Monotonic Functions and The First Derivative Test

P. Sam Johnson

August 30, 2017

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Overview

In the lecture, we first discuss what it means for a function to be

increasing (rising from left to right) or decreasing (falling from left to
right) over an interval.

If the function is given to be differentiable, using derivatives, we see a test

to determine where it increases and where it decreases.

We also show how to test the critical points of a function for the presence
of local extreme values.

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Increasing Functions and Decreasing Functions
Definition
Let f be a function defined on an interval I and let x1 and x2 be any two
points in I.
1. If f (x1 ) < f (x2 ) whenever x1 < x2 , then f is said to be increasing on
I.
2. If f (x2 ) < f (x1 ) whenever x1 < x2 , then f is said to be decreasing
on I.
A function that is increasing or decreasing on I is called monotonic on I.

The interval I may be finite or infinite.

Some textbooks say that f is strictly increasing or strictly decreasing on

I when the inequality “<” compares the function values ; f is increasing
or decreasing on I when the inequality “≤” compares the function values.

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Increasing Functions and Decreasing Functions

The function f (x) = x 2 decreases on (−∞, 0] and increases on [0, ∞) as

can be seen from its graph.

The function f is monotonic on (−∞, 0] and [0, ∞), but it is not

monotonic on (−∞, ∞).

Notice that on the interval (−∞, 0)

the tangents have negative slopes,
so the first derivative is always
negative there ; for (0, ∞) the
tangents have positive slopes and
the first derivative is positive.

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Another Mathematical Consequence of the Mean Value
Theorem

What kinds of functions have positive derivatives or negative derivatives?

The following corollary of the Mean Value Theorem tells that the only
functions with positive derivatives are increasing functions; the only
functions with negative derivatives are decreasing functions.

Corollary (First Derivative Test for Monotonic Functions)

Suppose that f is continuous on [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b).
1. If f 0 (x) > 0 at each point x ∈ (a, b), then f is increasing on [a, b].
2. If f 0 (x) < 0 at each point x ∈ (a, b), then f is decreasing on [a, b].

The corollary remains true even for infinite intervals. We shall discuss the
proof for finite intervals.

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Proof of the First Derivative Test for Monotonic Functions

Mean Value Theorem is used to prove the result. We first state the Mean
Value Theorem : Suppose y = f (x) is continuous on a closed interval
[a, b] and differentiable on the interval’s interior (a, b). Then there is at
least one point c in (a, b) at which

f (b) − f (a)
= f 0 (c).
b−a

Let x1 and x2 be any two points in [a, b] with x1 < x2 . The Mean Value
Theorem applied to f on [x1 , x2 ] says that

f (x2 ) − f (x1 ) = f 0 (c)(x2 − x1 )

for some c between x1 and x2 .

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Proof of the First Derivative Test for Monotonic Functions
(contd...)

The sign of the right-hand side of this equation is the same as the sign of
f 0 (c) because x2 − x1 is positive.

Therefore,
f (x2 ) > f (x1 )
if f 0 is positive on (a, b) and

f (x2 ) < f (x1 )

if f 0 is negative on (a, b).

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First Derivative Test for Monotonic Functions

Where is the given function increasing and increasing?

If a < b are two critical points for the function f , and if f 0 exists but is not
zero on the interval (a, b), then f 0 must be positive on (a, b) or negative
on the interval (a, b).

How to know whether it is increasing or decreasing?

Evaluate f 0 for some point x in (a, b). By the corollary, if it is positive, it

is increasing on the interval (a, b) ; if it is negative, it is decreasing on the
interval (a, b).

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Example
Example
Find the critical points of

f (x) = x 3 − 12x − 5

and identify the intervals on which f is increasing and decreasing.

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Solution

The given function f is everywhere continuous and differentiable.

