OPTIMIZATION: FUNCTIONS OF SINGLE VARIABLE

Relative extrema:

A function f has a relative maximum at a if there is an open interval containing a on which

𝑓(𝑎) ≥ 𝑓(𝑥) for all x in the interval. The relative maximum value is f(a)

A function f has a relative minimum at a if there is an open interval containing a on which

𝑓(𝑎) ≤ 𝑓(𝑥) for all x in the interval. The relative minimum value is f(a)

f(x3)

f(x6)
f(x4)
f(x1) f(x5) f(n)

f(x2) y=f(x)
f(m)

x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x6 n x
Absolute extrema:

Highest point
 Highest point






Lowest point Lowest point

m n m n

A function f has an absolute maximum at a if 𝑓(𝑎) ≥ 𝑓(𝑥) for all x in the domain of f. The
absolute maximum value is f(a)

A function f has an absolute minimum at a if 𝑓(𝑎) ≤ 𝑓(𝑥) for all x in the domain of f. The
absolute minimum value is f(a)

When dealing with relative extrema, we compare the function value at a point with values of
nearby points; however when dealing with the absolute extrema, we compare the function
value at a point will all other values determined by the domain.

Relative extrema are local in nature, whereas absolute extrema are global in nature.

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SLOPE OF TANGENT LINE

First derivative: slope of the tangent line

• f is increasing on (a, b) when f’(x) > 0

• f is decreasing on (a, b) when f’(x) < 0

f(x) f(x)

f (x) > 0
f (x) > 0
f (x) > 0

f (x) > 0

x x
(a) Increasing function (b) Increasing function

f(x) f(x)

f (x) < 0

f (x) < 0
f (x) < 0

f (x) < 0

x x
(c) Decreasing function (d) Decreasing function

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Concavity

Second derivative - concavity

• f is said to be concave up on (a, b) if f is increasing on (a, b).

• f is said to be concave down on (a, b) if f is decreasing on (a, b).

• If 𝑓 ′′ (𝑥) > 0, f is concave up on (a, b).

• If 𝑓 ′′ (𝑥) < 0, f is concave down on (a, b).

y
y

Slope Slope
increasing increasing

x x

Slope
increasing
x

Concave up [ f ( x)  0]

3
y y

Slope
decreasing
Slope
decreasing

Slope
decreasing
x

Concave down [ f ( x)  0]

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Relative extrema

f  (x) = 0
f  (x) undefined
f  (x) < 0
f  (x) undefined
 P3
f  (x) = + P1 
f  (x) =  f  (x) = + Relative maximum
P2
Relative  f  (x) = 
maximum f  (x) = 0
Relative
minimim f (x) > 0

x1 x
x2 x3

Concave up and
relative minimum


Concave down and

relative maximum


x0 x0 x

Relative maximum and Relative minimum

Relative extrema at x = a :

1. f (a)  0 or f (a) undefined

2. 𝑓′(𝑥) changes sign as x increases through a or
Function is concave up/down at x = a
3. Function is continuous at x = a

When f (a)  0 or f (a) undefined:

 x = a is called critical value
 (a, f (a)) is called critical point

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 Relative Maximum and Relative Minimum

a a a
Slope x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x)tdkwujud
x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0
x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0
Concavity x  a, f ' ' ( x)  0 x  a, f ' ' ( x)  0 x  a, f ' ' ( x)tdkwujud

Continuity Continuous at x=a Continuous at x=a Continuous at x = a

RELATIVE MIN RELATIVE MAX RELATIVE MIN
(1) (2) (3)

a a a
Slope x  a, f ' ( x)tdkwujud x  a, f ' ( x)tdkwujud x  a, f ' ( x)tdkwujud
x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0
x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0 x  a, f ' ( x )  0

Concavity x  a, f ' ' ( x)tdkwujud x  a, f ' ' ( x)tdkwujud x  a, f ' ' ( x)tdkwujud

Continuity continuous at x = a disontinuous at x = a discontinuous at x = a

RELATIVE MAX NO MAX/MIN NO MAX/MIN
(4) (5) (6)

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Steps in determining relative extrema

1. Find f (x)
2. Determine all critical values, x = a when
(i) f (x) = 0
(ii) f (x) undefined
3. Find f(a)
4. State critical points
(x, y) = (a, f(a))
5. Determine whether relative extrema exists or not.

Method 1: First derivative test

Does f (x) changes sign as x increases through a?
 If changes from (+) to (–),
Relative maximum

 If changes from (–) to (+),

Relative minimum

 If no changes
No maximum or minimum

Method 2: Second Derivative Test

Determine f(x) at x = a.
 If f  (a) < 0 (-ve) – concave down
Relative maximum

 If f (a) > 0 (+ve) – concave up

Relative minimum
 If test fails, use Method 1.

6. (x, y) = (a, f(a)) is relative extrema.

