Applications of Derivatives
Increasing and Decreasing Functions
1. Solve : x( x 1)( x 2)( x 3) 0
1 x3 2x 3
2. Solve the following inequalities for x : (i) 1 (ii) 0 (iii) 0
x x4 ( x 2)( x 4)
1 4
3. Solve : 0 , x 1, 2
x 1 (2 x)2
4. Prove that the function f ( x) ax b is strictly increasing iff a 0
5. Prove that the function e2x is strictly increasing on R .
2
6. Prove that 5 is a strictly decreasing function.
x
7. Prove that the function f ( x) x3 6x2 15x 18 is strictly increasing on R .
8. Show that the function f given by f ( x) x3 3x2 3x is strictly increasing on R .
9. Prove that the function f ( x) 3x cos3x is increasing on R .
10. For what value of k, the function f ( x) k ( x sin x) k is increasing ?
11. Determine whether the following functions are strictly increasing or decreasing for the stated values of x
1 3 5
: (i) f ( x) x , x 1 (ii) f ( x) cos 2 x , x
x 4 8 8
12. Prove that the function f ( x) tan x 4 x is strictly decreasing on ,
3 3
13. Find the least value of a so that the function f ( x) x2 ax 1 is strictly increasing on [1,2].
14. Show that for a 1 , f ( x) 3 sin x cos x 2ax b is decreasing in R .
15. Show that the function f ( x) x2 3x 1 is neither increasing nor decreasing on (0,3)
16. Prove that the function f ( x) logsin x is strictly increasing on 0, and strictly decreasing on ,
2 2
17. Find the interval in which the function f ( x) x x , x 0 is strictly increasing .
18. Find the intervals in which the following functions are strictly increasing or strictly decreasing
(i) f ( x) 10 6x 2x2 (ii) f ( x) 20 9x 6x2 x3
19. Find the intervals in which the function f ( x) 2x3 15x2 36x 1 is strictly increasing or decreasing.
Also, find the points on which the tangents are parallel to x-axis.
20. Determine the intervals in which the following functions are strictly increasing or strictly decreasing:
4 x3
(i) x 4 (ii) f ( x) 3x4 4x3 12 x2 5
3
1
21. Find the intervals in which the function f given by f ( x) x3 , x 0 is
x3
(i) increasing (ii) decreasing
22. Find the values of x for which f ( x) ( x( x 2))2 is an increasing function. Also find the points on the
curve, where the tangent is parallel to x-axis.
23. Find the intervals in which the function f ( x) ( x 2)e x I strictly increasing or decreasing.
24. Find the interval in which the function f ( x) x2e x is strictly increasing or decreasing.
x
25. Find the intervals in which the function f ( x) is strictly increasing or strictly decreasing.
log x
2x
26. Prove that the function f ( x) log(1 x) is strictly increasing throughout its domain.
x2
x
27. Find the sub-intervals in which f ( x) log(2 x) , x 2 is increasing or decreasing.
2 x
28. Separate 0, into subintervals in which f ( x) sin 3x is strictly increasing or decreasing
2
29. Separate the interval 0, into subintervals in which f ( x) sin 4 x cos4 x is strictly increasing or
2
decreasing.
30. Show that the function f defined by f ( x) tan 1 (sin x cos x) is strictly increasing in the interval 0,
4
31. Show that 2sin x tan x 3x for 0 x
2
32. Find the intervals in which the function f defined by f ( x) sin x cos x , 0 x 2 is strictly increasing
or strictly decreasing.
MAXIMA AND MINIMA
1. Find the maximum and the minimum values (if any) of the following functions :
(i) f ( x) 16x2 16x 28 (ii) f ( x) 2x3 5
(iii) f ( x) | x 2 | 5 (iv) f ( x) | sin 2 x 3|
2. Find the maximum and minimum values of the function f given by f ( x) sin x cos x
3. Show that the following functions do not have maxima or minima :
(i) f ( x) e x (ii) f ( x) log x
4. Find the maximum and minimum values, if any, of the following functions :
(i) x 1 in (1,1) (ii) x 1 in [1,1]
5. Find the minimum value of f ( x) x3 3x in [0,2]
6. Find the absolute maximum and minimum values of :
(i) f ( x) 2x3 9x2 12x 5 in [0,3]
1
(ii) f ( x) x 2 1 x in 1,
2
(iii) f ( x) 12x4/3 6x1/3 , x [1,1]
Also find points of maxima and minima.
7. Find the maximum and the minimum values of :
1
(i) f ( x) sin x cos 2 x in 0 x
2 2
(ii) f ( x) 3 | x 2 | in 2 x 5
Also find points of maxima and minima
8. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of the function defined by
f ( x) sin 2 x cos x , x [0, ]
9. At what points in the interval [0, 2 ] does the function sin 2x attain its maximum value ?
10. Find the difference between the greatest and least values of the function f ( x) sin 2 x x on ,
2 2
11. It is given that at x 1 , the function x4 62 x2 ax 9 attains its maximum value in the interval [0,2] .
Find the value of a.