(a) The first derivative

f 0 (x) = 3x 2 − 12 = 3(x 2 − 4)
= 3(x + 2)(x − 2)

is zero at x = −2 and x = 2.
(b) These critical points subdivide the domain of f into intervals
(−∞, −2), (−2, 2), and (2, ∞) on which f 0 is either positive or
negative.
(c) We determine the sign of f 0 by evaluating f 0 at a convenient point in
each subinterval, say −3, 0 and 3 respectively.
(d) Hence by the First Derivative Test for Monotonic Functions, the
function f is increasing on the intervals (−∞, −2) and (2, ∞) ;
decreasing on the interval (−2, 2).
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Solution (contd...)
The results are summarized in the following table.

Interval ∞ < x < −2 −2 < x < 2 2<x <∞

f 0 evaluated f 0 (−3) = 15 f 0 (0) = −12 f 0 (3) = 15

Sign of f 0 + − +

Behaviour of f increasing decreasing increasing

Note that “First Derivative Test for Monotonic Functions for Infinite
Intervals” has been used in the example.

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Change of Sign for the Derivative of f

If it is known that where a function f increases or decreases, we can tell

where are the points in which the function f has a local maximum or
minimum at those points.

That is, knowing where a function increases or decreases tells us how to

test for the nature of local extreme values.

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First Derivative Test for Local Extrema

The following figure indicates that if f has a minimum value, then f 0 < 0
immediately to the left and f 0 > 0 immediately to the right.

Note that if the point is an endpoint, there is only one side to consider.

Thus, the function is decreasing on the left of the minimum value and it is
increasing on its right.

A function’s first derivative tells how the graph rises and falls.

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First Derivative Test for Local Extrema

Similarly, at the points where f has a maximum value, f 0 > 0 immediately

to the left and f 0 < 0 immediately to the right.

Thus, the function is increasing on the left of the maximum value and
decreasing on its right.

In summary, at a local extreme point, the sign of f 0 (x) changes.

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First Derivative Test for Local Extrema
Theorem
Suppose that c is a critical point of a continuous function f , and that f is
differentiable at every point in some interval containing c except possibly
at c itself. Moving across c from left to right,
1. if f 0 changes from negative to positive at c, then f has a local
minimum at c;
2. if f 0 changes from positive to negative at c, then f has a local
maximum at c;
3. if f 0 does not change sign at c (that is, f 0 is positive on both sides of
c or negative on both sides), then f has no local extremum at c.

The test for local extrema at endpoints is similar, but there is only one
side to consider.

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Proof of First Derivative Test for Local Extrema

Part (1) : Since the sign of f 0 changes from negative to positive at c,

there are numbers a and b such that f 0 < 0 on (a, c) and f 0 > 0 on (c, b).

If x ∈ (a, c), then f (c) < f (x) because f 0 < 0 implies that f is decreasing
on [a, c].

If x ∈ (c, b), then f (c) < f (x) because f 0 > 0 implies that f is increasing
on [c, b].

Therefore, f (x) ≥ f (c) for every x ∈ (a, b). By definition, f has a local
minimum at c.

Part (2) and Part (3) can be proved similarly.

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Example : Using the First Derivative Test for Local
Extrema
Example
Find the critical points of

f (x) = x 1/3 (x − 4) = x 4/3 − 4x 1/3 .

Identify the intervals on which f is increasing and decreasing. Find the

function’s local and absolute extreme values.

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Solution

The function f is continuous at all x.

The first derivative is zero at x = 1 and undefined at x = 0. There are no

endpoints in the domain, so the critical points x = 0 and x = 1 are the
only places where f might have an extreme value.

These critical points subdivide the domain of f into intervals

(−∞, 0), (0, 1), and (1, ∞) on which f 0 is either positive or negative.

We determine the sign of f 0 by evaluating f 0 at a convenient point in each

subinterval, say −2, 1/2, and 2 respectively.

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Solution (contd...)

The sign pattern of f 0 reveals the behavior of f between and at the critical
points, as summarized in the following table.

Interval x <0 0<x <1 x >1

Sign of f 0 − − +

Behaviour of f decreasing decreasing increasing

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Solution (contd...)

Hence by the First Derivative Test for Monotonic Functions, the function
f decreases on (−∞, 0), decreases on (0, 1), and increases on (1, ∞).

