Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT

UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com

HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Sketching Polynomial curves

General Steps in Sketching Polynomials
1. y-intercept where x=0
2. x-intercept(s) where y=0, factor theorem and synthetic division may be useful here.
3. Leading coefficient a & degree determine the general shape.
degree a>0 a<0
1

4. Local maxima/minima where y’=0, factor theorem and synthetic division may be useful here.
5. Inflection points of where y”=0. Normally, there is one inflection point between each pair of adjacent
local max and local min.
6. Note any symmetry.
Notes:
1. Degree-1 polynomial curves are straight lines.
2. Quadratic (degree-2) polynomial curves are parabolas.
3. For sketching polynomial curves of degree 1 or 2, there is no need to use calculus.
4. For cubic (degree-3) polynomial curve, there is only one inflection point, which is exactly the
midpoint of local max and local min (if the local max and the local min exist).
5. In fact, any cubic polynomial curve is symmetric with respect to its inflection point.
6. Polynomial curves containing only even powers of x are symmetrical w.r.t. (with respect to) x-axis.

∵ f(−x)= f(x)

7. Polynomial curves containing only odd powers of x are symmetrical w.r.t. (with respect to) the

origin (0,0). ∵ f(−x)= −f(x)

 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 1
Prove that any cubic polynomial curve is symmetric with respect to its inflection point.
Solution:
Any cubic polynomial curve can always be moved vertically and/or horizontally such that the inflection
point is at origin (0,0).
Without loss of generality, we assume there is a cubic polynomial curve of arbitrary shape with (0,0) as the
inflection point.

y = ax 3 + bx 2 + cx pass (0,0)
y  = 3ax 2 + 2bx + c
y  = 6ax + 2b
y (0) = 0 (0,0) is inf lection point
6a0+ 2b = 0
b= 0
 y = ax 3 + cx
only odd powers of x
 symmetric w.r.t. (0,0)

Hence, any cubic polynomial curve is symmetric with respect to its inflection point.


 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 2
Sketch the graph of y = x 3 − 3x 2 + 2
Solution:

 y

2
when x = 0, y = 0 − 3(0) + 2 = 2
3 2

x
y − int ercept = 2 1-√
3 1 1+ √
3

when y = 0, 0 = x 3 − 3x 2 + 2
0 = (x −1)(x 2 − 2x − 2)
0 = (x −1)(x −1) 2 − 3
x = 1 or 1 3

Leadingcoefficient=1 0 and degree 3  shape like

localmax/ min y
 y = 0
3x 2 − 3(2) x = 0 2
x2 − 2x = 0
x = 0or 2 x
1-√
3 1 1+ √
3
when x = 0, y = 2
(0,2)islocalmax imum.
when x = 2, y = (2)3 − 3(2) 2 + 2 = −2
(2,-2)
(2,−2)islocalmin imum.
For deg ree3,inf lection po int is
= midpo int of localmaxand localmin
(0,2) + (2,−2)
= = (1,0)
2
deg ree3  symmetricw.r.t.(1,0)
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 3
Sketch the graph of y = −x 3 + 3x 2
Solution:
y

when x = 0, y = −0 3 + 3(0) 2 = 0
y − int ercept = 0

x
when y = 0, 0 = −x 3 + 3x 2 0 3

0 = x 2 (−x + 3)
x = 0,0 or 3

Leadingcoefficient= −1 0 and degree 3  shape like

local max/ min

 y = 0 (2,4)
(1,2)
−3x 2 + 3(2)x = 0
−x 2 + 2x = 0 0
x
3
x = 0 or 2
when x = 0, y = 0
(0,0) is local minimum. 02
when x = 2, y = −(2) + 3(2) 2 = 4
3

(2,4) is local maximum.

For deg ree 3, inf lection point is
= midpoint of local max and local min
(0,0) + (2,4)
= = (1,2)
2
deg ree 3  symmetric w.r.t. (1,2)
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 4
Sketch the graph of y = x 3 − 3x
Solution:

 y

when x = 0, y = 0 3 − 3(0) = 0
y − int ercept = 0 x
- √3
0
√ 3
when y = 0, 0 = x − 3x
3

0 = x(x 2 − 3)
x = 1 or  3

Leadingcoefficient=1 0 and degree 3  shape like

local max/ min
 y = 0
3x 2 − 3 = 0
x =1
when x =  1, y =  1( 1) 2 − 3= 2
y
(−1,2) is local maximum.
(1,−2) is local minimum. (-1,2)
For deg ree 3, inf lection point is
= midpoint of local max and local min
- √3 √3 x
(−1,2) + (1,−2)
= = (0,0) 0
2
(1,-2)
deg ree 3  symmetric w.r.t. (0,0)


 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 5
Sketch the graph of y = x 4 −18x 2 + 81
Solution:

 y
81

y = x 4 −18x 2 + 81
when x = 0, y = 81  y − int ercept x
0 3
when y = 0, 0 = (x − 9)(x − 9)
2 2 -3

0 = (x + 3)(x − 3)(x + 3)(x − 3)

x = 3  x − int ercepts

Leadingcoefficient=1 0 and degree 4  shape like 

local max/ min
 y = 0
y
4 x 3 −18(2)x = 0 81
(x 2 − 9)4 x = 0
( - ? 3 , 36) ( ? 3 , 36)
x = 0 or  3
when x = 3, y = 0.
x
(3,0) are local minima. -3 0 3
when x = 0, y = 81.
(0,81) is local maximum.
For inf lection point s,
 y  = 0
4(3)x 2 −18(2) = 0
x2 − 3 = 0
x =  3, y = ( 3) 4 −18( 3) 2 + 81
y = 9 −18(3) + 81 = 36
inf ection point s = ( 3,36)

y depends only on x2⇒the curve is symmetric with respect to y-axis.

 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 6
Sketch the graph of y = x 4 − 2x 3 + 2x −1
Solution:
1 −2 0 2 −1
 1 1 −1 −1 1
y = x 4 − 2x 3 + 2x −1
when x = 0, y = −1  y − int ercept 1 −1 −1 1 0
y = (x + 1)(x −1) 3
synthetic division 1 1 0 −1
when y = 0, x = −1,1,1,1  x − int ercepts 1 0 −1 0
Also (1,0) is inf lection point 1 1 1
1 1 0
Leadingcoefficient=1 0 and degree 4  shape like 
local max/ min  y  = 0

y
y = (x + 1)(x −1) 3

y  = (x + 1)(x −1) 3 + (x + 1)(x −1) 3  = 0

-1 0 1
1(x −1) 3 + (x + 1)3(x −1) 2 = 0 x
(x −1+ 3x + 3)(x −1) 2 = 0
(4 x + 2)(x −1) 2 = 0
1 -1
x = − ,1 or 1
2
1 1 1 27 (-1/ 2 , -27/1 6)
local minimum at when x = − , y = (− + 1)(− −1) 3 = −
2 2 2 16

For inf lection point s,

 y  = 0

(4 x + 2)(x −1)2 = 0

(2x + 1)(x −1)2 = 0
(2x + 1)(x −1) 2 + (2x + 1)(x −1) 2  = 0
2(x −1) 2 + (2x + 1)2(x −1) = 0
(x −1) 2 + (2x + 1)(x −1) = 0
(x −1+ 2x + 1)(x −1) = 0
3x(x −1) = 0
x = 0 or1
 (0,−1) and (1,0) are inf lection point s.