12. If y a log | x | bx2 x has extreme values at x 1 and x 2 , then find values of a and b.
13. Prove that the function x3 6 x 2 18 x 5 is increasing for all x R and find its value where the rate of
increase is least.
LOCAL MAXIMUM AND LOCAL MINIMUM VALUES
1. Find the turning points on the curve y x3 2x2 4x 1 and distinguish between them. Also, find
local maximum and local minimum values of the function.
3 45
2. Find all the points of local maxima and local minima of the function f ( x) x 4 8x3 x 2 105
4 2
3. Show that the function f ( x) 4x3 18x2 27 x 7 has neither maxima nor minima.
4. Find the stationary points of the function f ( x) 3x4 8x3 6x2 and distinguish between them. Also find
the local maximum and local minimum values, if they exist.
5. Find the points of local maxima and minima of the function f ( x) 3x4 4x3 5 in 1,2 . Also find
absolute maximum and minimum values.
1
6. Show that the local maximum value of x is less than the local minimum value.
x
log x
7. Find the maximum value of , x0
x
8. Find the points of local maxima and local minima (if any) of the function f defined by
f ( x) x 1 x , 0 x 1
9. Find the local maxima and local minima of the function f ( x) sin x cos x , 0 x 2 . Also find the local
maximum and local minimum values.
10. Find all points of local maxima and minima and the corresponding maximum and minimum values of the
function f where f ( x) sin 4 x cos4 x , 0 x
11. Find the local maximum and local minimum values of f ( x) sec x logcos2 x , 0 x 2
12. Find the minimum value of (ax by) , where xy c2
13. At what point, the slope of the curve y x3 3x2 9x 27 is maximum ? Also find the maximum slope.
x
14. Find the point on the curve y , where the tangent to the curve has the greatest slope.
1 x2
15. If the function f ( x) 2x3 9mx2 12m2 x 1attains its maximum and minimum values at p and q
respectively such that p 2 q , then find the value of m.
x
1
16. Show that the maximum value of is e1/e
x
17. Use the function x1/ x , x 0 , to determine the bigger of e and e
PROBLEMS ON MAXIMA AND MINIMA
1. Find two positive numbers whose sum is 60 and the product of the square of one number and the other
number is maximum.
2. The sum of three positive numbers is 26. The second number is thrice as large as the first. If the sum of
the squares of these numbers is least, find the numbers.
3. A printed page is to have a total area of 80 sq.cm with a margin of 1 cm at the top and on each side and a
margin of 1.5 cm at the bottom. What should be the dimensions of the page so that the printed area will be
maximum ?
4. A given rectangular area is to be fenced off in a field whose length lies along a straight river. If no fencing
is needed along the river, show that the least amount of fencing will be required when the length of the field
is twice its breadth.
5. Prove that the area of a right angled triangle of given hypotenuse is maximum when the triangle is
isosceles.
6. If the sum of the lengths of the hypotenuse and a side of a right angled triangle is given, show that the
area of the triangle is maximum when the angle between them is .
3
7.ABC is a right angled triangle of given area k. Find the sides of the triangle for which the area of the
circumscribed circle is least.
8. A point on the hypotenuse of a right angled triangle is at distances a and b from the sides. Show that the
minimum length of the hypotenuse is (a2/3 b2/3 )3/2
9. An open box with a square base is to be made out of a given quantity of cardboard of area c 2 . Show that
c3
the maximum volume of the box is
6 3
10. A metal box with a square base and vertical sides is to contain 1024 cm3. The material for the top and
bottom costs ₹5 per cm2 and the material for the sides costs ₹2.50 per cm2. Find the least cost of the box.
11. A closed rectangular box is made of aluminium sheet of negligible thickness and the length of the box is
twice its breadth. If the capacity of the box is 243 cm3, compute the dimensions of the box of least surface
area.
12. Show that a right circular cylinder which is open at the top, and has a given surface will have the greatest
volume if its height is equal to the radius of the base.
13. Amongst all open (from the top) right circular cylindrical boxes of volume 125 cm3, find the dimensions
of the box which has the least surface area.
14. Of all the closed right circular cylindrical cans of volume 128 cm3, find the dimensions of the can which
has minimum surface area.
15. Find the dimensions of the rectangle of perimeter 36cm which will sweep out a volume as large as
possible, when revolved about one of its sides. Also find the maximum volume.