By the First Derivative Test for Local Extrema, f does not have an
extreme value at x = 0 (f 0 does not change sign) and that f has a local
minimum at x = 1 (f 0 changes from negative to positive).

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Solution (contd...)

The value of the local minimum is f (1) = −3. This is also an absolute
minimum because the function’s values fall toward it from the left and rise
away from it on the right.

The following figure shows this value in relation to the function’s graph.

Note that

lim f 0 (x) = −∞,

x→0

so the graph of f has a vertical

tangent at the origin.

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Exercise
Exercise
Answer the following questions about the functions whose derivatives are
given in the following exercises:
(a) What are the critical points of f ?
(b) On what intervals is f increasing or decreasing?
(c) At what points, if any, does f assume local maximum and minimum
values?

1. f 0 (x) = (x − 1)2 (x + 2)2

x 2 (x−1)
2. f 0 (x) = x+2 , x 6= −2
3. f 0 (x) = x −1/2 (x − 3)
4. f 0 (x) = (sin x + cos x)(sin x − cos x), 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π

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Solution
1. (a) f 0 (x) = (x − 1)2 (x + 2)2 =⇒ critical points at −2 and 1
(b) f 0 = + + +[−2] + + + [1] + ++, increasing on
(−∞, −2) ∪ (−2, 1) ∪ (1, ∞), never decreasing
(c) No local extrema
x 2 (x−1)
2. (a) x+2=⇒ critical points at 0, 1 and −2
0
(b) f = + + +[−2] − − − [0] − − − [1] + ++, increasing on (−∞, −2)
and (1, ∞), decreasing on (−2, 0) and (0, 1)
(c) Local minimum at x = 1
3. (a) f 0 (x) = x −1/2 (x − 3) =⇒ critical points at x = 0 and x = 3
(b) f 0 = [0] − − − [3] + ++, increasing on (3, ∞), decreasing on (0, 3)
(c) No local maximum and a local minimum at x = 3
4. (a) f 0 (x) = (sin x + cos x)(sin x − cos x), =⇒ critical points at x = π4 ,
x = 3π 5π
4 , x = 4 and x = 4 .
7π
0
(b) f = [0] − − − [π/4] + + + [3π/4] − − − [5π/4] + + + [7π/4] − − − [2π],
increasing on ( π4 , 3π 5π 7π π
4 ) and ( 4 , 4 ), decreasing on (0, 4 )
3π 7π
(c) Local maximum at x = 0, x = 4 and x = 4 , local minimum ar
x = π4 , x = 5π4 and x = 2π.

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Exercise
Exercise
(a) Find the open inervals on which the function is increasing and
decreasing.
(b) Identify the function’s local and absolute extreme values, if any, saying
where they occur.

1. 2.

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Solution
1. (a) Increasing on (−4, −3.25), (−1.5, 1), and (2, 4), decreasing on
(−.3.25, −1.5) and (1, 2)
(b) Absolute maximum at (4, 2), local maximum ar (−3.25, 1) and (1, 1);
Absolute minimum at (−1.5, −1), local minimum at (−4, 0) and (2, 0).
2. (a) Increasing on (−4, −2.5), (−1, 1), and (3, 4), decreasing on (−2.5, −1)
and (1, 3)
(b) No absolute maximum, local maximum at (−2.5, 1), (1, 2) and (−4, 2):
No absolute minimum, local minimum at (−1, 0) and (3, 1).

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Exercise
Exercise
(a) Find the open inervals on which the function is increasing and
decreasing.
(b) Identify the function’s local and absolute extreme values, if any, saying
where they occur.

