Chapter 9

Differentiation
 Differentiation
The process of finding the derivative
function is called differentiation.
The derivative of a polynomial function
 Notation
•  
 Lecture 9

Increasing and Decreasing

Functions
 Graphs

increasing decreasing

Sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing

Increasing/decreasing on an interval

y = f(x)

f is decreasing on [a,b], increasing on [c,d]

f is neither decreasing nor increasing on [a,d], [b,c], [b,d]

 Formal Definitions (important)
• The function f is (strictly)
increasing on the interval
(a,b) if for any a <x<y<b
it is true that f(x)<f(y)

• The function f is (strictly)

decreasing on the
interval (a,b) if for any a
<x<y<b it is true that
f(x)>f(y)
 Maybe not strictly
• The function f is
nondecreasing on the
interval (a,b) if for any a
<x<y<b it is true that)
f( x ) f( y )

• The function f is (strictly)

nonincreasing on the
interval (a,b) if for any a
<x<y<b it is true that
f( y ) f( x )
- Derivatives and the shapes
of graphs

- Curve Sketching
Derivatives and the shapes of graphs
Increasing / Decreasing Test:
(a) If f ′ (x) > 0 on an interval, then f is increasing on
that interval.
(b) If f ′ (x) < 0 on an interval, then f is decreasing on
that interval.

Example: Find where the function f (x) = x3 – 1.5x2 – 6x + 5 is

increasing and where it is decreasing.
Solution: f ′ (x) = 3x2 – 3x – 6 = 3(x + 1)(x - 2)
f ′ (x) > 0 for x < -1 and x > 2 ;
thus the function is increasing on (-, -1) and (2, ) .
f ′ (x) < 0 for -1 < x < 2 ;
thus the function is decreasing on (-1, 2) .
The First Derivative Test: Suppose that c is a critical number of a
continuous function f.
(a) If f ′ is changing from positive to negative at c, then f has a
local maximum at c.
(b) If f ′ is changing from negative to positive at c, then f has a
local minimum at c.
(c) If f ′ does not change sign at c, then f has no local maximum or
minimum at c.

Example(cont.): Find the local minimum and maximum values of the

function f (x) = x3 – 1.5x2 – 6x + 5.
Solution: f ′ (x) = 3x2 – 3x – 6 = 3(x + 1)(x - 2)
f ′ is changing from positive to negative at -1 ; so f (-1) = 8.5 is a local
maximum value ;
f ′ is changing from negative to positive at 2 ; so f (2) = -5 is a local
minimum value.
 Concave upward and downward
Definition:
(a) If the graph of f lies above all of its tangents on an
interval, then f is called concave upward on that
interval.
(b) If the graph of f lies below all of its tangents on an
interval, then f is called concave downward on
that interval.

Concave Concave
upward downward
 Inflection Points
Definition:
A point P on a curve y = f(x) is called an inflection point if
f is continuous there and the curve changes
from concave upward to concave downward or
from concave downward to concave upward at P.

Inflection
points
 What does f ′ ′ say about f ?
Concavity test:
(a) If f ′ ′ (x) > 0 for all x of an interval, then the graph of f is
concave upward on the interval.
(b) If f ′ ′ (x) < 0 for all x of an interval, then the graph of f is
concave downward on the interval.

Example(cont.): Find the intervals of concavity of the

function f (x) = x3 – 1.5x2 – 6x + 5.
Solution: f ′ (x) = 3x2 – 3x – 6 f ′ ′ (x) = 6x - 3
f ′ ′ (x) > 0 for x > 0.5 , thus it is concave upward on (0.5, ) .
f ′ ′ (x) < 0 for x < 0.5 , thus it is concave downward on (-, 0.5) .
Thus, the graph has an inflection point at x = 0.5 .
 Using f ′ ′ to find local extrema
The second derivative test: Suppose f is continuous near c.
(a) If f ′ (c) = 0 and f ′ ′ (c) > 0 then f has a local minimum
at c.
(b) If f ′ (c) = 0 and f ′ ′ (c) < 0 then f has a local maximum
at c.

Example(cont.): Find the local extrema of the

function f (x) = x3 – 1.5x2 – 6x + 5.
Solution: f ′ (x) = 3x2 – 3x – 6 = 3(x + 1)(x - 2) ,
so f ′ (x) =0 at x=-1 and x=2
f ′ ′ (x) = 6x - 3
f ′ ′ (-1) = 6*(-1) – 3 = -9 < 0, so x = -1 is a local maximum
f ′ ′ (2) = 6*2 – 3 = 9 > 0, so x = 2 is a local minimum
Summary of what y ′ and y ′ ′ say about the curve
First derivative:
y is positive Curve is rising.

y is negative Curve is falling.

y is zero Possible local maximum or

minimum.

