The mean value theorem

We now turn to, a somewhat theoretical topic, the Mean Value theorem. We will apply the conse-
quences of the MVT in later sections on Curve sketching and Integration. Consider the following
intuitive statement: If you travel from CPT to JHB (a distance of about 1200 km) in 15 hours,
then at (at least one) point during your trip, you must have been travelling at exactly 80 km{h, the
average speed. That is what the MVT tells us. A more formal statement is as follows

Mean Value theorem

Suppose f is continuous on the closed interval ra, bs and differentiable on pa, bq. Then there
exists a point c P pa, bq such that

f pbq ´ f paq
“ f 1 pcq (1)
b´a
or, equivalently
f pbq ´ f paq “ f 1 pcqpb ´ aq (2)

a c b a c1 c2 b

Figure 1: A graphical illustration of the Mean Value theorem

If we interpret the quantity pf pbq ´ f paqq{pb ´ aq as the average rate of change of the function
f over the interval ra, bs, and f 1 pcq as the instantaneous rate of change of f at the point c, then the
Mean Value theorem states that at some point, the instanteneous change in f equals the average
change in f over the entire interval.

Consequences of the MVT

The Mean Value theorem asllows us to obtain information about a function, given its derivative.

1
 Corollary 1

Suppose f is continuous on the closed interval ra, bs and differentiable on pa, bq. Then
1. If f 1 pxq ą 0 on pa, bq, then f is increasing on ra, bs.
2. If f 1 pxq ă 0 on pa, bq, then f is decreasing on ra, bs.
3. If f 1 pxq “ 0 on pa, bq, then f is constant on ra, bs.

Proof: Let x1 and x2 be any two numbers on ra, bs, with x1 ă x2 (implying that x2 ´ x1 ą 0).
1. Applying the Mean value theorem, we have

f px2 q ´ f px1 q “ f 1 pcqpx2 ´ x1 q (3)

for some c between x1 and x2 . Now, since f 1 pcq ą 0, the right hand side of 3 is greater
than zero. Therefore f px2 q ´ f px1 q ą 0 or f px1 q ă f px2 q. This, together with the fact that
x1 ă x2 , means f is increasing on the interval ra, bs.

2. Proceed in the same way as above.

3. Here we have f 1 pxq “ 0 on the interval. Applying the Mean value theorem, we have

f px2 q ´ f px1 q “ f 1 pcqpx2 ´ x1 q (4)

for some c between x1 and x2 . The right hand side of 4 vanishes since f 1 pcq “ 0. Therefore
f px2 q “ f px1 q on the interval, i.e. f is constant on ra, bs.

Corollary 2

If f 1 pxq “ g 1 pxq for all x in an interval pa, bq, then there is a constant k, such that f pxq “
gpxq ` k. That is, functions with the same derivative differ by constant.

Proof: Let hpxq “ f pxq ´ gpxq. Then at each point x on the interval pa, bq

h1 pxq “ f 1 pxq ´ g 1 pxq (5)

“ 0 (6)

By Corollary 1, hpxq must be a constant function, hpxq “ k on pa, bq, i.e. f pxq ´ gpxq “ k and so
f pxq “ gpxq ` k as required.

EXAMPLE 1. Show that the function f pxq “ x3 ` x ´ 3 has exactly one real root on the
interval r1, 2s.

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Solution We can apply the Intermediate value theorem to show that there is at least one root on
r1, 2s. To this end, we first evaluate the function at the end points:

f p1q “ ´1 and f p2q “ 7 (7)

Since these differ in sign, and f is a continuous function, there must be at least one root in the
interval r1, 2s, by the Intermediate Value Theorem.
The Mean Value theorem allows us to get the stronger statement, that there is exactly one such
root. To show this, we need only look at the sign of f 1 on the interval 2, 3. We have that

f 1 pxq “ 3x2 ` 1 (8)

which is always positive on the interval r1, 2s. By Corollary 1 above, f is an increasing function on
r1, 2s, and hence could only have crossed zero once (since it does not have turning points). Figure
2 confirms the result.

1 2

Figure 2: f pxq “ x3 ` x ´ 3