Calculus Examples

$x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$

Step 1

Write $x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$ as a function.

$f (x) = x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$

Step 2

Find the second derivative.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1

Find the first derivative.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1.1

Differentiate.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1.1.1

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 6 x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [5]$ .

$\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 6 x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [5]$

Step 2.1.1.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 4$ .

$4 x^{3} + \frac{d}{d x} [- 6 x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [5]$

Step 2.1.2

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [- 6 x^{2}]$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1.2.1

Since $- 6$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 6 x^{2}$ with respect to $x$ is $- 6 \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}]$ .

$4 x^{3} - 6 \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [5]$

Step 2.1.2.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 2$ .

$4 x^{3} - 6 (2 x) + \frac{d}{d x} [5]$

Step 2.1.2.3

Multiply $2$ by $- 6$ .

$4 x^{3} - 12 x + \frac{d}{d x} [5]$

Step 2.1.3

Differentiate using the Constant Rule.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1.3.1

Since $5$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $5$ with respect to $x$ is $0$ .

$4 x^{3} - 12 x + 0$

Step 2.1.3.2

Add $4 x^{3} - 12 x$ and $0$ .

$f' (x) = 4 x^{3} - 12 x$

Step 2.2

Find the second derivative.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.1

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $4 x^{3} - 12 x$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [4 x^{3}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 12 x]$ .

$\frac{d}{d x} [4 x^{3}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 12 x]$

Step 2.2.2

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [4 x^{3}]$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.2.1

Since $4$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $4 x^{3}$ with respect to $x$ is $4 \frac{d}{d x} [x^{3}]$ .

$4 \frac{d}{d x} [x^{3}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 12 x]$

Step 2.2.2.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 3$ .

$4 (3 x^{2}) + \frac{d}{d x} [- 12 x]$

Step 2.2.2.3

Multiply $3$ by $4$ .

$12 x^{2} + \frac{d}{d x} [- 12 x]$

Step 2.2.3

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [- 12 x]$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.3.1

Since $- 12$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 12 x$ with respect to $x$ is $- 12 \frac{d}{d x} [x]$ .

$12 x^{2} - 12 \frac{d}{d x} [x]$

Step 2.2.3.2

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 1$ .

$12 x^{2} - 12 \cdot 1$

Step 2.2.3.3

Multiply $- 12$ by $1$ .

$f'' (x) = 12 x^{2} - 12$

Step 2.3

The second derivative of $f (x)$ with respect to $x$ is $12 x^{2} - 12$ .

$12 x^{2} - 12$

Step 3

Set the second derivative equal to $0$ then solve the equation $12 x^{2} - 12 = 0$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 3.1

Set the second derivative equal to $0$ .

$12 x^{2} - 12 = 0$

Step 3.2

Add $12$ to both sides of the equation.

$12 x^{2} = 12$

Step 3.3

Divide each term in $12 x^{2} = 12$ by $12$ and simplify.

Tap for more steps...

Step 3.3.1

Divide each term in $12 x^{2} = 12$ by $12$ .

$\frac{12 x^{2}}{12} = \frac{12}{12}$

Step 3.3.2

Simplify the left side.

Tap for more steps...

Step 3.3.2.1

Cancel the common factor of $12$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 3.3.2.1.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{12 x^{2}}{12} = \frac{12}{12}$

Step 3.3.2.1.2

Divide $x^{2}$ by $1$ .

$x^{2} = \frac{12}{12}$

Step 3.3.3

Simplify the right side.

Tap for more steps...

Step 3.3.3.1

Divide $12$ by $12$ .

$x^{2} = 1$

Step 3.4

Take the specified root of both sides of the equation to eliminate the exponent on the left side.

$x = \pm \sqrt{1}$

Step 3.5

Any root of $1$ is $1$ .

$x = \pm 1$

Step 3.6

The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.

Tap for more steps...

Step 3.6.1

First, use the positive value of the $\pm$ to find the first solution.

$x = 1$

Step 3.6.2

Next, use the negative value of the $\pm$ to find the second solution.

$x = - 1$

Step 3.6.3

The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.

$x = 1, - 1$

Step 4

Find the points where the second derivative is $0$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1

Substitute $1$ in $f (x) = x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$ to find the value of $y$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1.1

Replace the variable $x$ with $1$ in the expression.

$f (1) = {(1)}^{4} - 6 {(1)}^{2} + 5$

Step 4.1.2

Simplify the result.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1.2.1

Simplify each term.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1.2.1.1

One to any power is one.

$f (1) = 1 - 6 {(1)}^{2} + 5$

Step 4.1.2.1.2

One to any power is one.

$f (1) = 1 - 6 \cdot 1 + 5$

Step 4.1.2.1.3

Multiply $- 6$ by $1$ .

$f (1) = 1 - 6 + 5$

Step 4.1.2.2

Simplify by adding and subtracting.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1.2.2.1

Subtract $6$ from $1$ .

$f (1) = - 5 + 5$

Step 4.1.2.2.2

Add $- 5$ and $5$ .

$f (1) = 0$

Step 4.1.2.3

The final answer is $0$ .