Second derivative:
y is positive Curve is concave up.

y is negative Curve is concave down.

y is zero Possible inflection point

(where concavity changes).
Example(cont.): Sketch the curve of f (x) = x3 – 1.5x2 – 6x + 5.
From previous slides,
f ′ (x) > 0 for x < -1 and x > 2 ; thus the curve is increasing on (-, -1)
and (2, ) .
f ′ (x) < 0 for -1 < x < 2 ; thus the curve is decreasing on (-1, 2) .
f ′ ′ (x) > 0 for x > 0.5 ; thus the curve is concave upward on (0.5, ) .
f ′ ′ (x) < 0 for x < 0.5 ; thus the curve is concave downward on (-,
0.5)
(-1, 8.5) is a local maximum; (2, -5) is a local minimum.
(0.5, 1.75) is an inflection point.

(-1, 8.5)

(0.5, 1.75)

-1 2
(2, - 5)
 Curve Sketching
Guidelines for sketching a curve:
A. Domain
Determine D, the set of values of x for which f (x) is defined
B. Intercepts
• The y-intercept is f(0)
• To find the x-intercept, set y=0 and solve for x
C. Symmetry
• If f (-x) = f (x) for all x in D, then f is an even function and the
curve is symmetric about the y-axis
• If f (-x) = - f (x) for all x in D, then f is an odd function and the
curve is symmetric about the origin
D. Asymptotes
• Horizontal asymptotes
• Vertical asymptotes
Guidelines for sketching a curve (cont.):
E. Intervals of Increase or Decrease
f is increasing where f ′ (x) > 0
f is decreasing where f ′ (x) < 0
F. Local Maximum and Minimum Values
Find the critical numbers of f ( f ′ (c)=0 or f ′ (c) doesn’t exist)
If f ′ is changing from positive to negative at a critical number c, then
f (c) is a local maximum
If f ′ is changing from negative to positive at a critical number c, then
f (c) is a local minimum
G. Concavity and Inflection Points
f is concave upward where f ′ ′ (x) > 0
f is concave downward where f ′ ′ (x) < 0
Inflection points occur where the direction of concavity changes
H. Sketch the Curve
 3
Features of +x Graphs
The original function is… f(x) is… y is…
6 y

5
Stationary 4

Decreasing Increasing
2

1
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1

-2

Increasing -3
Stationary
-4

-5

-6
 Investigate the tangents of +x3 Graphs

The slope function is… f’(x) is… dy/dx is…

6 y

Slope values 2
are decreasing
1
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
Point of
Inflection -1
= Slope values
slopes stop are increasing
decreasing-2
and start -3
increasing
-4

-5

-6
 Features of the Slope Function Graph
Reading the features of the graph of the slope function from
the original function
6 y
Turning Point
of the slope
5 function:
slope function = 0 (cuts x-axis) where slopes
dy/dx= 0 4 turn from
decreasing to
3 increasing = Slope values
min
2 are increasing
Slope values →slope function
1
are decreasing increasing
x
→slope function -2
-6 -5 -4 -3 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
decreasing
-1

-2

-3
dy/dx= 0
-4 slope function = 0 (cuts x-axis)

-5

-6

Slope Function: U shaped (positive cubic graph will have

Minimum
positive derivative point at same x value as the point
graph)
ofCuts x-axis at the x values of the turning
inflection
The slope function is… f’(x) is… dy/dx is…
6 y
ORIGINAL FUNCTION
5 =0
dy/dx= 0; slope function
4 y = f(x)
3 Turning Point:
Slope values Decreasing to
are decreasing 2 increasing
1 = min pt
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1 Slope values
-2 are increasing

-3
-4 dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0

-5
-6
6 y
5
SLOPE
4
FUNCTION

Slope values
3 y = f’(x)
Slope values
are decreasing 2 are increasing
1

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5
x
6 x
dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0 -1 dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0
-2
Turning Point:
-3
Decreasing to
increasing
-4
= min pt
-5
-6
 Also, we can read where the slope function is above and
++
below the + + +from
x-axis + + 0the - -original
- - - - - -function
--
0 + + + + + + 65+y
4

Slopes
3
2
Slopes Slopes
are-3
1 are are x
-6 -5 -4 -2
positive
-1
-1 negative
1 2 3 4
positive
5 6

-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
6 y
5
4
Slope 3 Slope
Function 2
1 Function
-6 -5 -4 above
-3 x--2 -1 1 2 above
3 x-
4 5
x
6
-1
axis -2 axis
Slope
-3
-4
Function
-5

below
-6
x-
 At what rate is the slope function changing? f’’(x) is…
d2y/dx2 is...