16. Show that the semi-vertical angle of the cone of the maximum volume and of given slant height is
tan 1 2
17. Prove that the semi-vertical angle of the right circular cone of given volume and least curved surface area
is cot 1 2
18. Show that the semi-vertical angle of the right circular cone of given total surface area and maximum
1
volume is sin 1
3
19. Show that the rectangle of maximum area that can be inscribed in a circle of radius r is a square of side
2r
20. Show that a rectangle of maximum perimeter which can be inscribed in a circle of radius r is a square of
side 2r
21. A rectangle is inscribed in a semicircle of radius r with one of its sides on the diameter of semicircle. Find
the dimensions of the rectangle so that its area is maximum. Also find the maximum area.
22. AB is a diameter of a circle and C is any point on the circle. Show that the area of triangle ABC is
maximum, when it is isosceles.
23. A wire of length 20m is available to fence off a flower bed in the form of a sector of a circle. What must
be the radius of the circle, if we wish to have a flower bed with the greatest possible area ? What is the
maximum area of the flower bed ?
24. Prove that the least perimeter of an isosceles triangle in which a circle of radius r can be inscribed is
6 3r
25. A window has the shape of a rectangle surmounted by an equilateral triangle. If the perimeter of the
window is 12 m , find the dimensions of the rectangle so that it may produce the largest area of the window.
26. A window is in the form of a rectangle surmounted by a semicircle. If the perimeter of the window is 10
m, find the dimensions of the window so that the maximum possible light is admitted.
27. A window is in the form of a rectangle surmounted by a semicircle. The total area of the window is fixed .
What should be the ratio of the areas of the semicircular part and the rectangular part so that the total
perimeter is minimum ?
28. A wire of length 50 m is to be cut into two pieces. One piece is bent in the shape of a square and the
other in the shape of a circle. What should be the lengths of each piece so that the combined area of the
two shapes is minimum ?
29. Find the point on the straight line 2 x 3 y 6 , which is closest to the origin.
30. Find the shortest distance of the point C (0, c) from the parabola y x2 .
31. An enemy helicopter is moving along the curve y x2 7 . A soldier, placed at (3,7) wants to shoot
down the helicopter when it is nearest to him. Find the nearest distance. Also, find the coordinates of the
helicopter when it is nearest to the soldier.
32. Find the coordinates of the point on the parabola y x2 7 x 2 which is closed to the straight line
y 3x 3 . Also find the shortest distance of the point.
33. A straight line is drawn through the point P(1, 4) . Find the least value of the sum of intercepts made by
the line on the coordinate axes. Also find the equation of the line.
34. Tangent to the circle x2 y 2 4 at any point on it in the first quadrant make intercepts OA and OB on x-
axis and y-axis respectively, O being the centre of circle. Find the minimum value of (OA OB)
35. A point P is given on the circumference of a circle with O and radius r. Chords are drawn parallel to the
tangent PT at P. Determine the maximum possible area of PQR .
x2 y 2
36. Find the area of the greatest rectangle that can be inscribed in an ellipse 1
a 2 b2
x2 y 2
37. Find the maximum area of an isosceles triangle inscribed in the ellipse 1 with its vertex at one
a 2 b2
end of the major axis.
38. A square tank of capacity 250 cubic metres has to be dug out. The cost of the land is ₹ 50 per square
metre. The cost of digging increases with the depth and for the whole tank it is ₹ 400 h2 where h metres is
the depth of the tank. What should be the dimensions of the tank so that the cost would be minimum ?
39. A square piece of tin of side 18 cm is to be made into a box without top by cutting a square from each
corner and folding up the flaps to form a box. What should be the side of the square to be cut off so that the
volume of the box is maximum ? Also find this maximum volume .
40. Show that the height of a cylinder of maximum volume that can be inscribed in a sphere of radius R is
2R
. Also find the maximum volume.
3
41.Find the maximum surface area of a circular cylinder that can be inscribed in a sphere of radius R.
42. Prove that the radius of the right circular cylinder of greatest curved surface area which can be inscribed
in a given right circular cone is half that of the cone.
43. Show that the maximum volume of a cylinder which can be inscribed in a cone of height h and semi-
4
vertical angle is h3 tan 2
27
44. Show that the altitude of the right circular cone of maximum volume that can be inscribed in a sphere of
4r 8
radius r is . Also show that the maximum volume of the cone is of the volume of the sphere.
3 27
45. If the sum of the surface areas of a cube and a sphere is constant, what is the ratio of an edge of the cube
to the diameter of the sphere when the sum of their volumes is minimum ?
46. A given quantity of metal is to be cast into a half circular cylinder (i.e. with rectangular base and
semicircular ends). Show that in order that the total surface area may be minimum, the ratio of the length of
the cylinder to the diameter of its circular ends is : ( 2) .
47. Find the equation of the line through the point (3,4) which cuts from the first quadrant a triangle of
minimum area.
