LESSON 22: Calculus - Determining

Minimum & Maximum Values

One of the most important uses of calculus is determining minimum and
maximum values. This has its applications in manufacturing, finance,
engineering, and a host of other industries. Before we examine a real-
world example, we should learn how to calculate such values.
Let's use for our first example, the equation 2
2
-! -" # $
This is a quadratic equation in one varia%le. That is to sa& it is an
equation of the form'
ax
2
( %x ( c # $
)ith equations of this t&pe, we *now that when the +a+ term is positive,
the graph of the curve will %e +concave up+ ,--.haped/ and therefore
the equation will have a minimum value %ut no maximum value ,o*a& -
technicall&, the maximum value is infinit&/. Loo*ing at the graph we see
that the minimum point is roughl& # 0.! and 1 # -0$. 2s there a wa& to
determine the minimum point without graphing the equation and getting
an exact value3 1es there is 4
Loo* at the graph. 2f slope values were calculated for points on the left
side of the curve, &ou could see that the slope would always be
negative %ut it %ecomes +less negative+ the closer the curve approaches
the minimum ,the %ottom/. 2f the slope were calculated along the right
side of the curve, the value would always be positive and the slope
values would get larger the further awa& from the +%ottom+ the points
were.
.o, it is logical to thin* that the slope is zero at that +%ottom+ point and
therefore the derivative is zero at that point too.
.o, let's ta*e the derivative of 2
2
-! -" # $ which is'
5 - !
)hen 5 -! equals 6ero, #0.2! which means that at this point, a
minimum value exists. 7s for the '1' value, we go to the original
equation and enter the value of as 0.2!.
1 # 2
2
-! -"
1 # 28,0.2!/
2
-!80.2! -"
1 # -0$.02!
.o, at point #0.2!, 1# -0$.02! there exists a minimum value.
2n this example we knew that we were o%taining a minimum value
%ecause we graphed it. 7lso, we stated that the +rule+ for quadratic
equations is such that when the 'a' term is positive, the curve will %e
+concave-up+. There is &et a third method to determine whether a point
is a maximum or minimum value.
2f we ta*e the second derivative and if that value is positive, then we are
dealing with a minimum value.
2n this example, ta*ing the derivative of the derivative we have the value
5 which is positive and so we *now this is a minimum.
9or equations of the t&pe a
2
( % ( c #$, a hand& tool to use is the
:uadratic ;quation <alculator. =ot onl& does this calculate the roots of
the equation, it will also show the derivative and the point at which the
maximum or minimum exists.
The second example we will loo* at is ver& similar to the previous one,
except that it is +concave down+ instead of +concave up+.
O*a&, let's examine this equation'
-5
2
( 5 ( 0> # $
.ince this is a quadratic equation in one varia%le with the 'a' term %eing
negative, we *now that the graph of the curve will %e shaped +concave
down+ ,shaped li*e ?/ and it will have a maximum value %ut no
minimum value ,o*a&, if &ou want to %e technical, its minimum value is
negative infinit&. 1ou happ& now3/.
)e learned from the first example that the wa& to calculate a maximum
,or minimum/ point is to find the point at which an equation's derivative
equals zero. The derivative of this equation is'
-@ ( 5
and when -@ ( 5 # $, then # .! and it is at that point where the
maximum of the curve is located. 7s for the '1' value, we su%stitute .!
into the original equation and get'
1 # -58,.!8.!/
2
(58.! ( 0>
1 # 05
.o, at point #.!, 1# 05 there exists a maximum value.
Ta*ing the second derivative of -@ ( 5, we get -@. .ince this is
negative, it means that we have found a maximum value.