 3.3(a)].
b. At x  0, the derivative of f
x  x does not exist because the following
one-sided limits differ [see Figure 3.3(b)].

(b) f
0 does not exist.

9
x 2
3
is
x3

x 
1

Limit from the left



Limit from the right

x
x
1
x

c. The derivative of f
x  sin x is

f
x  cos x.
At the point
2, 1, the value of the derivative is f
2  cos
2  0. At the
point
32,
1, the value of the derivative is f
32  cos
32  0 [see
Figure 3.3(c)].

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Applications of Differentiation

Note in Example 1 that at the relative extrema, the derivative is either zero or does
not exist. The x-values at these special points are called critical numbers. Figure 3.4
illustrates the two types of critical numbers.

Definition of a Critical Number

Let f be defined at c. If f
c  0 or if f is not differentiable at c, then c is a
critical number of f.
y

f (c) does not exist.

f (c) = 0

Horizontal
tangent

c is a critical number of f.
Figure 3.4

THEOREM 3.2

Relative Extrema Occur Only at Critical Numbers

If f has a relative minimum or relative maximum at x  c, then c is a critical

number of f.

Proof

Mary Evans Picture Library

Case 1: If f is not differentiable at x  c, then, by definition, c is a critical number

of f and the theorem is valid.
Case 2: If f is differentiable at x  c, then f
c must be positive, negative, or 0.
Suppose f
c is positive. Then
f
c  lim

xc

f
x
f
c
> 0
x
c

which implies that there exists an interval
a, b containing c such that

PIERRE DE FERMAT (16011665)

For Fermat, who was trained as a lawyer,
mathematics was more of a hobby than a
profession. Nevertheless, Fermat made many
contributions to analytic geometry, number
theory, calculus, and probability. In letters to
friends, he wrote of many of the fundamental
ideas of calculus, long before Newton or
Leibniz. For instance, the theorem at the right
is sometimes attributed to Fermat.

f
x
f
c
> 0, for all x  c in
a, b.
x
c

[See Exercise 72(b), Section 1.2.]

Because this quotient is positive, the signs of the denominator and numerator must
agree. This produces the following inequalities for x-values in the interval
a, b.
Left of c:
x < c and f
x < f
c
Right of c: x > c and f
x > f
c

f
c is not a relative minimum

f
c is not a relative maximum

So, the assumption that f 
c > 0 contradicts the hypothesis that f
c is a relative
extremum. Assuming that f 
c < 0 produces a similar contradiction, you are left with
only one possibilitynamely, f 
c  0. So, by definition, c is a critical number of f
and the theorem is valid.

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SECTION 3.1

Extrema on an Interval

167

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

Theorem 3.2 states that the relative extrema of a function can occur only at the critical
numbers of the function. Knowing this, you can use the following guidelines to find
extrema on a closed interval.

Guidelines for Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

To find the extrema of a continuous function f on a closed interval a, b, use
the following steps.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Find the critical numbers of f in
a, b.

Evaluate f at each critical number in
a, b.
Evaluate f at each endpoint of a, b.
The least of these values is the minimum. The greatest is the maximum.

The next three examples show how to apply these guidelines. Be sure you see that
finding the critical numbers of the function is only part of the procedure. Evaluating
the function at the critical numbers and the endpoints is the other part.
EXAMPLE 2

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

Find the extrema of f
x  3x 4
4x 3 on the interval 
1, 2.

Solution Begin by differentiating the function.
f
x  3x 4
4x 3
f 
x  12x 3
12x 2

f 
x  12x 3
12x 2  0

12x 2
x
1  0
x  0, 1

(2, 16)
Maximum

12
8

(1, 7)

(0, 0)
1

Differentiate.

To find the critical numbers of f, you must find all x-values for which f
x  0 and
all x-values for which f
x does not exist.

y
16

Write original function.

(1, 1)
Minimum

f(x) = 3x 4 4x 3

On the closed interval 
1, 2, f has a

minimum at
1,
1 and a maximum
at
2, 16.

Set f 
x equal to 0.

