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05 Identifying Stationary and Inflexion Points

The document discusses points of inflection on curves. It defines a point of inflection as a point where the concavity or curvature of a curve changes. For a point to be an inflection point, the second derivative must equal 0 and change sign, meaning the concavity changes. The document provides an example of finding the inflection point on the curve y=x^3 - 3x^2 + 5x - 1. It solves this to find the inflection point is at (1,2). The document also includes sample problems asking to find and classify inflection points on various curves and determine values that would satisfy a curve having a known inflection point.

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61 views4 pages

05 Identifying Stationary and Inflexion Points

The document discusses points of inflection on curves. It defines a point of inflection as a point where the concavity or curvature of a curve changes. For a point to be an inflection point, the second derivative must equal 0 and change sign, meaning the concavity changes. The document provides an example of finding the inflection point on the curve y=x^3 - 3x^2 + 5x - 1. It solves this to find the inflection point is at (1,2). The document also includes sample problems asking to find and classify inflection points on various curves and determine values that would satisfy a curve having a known inflection point.

Uploaded by

rrdeli900
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Analysis and Approaches

Date ________________

Inflection Points
A point of inflection is a point on a curve at which there is a change of concavity or
curvature.

2
𝑑𝑦
Note that just because 2 = 0 at a point, it does not necessarily mean it is a point of inflection.
𝑑𝑥
2 2
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
At a point of inflection 2 = 0 and 2 changes sign (that is the concavity changes),
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
3
𝑑𝑦
so 3 ≠ 0.
𝑑𝑥

Example
Find the coordinates of any points of inflection on the curve y = x3 − 3x2 + 5x − 1.
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= 3x2 − 6x + 5
2
𝑑𝑦
2 = 6x − 6
𝑑𝑥
2
𝑑𝑦
At a point of inflection, 2 = 0 ⇒ 6x − 6 = 0
𝑑𝑥
⇒ x=1
2 2
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
At x = 0, 2 < 0 and at x = 2, 2 > 0 so the concavity changes sign;
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
3
𝑑𝑦
alternatively, 3 = 6 ≠ 0 therefore there is a point of inflection.
𝑑𝑥

y = 13 − 3(1)2 + 5(1) − 1 = 2, so

inflection point is (1, 2)

1
Questions
1. Find and classify the point of inflection:
(a) y = x3 − 6x2 + 9x + 1
(b) y = x3 + 6x2 + 12x + 5
(c) y = x4 − 4x3 + 16x − 16

2. The curve y = x3 + ax2 + bx + c has a stationary point of inflection at (1, 3). Find the value of
a, b and c.

2
3. The point of inflection on the curve y = x3 − ax2 − bx + c is also a stationary point.
2
𝑎
Show that b = − 3 .

4.

3
5.

Answers
1. (a) Non-stationary inflection at (2,3); (c) f ′′(x) = 2x + 4 ⇒ x = −2
(b) stationary inflection point at ( −2, (d) y = 16x − 36
−3);
5. (a) f ′′(x) = 3(x − 3)2
(c) non-stationary inflection at (0, −16),
stationary at (2, 0) (b) f ′(3) = 0, f ′′(3) = 0
2. a = −3, b = 3, c = 2 (c) f ′′′(x) = 6(x − 3) ⇒ f ′′′(3) = 0
2
4. (a) x + 4x − 5 Therefore there is no change in
(b) x = −5 (from the diagram not x = 1) concavity at P.
4

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