MHF4UP L3: Concavity & Inflection Points

Goal: Use derivatives to determine the concavity of a function and any points of inflection.

There are three possible behaviours for the derivative (rate of change) of a function.

_________________
increasing
___________________
decreasing constant
________________

fm
t t
off p

Cx O Tcf
f so
f Cx o

Concave concave down

up
 2
Conclusion:

upward
If f "(x) ___ 0 , the graph of the function is concave ____________________, that is, the graph is
part of a “valley” (happy face).

8 downward
If f "(x) ___ 0 , the graph of the function is concave ____________________, that is, the graph is
part of a “hill” (sad face).

Examples 1:

Determine the value(s) of x, for which the function f (x) = 3x − x 3 is concave upward and/or
downward. Use and intercepts and maximum/minimum point to sketch the curve.
2
f 3 3

f tox
53,0
intercepts 9905,0

if.jo
iExas
0 2103 a Gtx

critpoints fly o

T
2 t t
iiHfH

li ftp
0tO.nU.maxatconcauity 2
fYxy oMinattb 4,2

6X whenxco f ex SO C u
o
X o
f LO C D
 3

Note: A point on a curve at which the concavity changes, is called a Point of Inflection.
Necessary Conditions for a Point of Inflection:

undefined
1. f "(x) =
0 or
70
2. f "(x)
changes sign
If o
Example 2: Determine the points of infection, if any, of the following curves:

a) f (x) = x 3 − 3x + 2

fG 3
2
3
When Ko fix o cu

When XO f LO CD
f cy 6x
0 67 is a P.co I
08 0,2

b) g(x) = 3x 2 − 5x + 6

6x S
g'cxs
Cx 61 0
g
CU everywhere
point
no

of inflection
 4

Example 3 Consider each of the functions below. Sketch each function by determining:

(a) all maximum and minimum values b) all points of inflection

(c) the intervals of increase and decrease d) the intervals where the curve is concave up/down

i) f ( x ) = 3 x 4 - 16 x 3 + 24 x 2 - 9

3 2
fix 12 48 489 170 I's
2
f 36 96 48 2
48
0 36 96
2 4
0 1213 8
0
fG 2 4 2
1213 2
0 12 248 489 0
6
47
0 12 42 4
2
3
2
0 12 1 2 3
t
s attHt
t.it

O O
ot0t fY t
fad I CO 9
min at at
ROI's
0,27012
increasing GG 2.542,7
decreasing C 907 cu too Uca

µ
CD 213,2
 5
1
(ii) y=
1 + x2
2CHx2X2x
2 HR f2x
Citra y 4
y Itf
Clt 2x 2
y 2 Gtx 4

21 THF
y HR
2
2C 3x
3
C V X 0 it
2
2 3 1
80 y 3
when no y fifty
80
X O y
3 71
0

A x

Max at 10,1

µ
C 90
increasing r I
decreasing Qd o5 Hµ Ot
y Ho
bump function
CQ cu C as Yrs u Yrs
CD C Yrs Yrs
 6
x
(iii) f ( x) =
x +1
2

ftp.CDCXID 2x X 2 674 267142 5

2
Git 1 cx2tD4
62 1 5 2 25
yet I 2 1

Ft Tey
a 2xa.EE x3
cx DCxtD2 2xCx2
Get1 62 113
551
l 2 4 53 3
ite
B
xIiµ
o
t
rs
X l

Max at1 Ya
H H t

4 53,047190
42 65350
min at C I p I's
C bi C Esso Vcrs
increasing cu
decreasing C
as Ducks CD C as 533 Uco
 7

The second derivative also gives us another method of testing an extreme value to determine if it’s a
maximum or minimum.

The Second Derivative Test for Maxima/Minima

If f ′′ ( x ) > 0 around a critical point then the curve is concave upwards and the point is a

minimum
__________________.

If f ′′ ( x ) < 0 around a critical point then the curve is concave downwards and the point is

maximum
a ________________.

Diagram:
h0
78 mum
FTII CD
Example 4 Use the second derivative test to determine any minimums and/or maximums for the
function f (x) = x 3 −12x +5.

2
f 45 3 12
0 34 4
0 31 21 2

f Cxy 6x when x 2 f 25 1270

4
min at 3

When x 2 f't 2 1240

max at C2,21