L1 – Increasing / Decreasing Unit 2

MCV4U
Jensen

Increasing: As 𝑥-values increase, 𝑦-values are increasing

Decreasing: As 𝑥-values increase, 𝑦-values are decreasing

Part 1: Discovery

𝑓(𝑥) =
1 3
𝑥 + 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 4
f'(x) f(x)
3

𝑓′(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3

a) Over which values of 𝑥 is 𝑓(𝑥) increasing?

𝑥 < −3 and 𝑥 > 1

b) Over which values of 𝑥 is 𝑓(𝑥) decreasing?

−3 < 𝑥 < 1

c) What is true about the graph of 𝑓′(𝑥) when 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing?

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0; it is above the 𝑥-axis

d) What is true about the graph of 𝑓′(𝑥) when 𝑓(𝑥) is decreasing?

𝑓 ′ (𝑥 ) < 0; it is below the 𝑥-axis

Effects of 𝒇′(𝒙) on 𝒇(𝒙): When the graph of 𝑓′(𝑥) is positive, or above the 𝑥-axis, on an interval, then the
function 𝑓(𝑥) increases over that interval. Similarly, when the graph of 𝑓′(𝑥) is negative, or below the 𝑥-axis,
on an interval, then the function 𝑓(𝑥) decreases over that interval.

If 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 on an interval, 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing on that interval

If 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 on an interval, 𝑓(𝑥) is decreasing on that interval

Part 2: Properties of graphs of 𝒇(𝒙) and 𝒇′(𝒙)

A critical number is a value ′𝑎′ in the domain where 𝑓 ′ (𝑎) = 0 or 𝑓′(𝑎) does not exist.

A critical number could yield…

A local max A local min Neither Max/Min at Cusp

𝑓(𝑥)

𝑓′(𝑥)

𝑓(𝑥) has a local 𝑓(𝑥) has a local min No local max/min 𝑓(𝑥) has a local min
max
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 and 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0 but does 𝑓′(𝑥) does not exist
′ (𝑥)
𝑓 = 0 and changes from - to + not change signs but changes from –
changes from + to - to +

Conclusion:

Local extrema occur when the sign of the derivative CHANGES. If the sign of the derivative does not change,
you do not have a local extrema.
A critical number of a function is a value of 𝑎 in the domain of the function where either 𝑓 ′ (𝑎) = 0 or 𝑓′(𝑎)
does not exist. If 𝑎 is a critical number, (𝑎, 𝑓(𝑎)) is a critical point. Critical points could be local extrema but
not necessarily. You must test around the critical points to see if the derivative changes sign. This is called the
‘First Derivative Test’.

Example 1: Determine all local extrema for the function below using critical numbers and the first derivative
test. State when the function is increasing or decreasing.

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 3 − 9𝑥 2 − 24𝑥 − 10
Critical Numbers: 𝑥1 = 4 𝑥2 = −1
′ (𝑥) 2
𝑓 = 6𝑥 − 18𝑥 − 24
Critical Points: (4, −122) and (−1, 3)
0 = 6(𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 4)
𝑓(4) = 2(4)3 − 9(4)2 − 24(4) − 10 = −122
0 = 6(𝑥 − 4)(𝑥 + 1)
𝑓(−1) = 2(−1)3 − 9(−1)2 − 24(−1) − 10 = 3
𝑥1 = 4 𝑥2 = −1

Sign Chart:

−∞ −1 4 ∞
Test value for 𝑥 −2 0 5

𝑓′(𝑥) + − +

Increasing Decreasing Increasing

𝑓(𝑥)

Local max Local min at

at (−1, 3) (4, −122)

Increasing: 𝑥 < −1 or 𝑥 > 4

Decreasing: −1 < 𝑥 < 4
f '(x)
Notice how we could use the graph of
the derivative to verify our solution:

f(x)
Example 2: For each function, use the graph of 𝑓′(𝑥) to sketch a possible function 𝑓(𝑥).

a) f(x)
𝑓′(𝑥) is the constant function 𝑦 = −2.

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) must be a linear function with a

slope of −2

The 𝑦-intercept could be anywhere.

f '(x)

b)
f '(x)
𝑓′(𝑥) is a linear function

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) must be a quadratic function

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 when 𝑥 < 2 and 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 when 𝑥 > 2

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing when 𝑥 < 2 and

decreasing when 𝑥 > 2

𝑓′(𝑥) switching from + to – at 𝑥 = 2

f(x) There must be a local max at 𝑓(2).

c)

f '(x) 𝑓′(𝑥) is a quadratic function

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) must be a cubic function

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 when 𝑥 < 2 when 𝑥 > 2

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing when 𝑥 < 2 and

when 𝑥 > 2

𝑓′(𝑥) does not switch signs on either side of

𝑥=2

Therefore, there is no local min or max at 𝑓(2) but

f(x) the tangent line would be horizontal at that point.
d)
𝑓′(𝑥) is a quadratic function
f '(x)
Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) must be a cubic function

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 when 𝑥 < 1 when 𝑥 > 5

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing when 𝑥 < 1 and

when 𝑥 > 5

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 when 1 < 𝑥 < 5

Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) is decreasing when 1 < 𝑥 < 5

f(x)
𝑓′(𝑥) switches signs on either side of
𝑥 = 1 (from + to -) and 𝑥 = 5 (from – to +)

Therefore, there is a max at 𝑓(1) and a local min

at 𝑓(5)

Example 3: Sketch a continuous function for each set of conditions

a) 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 when 𝑥 < 0, 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 when 𝑥 > 0, 𝑓(0) = 4

𝑓(𝑥) is increasing when 𝑥 < 0 and

decreasing when 𝑥 > 0.

Therefore, there must be a local max

at 𝑥 = 0.

𝑓(0) = 4

f(x)
b) 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 when 𝑥 < −1 and when 𝑥 > 2, 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 when −1 < 𝑥 < 2, 𝑓(0) = 0

𝑓(𝑥) is increasing when 𝑥 < −1 and

when 𝑥 > 2.
f(x)
𝑓(𝑥) is decreasing when −1 < 𝑥 < 2.

Therefore, there must be a local max at

𝑥 = −1 and a local min at 𝑥 = 2.

𝑓(0) = 0

Example 4: The temperature of a person with a certain strain of flu can be approximated by the function
5 15
𝑇(𝑑) = − 18 𝑑 2 + 9 𝑑 + 37, where 0 < 𝑑 < 6; 𝑇 represents the person’s temperature, in degrees Celsius and
𝑑 is the number of days after the person first shows symptoms. During what interval will the person’s
temperature be increasing?

5 15
𝑇 ′ (𝑑) = − 𝑑 +
9 9

Find critical numbers:

0 3 6
5 15 Test value for 𝑥 1 4
0=− 𝑑+
9 9
𝑇′(𝑑) + −
5 15
𝑑=
9 9
Increasing Decreasing
5𝑑 = 15 𝑇(𝑑)

𝑑 = 3 is a critical number

Therefore, a person’s temperature will be increasing over the first 3 days.