1. h(x) = 2x 3 − 18x
2. H(t) = 32 t 4 − t 6
√
3. g (x) = x 2 5 − x
x 2 −3
4. f (x) = x−2 , x 6= 2
5. k(x) = x 2/3 (x 2 − 4)

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Solution
√
1. (a) h(x) = 2x 3 − 18x =⇒ critical points at x = ± 3. √
0
h√ = − − −[0] + [4/3] − −−.
√ √Increasing on (−∞, − 3) and
( 3, ∞), decreasing on√(− 3, 3). √ √
√ maximum is 12 3 at x = − 3; local minimum is −12 3 at
(b) A local
x = 3, no absolute extrema.
2. (a) H(t) = 32 t 4 − t 6 =⇒ critical points at t = 0, ±1.
H 0 = + + +[−1] − − − [0] + + + [1] − −−, Increasing on (−∞, 1)
and (0, 1), decreasing on (−1, 0) and (1, ∞).
(b) The local maxima are 21 at t = ±1; local minimum is 0 at t = 0,
absolute maximum is 12 at t = ±1 ; no absolute minimum.
√
3. (a) g (x) = x 2 5 − x =⇒ critical points at x = 0, 4, and 5.
g 0 = − − −[0] + + + [4] − − − (5). Increasing on (0, 4), decreasing
on (−∞, 0) and (4, 5).
(b) A local maximum is 16 at x = 4, a local minimum is 0 at x = 0 and
x = 5, no absolute maximum; absolute minimum is 0 at x = 0.5.

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Solution (contd...)
x 2 −3
4. (a) f (x) = x−2 =⇒ critical points at x = 1, 3.
f 0 = + + +[1] − − − (2) − − − [3] + ++. Increasing on (−∞, 1) and
(3, ∞), decreasing on (1, 2) and (2, 3), discontinuous at x = 2.
(b) A local maximum is 2 at x = 1, a local minimum is 6 at x = 3, no
absolute extrema.
5. (a) k(x) = x 2/3 (x 2 − 4) =⇒ critical points at x = 0, ±1.
k 0 = − − −[−1] + + + (0) − − − [1] + ++. Increasing on (−1, 0)
and (1, ∞), decreasing on (−∞, −1) and (0, 1).
(b) A local maximum is 0 at x = 0, local minima are −3 at x = ±1, no
absolute maximum ; absolute minimum is −3 at x = ±1.

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Exercise
Exercise
(a) Identify the function’s local extreme values in the given domain, and
say where they occur.
(b) Which of the extreme values, if any, are absolute?

1. f (x) = 2x − x 2 , −∞ < x ≤ 2
2. f (t) = 12t − t 3,
−3 ≤ t < ∞
√
2
3. f (x) = x − 2x − 3, 3 ≤ x < ∞
x2
4. g (x) = 4−x 2
, −2 < x ≤ 1

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Solution
1. (a) f (x) = 2x − x 2 =⇒ critical point is at x = 1
f 0 = + + +[1] − − − [2]. A local maximum is 1 at x = 1, a local
minimum is 0 at x = 2.
(b) There is an absolute maximum of 1 at = 1 ; no absolute minimum.
2. (a) f (t) = 12t − t 3 =⇒ critical points at t = ±2
f 0 = [−3] − − − [−2] + + + [2] − −−. Local maxima are −9 at
t = −3 and 16 at t = 2, a local minimum is −16 at t = −2.
(b) Absolute maximum is 16 at t = 2 ; no absolute minimum.
√
3. (a) f (x) = x 2 − 2x − 3 =⇒ only critical point in 3 ≤ x < ∞ is at x = 3.
f 0 = [3] + ++. Local minimum of 0 at x = 3, no local maximum.
(b) Absolute minimum is 0 at x = 3 ; no absolute maximum.
x2
4. (a) g (x) = =⇒ only critical point in −2 < x ≤ 1 is at x = 0.
4−x 2
g 0 = (−2) − − − [0] + + + [1]. Local minimum of 0 at x = 0, local
maximum of 13 at x = 1.
(b) Absolute minimum is 0 at x = 0 ; no absolute maximum.

