4.
1 Maximum and Minimum Values
A function f has an absolute maximum at c if f (c) ≥ f (x) for all x in the domain of f . The function
value f (c) is the maximum value.
A function f has an absolute minimum at c if f (c) ≤ f (x) for all x in the domain of f . The function
value f (c) is the minimum value.
The absolute maximum and minimum values are also called the extreme values of f .
A function has a local maximum at x = a if f (a) ≥ f (x) for all x “near” a.
A function has a local minimum at x = a if f (a) ≤ f (x) for all x “near” a.
For a function to have a local max/min at x = a, it must be defined on BOTH sides of a. This is not true
for an absolute max/min. Absolute max/mins can occur at an endpoint of an interval.
Example: Find the absolute and local extrema for the following graphs.
(
(x + 1)2 if − 23 < x ≤ 0
f (x) =
x2 − 1 if 0 < x ≤ 2
We can see from the above that if a function has an absolute max/min, it will occur at either a local max/min
or at an endpoint of a given interval.
1
Very Important Fact: ALL local extrema of a function f will occur at values of x where the derivative is 0
or the derivative is undefined! The values of x in the domain of f for which f 0 (x) = 0 or f 0 (x) is undefined
are called the critical numbers or critical values of f .
However, even though all local extrema occur at critical values, this DOES NOT MEAN that every critical
value produces a local max or min!!
√
3
Example: Find the critical numbers of the function f (x) = x2 − x.
Example: Find the critical numbers of the function f (x) = |9 − x2 |.
Example: Find the critical numbers of the function f (x) = x2/5 (x + 2)3 .
2
Extreme Value Theorem: If a function f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b], then f attains both an
absolute maximum value and an absolute minimum value somewhere in [a, b].
The candidates for the location of absolute extrema are the critical values of the function and the endpoints
of the interval.
The Closed Interval Method for finding absolute extrema: First find all critical values, then evaluate the
function at the critical values that lie in the interval and at the endpoints of the interval. The max/min of
these values IS the absolute max/min.
Example: Find the absolute maximum and minimum values of f (x) = x3 − 12x + 1 on the interval [−3, 5].
2
ex
Example: Find the absolute maximum and minimum values of g(x) = on the interval [0, 3].
2x + 1
3
Example: Find the absolute maximum and minimum values of g(x) = x + 2 sin x on the interval [0, π].
√
Example: Find the absolute maximum and minimum values of g(x) = x2 9 − x2 on the interval [1, 3].
4.2 The Mean Value Theorem
Mean Value Theorem: If f is a continuous and differentiable function on the interval [a, b], then there exists
a number c in the inteval (a, b) such that
f (b) − f (a)
f 0 (c) =
b−a
Meaning: There is at least one value c where the tangent line at c is parallel to the secant line between
(a, f (a)) and (b, f (b)).
Show that the following functions satisfy the Mean Value Theorem on the given interval by finding the
number(s) c that satisfy the conclusion of the theorem.
f (x) = ln x on the interval [1, e] f (x) = x3 − 1 on the interval [−2, 2]
