Increasing and Decreasing Functions

1. Increasing and Decreasing Functions The First Derivative Test

2. Increasing and Decreasing Functions • Definitions of Increasing and Decreasing Functions

3. Test for Increasing and Decreasing Functions • Let f be a function that is continuous on the closed interval [a, b] and differentiable on the open interval (a, b). • 1. If f’(x) > 0 (positive) for all x in (a, b), then f is increasing on [a, b]. • 2. If f’(x) < 0 (negative) for all x in (a, b), then f is decreasing on [a, b]. • 3. If f’(x) = 0 for all x in (a, b), then f is constant on [a, b]. (It is a critical number.)

4. Determining intervals on which f is increasing or decreasing • Example: • Find the open intervals on which • is increasing or decreasing.

5. Guidelines for finding intervals • Let f be continuous on the interval (a, b). To find the open intervals on which f is increasing or decreasing, use the following steps: • (1) Locate the critical number of f in (a, b), and use these numbers to determine test intervals • (2) Determine the sign of f’(x) at one test value in each of the intervals • (3) If f’(x) is positive, the function is increasing in that interval. If f’(x) is negative, the function is decreasing in that interval.

6. Increasing Function

7. Decreasing Function

8. Constant Function

9. Strictly Monotonic A function is strictly monotonic on an interval if it is either increasing on the entire interval or decreasing on the interval.

10. Not Strictly Monotonic

11. The First Derivative Test Let c be a critical number of a function f that is continuous on an open interval I containing c. If f is differentiable on the interval, except possibly at c, then f(c) can be classified as follows. (1) If f’(x) changes from negative to positive at c, then f(c) is a relative minimum of f. (2) If f’(x) changes from positive to negative at c, then f(c) is a relative maximum of f. (3) If f’(x) does not change signs at c, then f(c) is neither a relative maximum nor a minimum.

12. First Derivative Test On-line Video Help Examples More Examples

13. First Derivative Test Applications Getting at the Concept & # 57 p. 182 The profit P (in dollars) made by a fast-food restaurant selling x hamburgers is Find the open intervals on which P is increasing or decreasing

14. First Derivative Test Applications On-line Applications