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Exercise
Exercise
Find the local extrema of each function on the given interval and say
where they occur.
1. f (x) = sin x − cos x, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π
x x
2. f (x) = 2 − 2 sin 2, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π
−π π
3. f (x) = sec2 x − 2 tan x, 2 <x < 2

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Solution

(a) f 0 (x) = 0 =⇒ critical points are x = 3π/4 and x = 7π/4.

f√0 = [0] + + + [3π/4] − − − [7π/4] + + + [2π]. Local maxima
√ are
2 at x = 3π/4 and −1 at x = 2π, and local minima are − 2 at
x = 7π/4 and −1 at x = 0.
(b) f 0 (x) = 0 =⇒ a critical point is at x = 2π/3.
f 0 = [0] − − − [2π/3] + + + [2π]. Local √ maxima are 0 at x = 0 and
π at x = 2π, a local minimum is π/3 − 3 at x = 2π/3.
(c) f 0 (x) = 0 =⇒ a critical point is at x = π/4.
f 0 = (−π/2) − − − [π/4] + + + (π/2). No local maximum, a local
minimum is 0 at x = π/4.

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Exercise
Exercise
Show that the function
θ
h(θ) = 5 sin , 0 ≤ θ ≤ π, at θ = 0 and θ = π
2
has local extreme values at the given values of θ, and say which kind of
local extreme the function has.

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Solution

h0 (θ) = 5
2 cos( 2θ ) = 0 =⇒ critical points are 0 and π.

h0 = [0] + + + [π].

A local maximum is 5 at θ = π, a local minimum is 0 at θ = 0.

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Exercise
Exercise
Sketch the graph of a differentiable function y = f (x) through the point
(1, 1) if f 0 (1) = 0 and
(a) f 0 (x) > 0 for x < 1 and f 0 (x) < 0 for x > 1;
(b) f 0 (x) < 0 for x < 1 and f 0 (x) > 0 for x > 1;
(c) f 0 (x) > 0 for x 6= 1;
(d) f 0 (x) < 0 for x 6= 1.

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Solution

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Exercise
Exercise
Let f be a twice differentiable function such that

f 00 (x) = −f (x)

and f 0 (x) = g (x) for all x ∈ R. If

h i2 h i2
h(x) = f (x) + g (x)

for all x ∈ R, then find the value of h(10) if

h(5) = 11.

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Solution
h i2 h i2
Given that h(x) = f (x) + g (x) for all x ∈ R.

For all x ∈ R,

h0 (x) = 2f (x)f 0 (x) + 2g (x)g 0 (x)

= 2f (x)f 0 (x) + 2f 0 (x)f 00 (x)
= 2f 0 (x)(f (x) + f 00 (x))
= 0.

Hence h is a constant function. Since h(5) = 11, h(10) = 11.

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Exercise
Exercise
Show that
tan x x π
> if 0 < x < .
x sin x 2

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Solution

Solution would be discussed in “tutorial session”.

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Exercise
Exercise
Use the function
f (x) = x 1/x , x >0
to determine the bigger of the two numbers
(a) e π and π e
(b) (202)303 and (303)202 .

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Solution

68 Solution would be discussed in “tutorial session”.

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Exercise
Exercise
Determine the values of constants a, b, c, and d so that

f (x) = ax 3 + bx 2 + cx + d

has a local maximum at the point (0, 0) and a local minimum at the point
(1, −1).

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Solution

f (x) = ax 3 + bx 2 + cx + d =⇒ f 0 (x) = 3ax 2 + 2bx + c.

f (0) = 0 =⇒ d = 0 ; f (1) = −1 =⇒ a + b + c + d = −1.

f 0 (0) = 0 =⇒ c = 0 ; f 0 (1) = 0 =⇒ 3a + 2b + c = 0. Hence

f (x) = 2x 3 − 3x 2 .

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References

1. M.D. Weir, J. Hass and F.R. Giordano, Thomas’ Calculus, 11th

Edition, Pearson Publishers.
2. N. Piskunov, Differential and Integral Calculus, Vol I & II (Translated
by George Yankovsky).
3. S.C. Malik and Savitha Arora, Mathematical Analysis, New Age
Publishers.
4. R. G. Bartle, D. R. Sherbert, Introduction to Real Analysis, Wiley
Publishers.

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