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Concavity/Convexity
1. f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

When is this function concave and when is it

convex?
Examples
a.
b.
c.
d.

f(x) = -3x2 + 2x + 5
f(x) = 1000x2 - 5x + 1500
f(x) = (2/3) x2 (1/5)x + (3/4)
f(x) = (-3/13) x2 (1/6)x + 12

Inflection Points
Inflection points are points at which a function
changes from being convex to being concave.

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Inflection Points
1000

500

500

1000

1000

500

500

1000

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Test for Inflection Points

Let f be a function with a continuous second
derivative in an interval I, and suppose that c
is an interior point of I.
a. If c is an inflection point of f, then f(c)=0.
b. If f(c)=0 and f changes sign at c, then c is an
inflection point for f.

Find possible inflection points

1. f(x) = (1/9)x3 (1/6)x2 (2/3)x + 1

50

10

10

50

100

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Find possible inflection points

2. f(x) = x2ex
1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

10

Find possible inflection points

3. f(x) = x3 + (3/2)x2 6x + 10
1000

500

10

10

500

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Find possible inflection points

4. Find numbers a and b such that the graph of
f(x) = ax3 + bx2
passes through (-1,1) and has an inflection point at x = 1/2.
0.4

0.2

1.0

0.5

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

0.2