Factor.
Critical numbers

Because f  is defined for all x, you can conclude that these are the only critical
numbers of f. By evaluating f at these two critical numbers and at the endpoints of

1, 2, you can determine that the maximum is f
2  16 and the minimum is
f
1 
1, as shown in the table. The graph of f is shown in Figure 3.5.
Left
Endpoint

Critical
Number

Critical
Number

Right
Endpoint

f

1  7

f
0  0

f
1 
1
Minimum

f
2  16
Maximum

Figure 3.5

In Figure 3.5, note that the critical number x  0 does not yield a relative
minimum or a relative maximum. This tells you that the converse of Theorem 3.2 is
not true. In other words, the critical numbers of a function need not produce relative
extrema.

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Applications of Differentiation

EXAMPLE 3

(0, 0) Maximum
2

(1, 1)

Find the extrema of f
x  2x
3x 23 on the interval 
1, 3.

Solution Begin by differentiating the function.

)3, 6 3 3 9 )

f
x  2x
3x23
2
x 13
1
f 
x  2
13  2
x
x 13

Minimum
(1, 5)

On the closed interval 
1, 3, f has a

minimum at

1,
5 and a maximum
at
0, 0.
Figure 3.6

( 2, 3 ) Maximum
f(x) = 2 sin x cos 2x

Critical
Number

Critical
Number

Right
Endpoint

f

1 
5
Minimum

f
0  0
Maximum

f
1 
1

3
f
3  6
3 
9 
0.24

(0, 1)

2
3

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

Solution This function is differentiable for all real x, so you can find all critical
numbers by differentiating the function and setting f 
x equal to zero, as shown.

( 32 , 1)

Differentiate.

Find the extrema of f
x  2 sin x
cos 2x on the interval 0, 2.

2
1

Left
Endpoint

EXAMPLE 4

Write original function.

From this derivative, you can see that the function has two critical numbers in the
interval 
1, 3. The number 1 is a critical number because f 
1  0, and the
number 0 is a critical number because f 
0 does not exist. By evaluating f at these
two numbers and at the endpoints of the interval, you can conclude that the minimum
is f

1 
5 and the maximum is f
0  0, as shown in the table. The graph of f
is shown in Figure 3.6.

f(x) = 2x 3x 2/3

Finding Extrema on a Closed Interval

(2, 1)

f
x  2 sin x
cos 2x

f 
x  2 cos x  2 sin 2x  0
2 cos x  4 cos x sin x  0
2
cos x
1  2 sin x  0

( 76 , 32 ) (116 , 32 )
Minima

On the closed interval 0, 2 , f has

two minima at
7 6,
32 and

11 6,
32 and a maximum at

 2, 3.
Figure 3.7

Write original function.

Set f
x equal to 0.
sin 2x  2 cos x sin x
Factor.

In the interval 0, 2, the factor cos x is zero when x  2 and when x  32.
The factor
1  2 sin x is zero when x  76 and when x  116. By evaluating
f at these four critical numbers and at the endpoints of the interval, you can conclude
that the maximum is f
2  3 and the minimum occurs at two points,
f
76 
32 and f
116 
32, as shown in the table. The graph is shown
in Figure 3.7.

Left
Endpoint

Critical
Number

f
0 
1

2   3

Maximum

Critical
Number
f

76 
32
Minimum

Critical
Number
f

32 
1

Critical
Number

Right
Endpoint

116 
32

f
2 
1

Minimum

indicates that in the HM mathSpace CD-ROM and the online Eduspace system
for this text, you will find an Open Exploration, which further explores this example using the
computer algebra systems Maple, Mathcad, Mathematica, and Derive.

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SECTION 3.1

Exercises for Section 3.1

See www.CalcChat.com for worked-out solutions to odd-numbered exercises.

In Exercises 1 and 2, decide whether each labeled point is an

absolute maximum or minimum, a relative maximum or minimum, or neither.
1.

2.

In Exercises 912, approximate the critical numbers of the

function shown in the graph. Determine whether the function
has a relative maximum, relative minimum, absolute maximum,
absolute minimum, or none of these at each critical number on
the interval shown.

B
C

3
x

D
x

10.

9.