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EXAMPLE
Find the relative extrema for f ( x)  3x 2  2 x  3

f ' ( x)  6 x  2

f ' ( x)  0
6x  2  0
1
x
3

1 1 1 10
f ( )  3( ) 2  2( )  3  
3 3 3 3

1 10
( x, y )  (  ,  )
3 3

Method 1: First derivative test

1
x f ' (2)  6(2)  2  10
3
1
x f ' (0)  6(0)  2  2
3

1 1 1
x x x
3 3 3
f (x)  ve 0 + ve
f decreasing f increasing

Slope changes from –ve to +ve,

1 10
 ( x, y )  ( , ) relative minimum.
3 3

Method 2: Second Derivative Test

f ' ' ( x)  6

1
x
3
f (x) + ve
Concave up

1 10
 ( x, y )  ( , ) relative minimum.
3 3

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EXAMPLE
2 3
Given f ( x)  18 x  x , find the interval where the function is increasing and decreasing.
3
Determine the relative extrema (if any).

f ' ( x)  18  2 x 2
f ' ( x)  0
18  2 x 2  0
2(9  x 2 )  0
2(3  x)(3  x)  0
x = 3 or -3

2
f (3)  18(3)  (3) 3  36
3
2
f (3)  18(3)  (3) 3  36
3

(x, y) = (3, 36) and (-3, -36)

x  3 f ' (4)  18  2(4) 2  14

3 x  3 f (0)  18  2(0) 2  18
x3 f ' (4)  18  2(4) 2  14

x  3 x  3 3 x  3 x3 x3

f (x)  ve 0 + ve 0 - ve
f decreasing f increasing f decreasing

Function is decreasing on (,3) and (3, )

Function is increasing on (3,3)

Slope changes from –ve to +ve

 ( x, y)  (3,36) relative minimum

Slope changes from +ve to –ve

 ( x, y)  (3,36) relative maximum

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EXAMPLE
Determine relative extrema (if any) for f ( x)  ( x  4) 2 / 3

2 2
f ' ( x)  ( x  4) 1 / 3 (1) 
3 3( x  4)1 / 3

f’(x) undefined when 3( x  4)1 / 3  0

x4

f (4)  (4  4) 2 / 3  0

( x, y)  (4,0)

Method 1: First derivative test

2
x4 f ' ( 0)   -ve
3(0  4)1 / 3
2
x4 f ' (5)   +ve
3(5  4)1 / 3

x4 x4 x4

f (x)  ve 0 + ve
f decreasing f increasing

Slope changes from –ve to +ve

 ( x, y)  (4,0) relative minimum

Method 2: Second Derivative Test

2 1 2
f ' ' ( x)  ( )( x  4)  4 / 3  
3 3 9( x  4) 4 / 3

2 2
f ' ' (4)     (undefined)
9(4  4) 4/3
0

Test fails, need to use Method 1

Steps in determining absolute extrema

1. Get critical points.
2. Get f(x) values at the endpoints.
3. Compare all f(x) values from 1 & 2
 Highest ~ Absolute Maximum
 Lowest ~ Absolute Minimum

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Example
x3 7 x 2
Determine the absolute extrema (if any) for f ( x)    6 x  5 on interval [2, 10]
3 2

3 x 2 14 x
f ' ( x)    6  x2  7 x  6
3 2

f ' ( x)  0
x2  7 x  6  0
( x  6)( x  1)  0
x  6 atau x 1

Since x = 1 is not in the domain/interval [2,10], only consider x = 6.

f (x) values when x = 6, x = 2 and x = 10

(6) 2 7(6) 2
f (6)    6(6)  5  13
3 2
(2)3 7(2) 2 2
f (2)    6(2)  5  5
3 2 3
3 2
(10) 7(10) 1
f (10)    6(2)  5  48
3 2 3

Evaluate f (6), f (2), f (10) that gives maximum/minimum value

1
Absolute minimum at (6, -13) and Absolute maximum at (10, 48 )
3

Aplplied Maxima and Minima

Example
80  q
Given demand function p  . Find the quantity that maximizes total revenue and what
4
is the maximum revenue?

 80  q  80 q  q 2
R q 
 4  4

80  2q
R 
4

R  0
80  2q
0
4
q  40

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 1
R   
2

q = 40 maximizes revenue.

80(40)  (40) 2
Maximum revenue =  400
4

Example
q2
Given total cost is c   3q  400 , find the quantity that minimizes average cost.
4

q2
c  3q  400
4
q2
 3q  400
c q 400
c  4  3
q q 4 q

1 400
c  
4 q2

c  0

1 400
 0
4 q2
q 2  1600
0
4q 2

q 2  1600  0
(q  40)( q  40)  0 4q 2  0
q  40 atau -40(abai kerana q  0) q  0 (abai kerana q  0)
q  40

800
c  
q3
800
c (40)   ve (cekung ke atas)
40 3

q = 40 minimizes average cost.

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Example :

400
Given demand function p  400  2q and average cost is c  0.2q  4  , find :
q
(i) quantity that maximizes profit.
(ii) price at maximum profit.
(iii) maximum profit.

(i) R  pq  (400  2q)q  400 q  2q 2

 400 
C  c q   0.2q  4q  q  0.2q 2  4q 2  400
 q 
  R  C  400 q  2q   0.2q 2  4q  400 
2

 396 q  2.2q 2  400

   396  4.4q
 0
396  4.4q  0
q  90

   4.4
q = 90 maximizes profit.

p  400  2q
(ii)
p  400  2(90)  220

(iii) Maximum profit =  396(90)  2.2(90) 2  400  17420

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