$0$

Step 4.2

The point found by substituting $1$ in $f (x) = x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$ is $(1, 0)$ . This point can be an inflection point.

$(1, 0)$

Step 4.3

Substitute $- 1$ in $f (x) = x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$ to find the value of $y$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.3.1

Replace the variable $x$ with $- 1$ in the expression.

$f (- 1) = {(- 1)}^{4} - 6 {(- 1)}^{2} + 5$

Step 4.3.2

Simplify the result.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.3.2.1

Simplify each term.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.3.2.1.1

Raise $- 1$ to the power of $4$ .

$f (- 1) = 1 - 6 {(- 1)}^{2} + 5$

Step 4.3.2.1.2

Raise $- 1$ to the power of $2$ .

$f (- 1) = 1 - 6 \cdot 1 + 5$

Step 4.3.2.1.3

Multiply $- 6$ by $1$ .

$f (- 1) = 1 - 6 + 5$

Step 4.3.2.2

Simplify by adding and subtracting.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.3.2.2.1

Subtract $6$ from $1$ .

$f (- 1) = - 5 + 5$

Step 4.3.2.2.2

Add $- 5$ and $5$ .

$f (- 1) = 0$

Step 4.3.2.3

The final answer is $0$ .

$0$

Step 4.4

The point found by substituting $- 1$ in $f (x) = x^{4} - 6 x^{2} + 5$ is $(- 1, 0)$ . This point can be an inflection point.

$(- 1, 0)$

Step 4.5

Determine the points that could be inflection points.

$(1, 0), (- 1, 0)$

Step 5

Split $(- \infty, \infty)$ into intervals around the points that could potentially be inflection points.

$(- \infty, - 1) \cup (- 1, 1) \cup (1, \infty)$

Step 6

Substitute a value from the interval $(- \infty, - 1)$ into the second derivative to determine if it is increasing or decreasing.

Tap for more steps...

Step 6.1

Replace the variable $x$ with $- 1.1$ in the expression.

$f'' (- 1.1) = 12 {(- 1.1)}^{2} - 12$

Step 6.2

Simplify the result.

Tap for more steps...

Step 6.2.1

Simplify each term.

Tap for more steps...

Step 6.2.1.1

Raise $- 1.1$ to the power of $2$ .

$f'' (- 1.1) = 12 \cdot 1.21 - 12$

Step 6.2.1.2

Multiply $12$ by $1.21$ .

$f'' (- 1.1) = 14.52 - 12$

Step 6.2.2

Subtract $12$ from $14.52$ .

$f'' (- 1.1) = 2.52$

Step 6.2.3

The final answer is $2.52$ .

$2.52$

Step 6.3

At $- 1.1$ , the second derivative is $2.52$ . Since this is positive, the second derivative is increasing on the interval $(- \infty, - 1)$ .

Increasing on $(- \infty, - 1)$ since $f'' (x) > 0$

Step 7

Substitute a value from the interval $(- 1, 1)$ into the second derivative to determine if it is increasing or decreasing.

Tap for more steps...

Step 7.1

Replace the variable $x$ with $0$ in the expression.

$f'' (0) = 12 {(0)}^{2} - 12$

Step 7.2

Simplify the result.

Tap for more steps...

Step 7.2.1

Simplify each term.

Tap for more steps...

Step 7.2.1.1

Raising $0$ to any positive power yields $0$ .

$f'' (0) = 12 \cdot 0 - 12$

Step 7.2.1.2

Multiply $12$ by $0$ .

$f'' (0) = 0 - 12$

Step 7.2.2

Subtract $12$ from $0$ .

$f'' (0) = - 12$

Step 7.2.3

The final answer is $- 12$ .

$- 12$

Step 7.3

At $0$ , the second derivative is $- 12$ . Since this is negative, the second derivative is decreasing on the interval $(- 1, 1)$

Decreasing on $(- 1, 1)$ since $f'' (x) < 0$

Step 8

Substitute a value from the interval $(1, \infty)$ into the second derivative to determine if it is increasing or decreasing.

Tap for more steps...

Step 8.1

Replace the variable $x$ with $1.1$ in the expression.

$f'' (1.1) = 12 {(1.1)}^{2} - 12$

Step 8.2

Simplify the result.

Tap for more steps...

Step 8.2.1

Simplify each term.

Tap for more steps...

Step 8.2.1.1

Raise $1.1$ to the power of $2$ .

$f'' (1.1) = 12 \cdot 1.21 - 12$

Step 8.2.1.2

Multiply $12$ by $1.21$ .

$f'' (1.1) = 14.52 - 12$

Step 8.2.2

Subtract $12$ from $14.52$ .

$f'' (1.1) = 2.52$

Step 8.2.3

The final answer is $2.52$ .

$2.52$

Step 8.3

At $1.1$ , the second derivative is $2.52$ . Since this is positive, the second derivative is increasing on the interval $(1, \infty)$ .

Increasing on $(1, \infty)$ since $f'' (x) > 0$

Step 9

An inflection point is a point on a curve at which the concavity changes sign from plus to minus or from minus to plus. The inflection points in this case are $(- 1, 0), (1, 0)$ .

$(- 1, 0), (1, 0)$

Step 10