THE extreme Value

theorem
Learning Objectives

• understand the use of extreme value theorem.

• formulate and solve using extreme value theorem.
• Illustrate the intermediate value and extreme
value theorems
EXTREME VALUE THEOREM
• If a function f (x) is continuous on a closed interval
[a,b], then f (x) has both a maximum and a
minimum on [a,b] . If f (x) has an extremum on an
open interval [a,b], then the extremum occurs at a
critical point. This theorem is sometimes also
called the Weierstrass extreme value theorem.
 Find Absolute Extrema

f(x) =3x2 −12x + 5 ,[1,4]

derivative

number
[2,-7] absolute minimum
[4,5] absolute maximum
 Find Local Extrema with the first derivative test
f(x) =2x3 +6x2 –48x

derivative

Now that you’ve got the list of critical number/s, you need to determine
whether peaks or valleys or neither occur at those x-values. You can do
this with first derivative test
1. Take a number line and put down the critical numbers you have found: -4 and 2.

-4 2

You divide this number line into three regions: to the left of -4, from -4 to 2 and to the right of 2.
2. Pick a value from each region, plug it into the first derivative, and note whether your
result is positive or negative.

These three results are, respectively, positive, negative and positive.

3. Take your number line, mark each region with an appropriate positive or negative
sign, and indicate where the function is increasing and decreasing.

It’s increasing where the derivative is positive, and decreasing where the
derivative is negative. The result is so called sign graph for the function.

increasing decreasing increasing

(+) (-) (+)
-4 2

This figure simply tells you what you already know if you’ve looked at
the graph of f − that the function goes up until -4, down from -4 to 2,
and up again from 2 on.
4. Obtaining the function values (in other words, the heights) of these two local extrema by
plugging the x-values into the original function.
Activity

Directions: Find the critical number/s for the following functions. [5 points]

1. f(x)= 5x 2 -30x

2. f(x)=2x3+12x2 + 4

Directions: Find the critical points of the function. [10 points]

f(x)= x3+3x2 -72x

 Assignment

Directions: Find all points of absolute minima and maxima on the given closed interval. [5 points]