6 y

How fast is the 5

4
rate of decrease
3
of the slopes? 2

1
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1
How fast
-2
is the rate
-3

-4
of increase
-5
of the
-6
slopes?
Finding the rate of change of the rate of change…. Finding
the second derivative
 A step further to investigate the tangents of the slope
function. 6 y
Second Derivative Function is…5 =0
dy/dx= 0; slope function f’’(x) is… ORIGNAL
d2y/dx2 is...
4 FUNCTION
Slope values
are decreasing
3
2
Turning Point:
Decreasing to y = f(x)
increasing
1 = min pt
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1 Slope values
-2 are increasing

-3
-4 dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0

-5
-6
6 y
5
SLOPE
4
FUNCTION

Slope values
3 y = f’(x)
Slope values
are decreasing 2 are increasing
1
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0 -1 dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0
-2
Turning
-3 Point:
Decreasing to
-4increasing
-5= min pt
-6
 6 y
5
SLOPE
4
FUNCTION

Slope values
3 y = f’(x)
Slope values
are decreasing 2 are increasing
1
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0 -1 dy/dx= 0; slope function = 0
-2
Turning
-3 Point:
Decreasing to
-4increasing
-5= min pt
-6
 6 y
5 SLOPE FUNCTION
4 y = f’(x)
Slope values 3 Slope values
are increasing 2 are increasing
→Second Derivative 1 →Second Derivative
x
-6 Function
-5 is -4
increasing
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3Function
4 is increasing
5 6
-1
-2
Slope=0
-3 (d2y/dx2 = 0)
Second Derivative
-4 Function =0
(cuts x-axis)
-5
-6

6 y
5 SECOND
4
DERIVATIVE
3
FUNCTION
2
1 y = f’’(x) x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
 Original Function, First Derivative Function, Second
Derivative Function
6 y
5
4
3
y= 2
1
x
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
f(x) -1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
6 y
5
4
3
y= 2
1
x
f’(x) -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
-1
-2
1 2 3 4 5 6

-3
-4
-5
-6
6 y
5 𝒅𝟐 𝒚
4
3
𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒊𝒏= 𝟐 >𝟎
y= 2 𝒅𝒙
1
x
f’’(x) -6 -5 -4 -3
𝒅𝟐 𝒚
-2 -1
-1
-2
1 2 3 4 5 6

𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒂𝒙= 𝟐 <𝟎 -3
𝒅𝒙 -4
-5
-6
 y  u2 u  3x  1

y  3 x  1
2

dy du
If u  3 x  1  2u 3
du dx
then y  u 2
dy
 2 3 x  1
du
dy
 6x  2
du

18 x  6   6 x  2   3
This pattern is called
the chain rule. dy dy du
 
dx du dx 
 dy dy du
Chain Rule:  
dx du dx
 dy dy du
Chain Rule:  
dx du dx

If f  g is the composite of y  f u  and u  g  x  ,

then:

 f  g   f at u  g  x   g at x
example: f  x   sin x g  x   x2  4 Find:  f  g  at x  2

f   x   cos x g  x   2x g 2  4  4  0

f  0   g   2 
cos  0    2  2 
1 4  4

We could also do it this way:

f  g  x   sin  x 2  4 
dy
y  sin  x  4 
2  cos  x 2  4   2 x
dx
y  sin u u  x2  4
dy
dy du  cos  22  4   2  2
 cos u  2x dx
du dx
dy
 cos  0   4
dy dy du dx
 
dx du dx
dy dy
 cos u  2 x 4
dx dx

 Here is a faster way to find the derivative:

y  sin  x 2  4 

d 2
y  cos  x  4    x  4 
2
Differentiate the outside function...
dx

y  cos  x 2  4   2 x …then the inside function

At x  2, y  4


 The Product Rule

The derivative of a product is not

equal to the product of the
derivatives.
 A

A
 B

D
 A