In Exercises 3 8, find the value of the derivative (if it exists) at

each indicated extremum.
3. f
x 

169

Extrema on an Interval

x
x2  4

4. f
x  cos

11.

x
2

5
y

12.

2
2

(0, 0)

1
1

27
2x 2

7. f
x 
x  2



8. f
x  4
x
y

4
x

23

(2, 0)

1
2

16. f
x 

17. h
x  sin 2 x  cos x

18. f
  2 sec   tan 

4x
x2  1

0 <  < 2

2x  5
, 0, 5
3

19. f
x  2
3
x, 
1, 2

20. f
x 

21. f
x 
x 2  3x, 0, 3

22. f
x  x 2  2x
4, 
1, 1

3
23. f
x  x 3
x 2, 
1, 2
2

24. f
x  x 3
12x, 0, 4

25. y  3x 23
2x, 
1, 1

3
x, 
1, 1
26. g
x  

29. h
s 

2
2

15. g
t  t4
t, t < 3

(0, 4)

14. g
x  x 2
x 2
4

27. g
t 

13. f
x  x 2
x
3

1
1

2
2

In Exercises 1936, locate the absolute extrema of the function

on the closed interval.

2 ( 1, 0)
1

0 < x < 2

2, 2 3 2
3 3

(3, 92 )

In Exercises 1318, find any critical numbers of the function.

(2, 1)

6. f
x 
3xx  1

5. f
x  x 

1
x

(0, 1)

t2

t2
, 
1, 1
3

1
, 0, 1
s
2

31. y  3
t
3 , 
1, 5
1
33. f
x  cos  x, 0,
6
35. y 

28. f
x 
30. h
t 

t
, 3, 5
t
2

32. f
x  x, 
2, 2

 
34. g
x  sec x,
,
6 3

4
x
 tan
, 1, 2
x
8

 

36. y  x
2
cos x, 
1, 3

2

2x
, 
2, 2
x2  1

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Applications of Differentiation

In Exercises 37 40, locate the absolute extrema of the function

(if any exist) over each interval.

Writing About Concepts

37. f
x  2x
3

38. f
x  5
x

(a) 0, 2

(b) 0, 2

(a) 1, 4

(b) 1, 4

In Exercises 53 and 54, graph a function on the interval

[2, 5] having the given characteristics.

(c)
0, 2

(d)
0, 2

(c)
1, 4

(d)
1, 4

39. f
x  x 2
2x

40. f
x  4
x 2

(a) 
1, 2 (b)
1, 3

(a) 
2, 2 (b) 
2, 0

(c)
0, 2

(c)

2, 2 (d) 1, 2

(d) 1, 4

In Exercises 4144, sketch the graph of the function. Then locate

the absolute extrema of the function over the given interval.
2x  2,
4x2,


2
x ,
42. f
x  
2
3x,
41. f
x 

0, 3

1 x < 3
,
3 x 5

1, 5

3
,
1, 4
x
1

44. f
x 

2
, 0, 2
2
x

In Exercises 5558, determine from the graph whether f

has a minimum in the open interval a, b
.
55. (a)

0 x 1
,
1 < x 3

43. f
x 

53. Absolute maximum at x 
2, absolute minimum at

x  1, relative maximum at x  3
54. Relative minimum at x 
1, critical number at x  0,
but no extrema, absolute maximum at x  2, absolute
minimum at x  5

(b)

In Exercises 45 and 46, use a graphing utility to graph the

function. Then locate the absolute extrema of the function over
the given interval.

56. (a)

(b)

45. f
x  x 4
2x3  x  1, 
1, 3

x
46. f
x  x  cos ,
2

0, 2

In Exercises 47 and 48, (a) use a computer algebra system to

graph the function and approximate any absolute extrema on
the given interval. (b) Use the utility to find any critical numbers, and use them to find any absolute extrema not located at
the endpoints. Compare the results with those in part (a).

57. (a)

(b)

47. f
x  3.2x 5  5x 3
3.5x, 0, 1

48. f
x 

4
x3
x,
3

0, 3

In Exercises 49 and 50, use a computer algebra system to find

the maximum value of f
x
on the closed interval. (This
value is used in the error estimate for the Trapezoidal Rule, as
discussed in Section 4.6.)

