Additional exercise

5.4 Graphical interpretation of first

and second derivatives
1 Find the intervals where f(x) is increasing or decreasing.

a x ) 3x 2 − 1
f (= b f (x) = 2 x

2 For the function f (x ) =x 3 − 2 x 2 + x , find and classify any turning points.

3 The cubic function f (x ) = x 3 + bx + c has a local maximum at (−1, 3). Find the coordinates of
the local minimum.
2
4 Find the second derivative of f (x ) = 3x 3 .

d 2y
( x + a) and
3
5 Given that y = 6 x − 3, find the value of a.
=
dx 2

6 For each function find

i any points of inflection

ii intervals where it is concave up

iii intervals where it is concave down.

a=
y 2 x 4 − 3x 2

b y = x 4 − 4 x 3 − 18 x 2 + 2 x − 1

7 Copy the graph and on the same axes sketch the graphs of the first and second derivatives.

© Oxford University Press 2019 Additional exercise 1

 Additional exercise

Answers

1 a Increasing when x > 0, decreasing when x < 0.

b Always increasing

2 f ′(x )= 3x 2 − 4 x + 1= (3x − 1) ( x − 1)
1
So stationary points at x = 1,
3
1
f ′′(x ) =
6 x − 4 so >0 at x = 1, < 0 at x =
3
1 4 
So maximum at  ,  , minimum at (1, 0 )
 3 27 

3 f (−1)= 3 ⇒ −1 − b + c = 3 ⇒ b − c = −4

f ′(−1) = 0 ⇒ 3 + b = 0 ⇒ b = −3, c = 1
So f (x ) = x 3 − 3x + 1
f ′(=
x ) 3x 2 − 3
So other stationary point is at (1, − 1) and it is a minimum since f ′′(1) > 0.

1
− 2 −4
4 f ′(x ) =
2 x 3 ⇒ f ′′(x ) =
− x 3
3

dy d 2y 1
5 =3(x + a)2 ⇒ =6(x + a) ⇒ a =−
dx dx 2 2

dy d 2y
6 a i
dx
= 8x 3 − 6 x ⇒
dx 2
= 24 x 2 − 6= 6 x 2 − 1( )
So points of inflexion at (−1, −1), (1, −1)

ii Concave up when x < −1, x > 1

iii Concave down when −1 < x < 1

dy d 2y
b i
dx
= 4 x 3 − 12 x 2 − 36 x + 2 ⇒
dx 2
( )
= 12 x 2 − 24 x − 36= 12 x 2 − 2 x − 3 = 12 ( x − 3) ( x + 1)

So points of inflexion at (−1, −16), (3, −184)

ii Concave up when x < −1, x > 3

iii Concave down when −1< x < 3
7

© Oxford University Press 2019 2