49. f
x  1  x3,

50. f
x 

1
,
x2  1

0, 2
1
, 3
2

58. (a)

(b)
y

In Exercises 51 and 52, use a computer algebra system to find

the maximum value of f 4 x
on the closed interval. (This
value is used in the error estimate for Simpsons Rule, as
discussed in Section 4.6.)
1
, 
1, 1
51. f
x 
x  1 23, 0, 2
52. f
x  2
x 1

f
x

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SECTION 3.1

59. Power The formula for the power output P of a battery is

P  V I
R I 2, where V is the electromotive force in volts,
R is the resistance, and I is the current. Find the current
(measured in amperes) that corresponds to a maximum value of
P in a battery for which V  12 volts and R  0.5 ohm.
Assume that a 15-ampere fuse bounds the output in the interval
0 I 15. Could the power output be increased by replacing
the 15-ampere fuse with a 20-ampere fuse? Explain.
60. Inventory Cost A retailer has determined that the cost C of
ordering and storing x units of a product is
300,000
,
C  2x 
x

1 x 300.

The delivery truck can bring at most 300 units per order. Find
the order size that will minimize cost. Could the cost be
decreased if the truck were replaced with one that could bring
at most 400 units? Explain.
61. Lawn Sprinkler A lawn sprinkler is constructed in such a
way that ddt is constant, where  ranges between 45 and
135 (see figure). The distance the water travels horizontally is
x

v 2 sin 2
,
32

45  135

where v is the speed of the water. Find dxdt and explain why
this lawn sprinkler does not water evenly. What part of the lawn
receives the most water?
= 105

= 45

32

v2

v2
64

64

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION For more information on the

geometric structure of a honeycomb cell, see the article The
Design of Honeycombs by Anthony L. Peressini in UMAP
Module 502, published by COMAP, Inc., Suite 210, 57 Bedford
Street, Lexington, MA.
True or False? In Exercises 6366, determine whether the
statement is true or false. If it is false, explain why or give an
example that shows it is false.
63. The maximum of a function that is continuous on a closed
interval can occur at two different values in the interval.
64. If a function is continuous on a closed interval, then it must
have a minimum on the interval.
65. If x  c is a critical number of the function f, then it is also a
critical number of the function g
x  f
x  k, where k is a
constant.
66. If x  c is a critical number of the function f, then it is also a
critical number of the function g
x  f
x
k, where k is a
constant.
67. Let the function f be differentiable on an interval I containing
c. If f has a maximum value at x  c, show that
f has a minimum value at x  c.
68. Consider the cubic function f
x  ax 3  bx2  cx  d
where a  0. Show that f can have zero, one, or two critical
numbers and give an example of each case.

= 75

= 135

v2

171

Extrema on an Interval

v2
32

69. Highway Design In order to build a highway, it is necessary

to fill a section of a valley where the grades (slopes) of the sides
are 9% and 6% (see figure). The top of the filled region will
have the shape of a parabolic arc that is tangent to the two
slopes at the points A and B. The horizontal distance between
the points A and B is 1000 feet.

Water sprinkler: 45 135

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION For more information on the

calculus of lawn sprinklers, see the article Design of an
Oscillating Sprinkler by Bart Braden in Mathematics Magazine.
To view this article, go to the website www.matharticles.com.
62. Honeycomb The surface area of a cell in a honeycomb is
S  6hs 

3s 2
2

3
cos 

sin 

where h and s are positive constants and  is the angle at which

the upper faces meet the altitude of the cell (see figure). Find the
angle 
6  2 that minimizes the surface area S.

1000 ft
A

9%

grad

Highway
B
de
6% gra

Not drawn to scale

(a) Find a quadratic function y  ax 2  bx  c,
500

x 500, that describes the top of the filled region.
(b) Construct a table giving the depths d of the fill for
x 
500,
400,
300,
200,
100, 0, 100, 200, 300,
400, and 500.
(c) What will be the lowest point on the completed highway?
Will it be directly over the point where the two hillsides
come together?