Calculus Examples

$y = \frac{1}{2} x^{2} - x$

Step 1

Find the first derivative.

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Step 1.1

Find the first derivative.

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Step 1.1.1

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $\frac{1}{2} x^{2} - x$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [\frac{1}{2} x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- x]$ .

$\frac{d}{d x} [\frac{1}{2} x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- x]$

Step 1.1.2

Evaluate $\frac{d}{d x} [\frac{1}{2} x^{2}]$ .

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Step 1.1.2.1

Since $\frac{1}{2}$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $\frac{1}{2} x^{2}$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{1}{2} \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}]$ .

$\frac{1}{2} \frac{d}{d x} [x^{2}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- x]$

Step 1.1.2.2

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

$\frac{1}{2} (2 x) + \frac{d}{d x} [- x]$

Step 1.1.2.3

Combine $2$ and $\frac{1}{2}$ .

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

Step 1.1.2.4

Combine $\frac{2}{2}$ and $x$ .

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

Step 1.1.2.5

Cancel the common factor of $2$ .

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Step 1.1.2.5.1

Cancel the common factor.

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

Step 1.1.2.5.2

Divide $x$ by $1$ .

$x + \frac{d}{d x} [- x]$

Step 1.1.3

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

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Step 1.1.3.1

Since $- 1$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- x$ with respect to $x$ is $- \frac{d}{d x} [x]$ .

$x - \frac{d}{d x} [x]$

Step 1.1.3.2

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

$x - 1 \cdot 1$

Step 1.1.3.3

Multiply $- 1$ by $1$ .

$f' (x) = x - 1$

Step 1.2

The first derivative of $f (x)$ with respect to $x$ is $x - 1$ .

$x - 1$

Step 2

Set the first derivative equal to $0$ then solve the equation $x - 1 = 0$ .

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Step 2.1

Set the first derivative equal to $0$ .

$x - 1 = 0$

Step 2.2

Add $1$ to both sides of the equation.

$x = 1$

Step 3

Find the values where the derivative is undefined.

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Step 3.1

The domain of the expression is all real numbers except where the expression is undefined. In this case, there is no real number that makes the expression undefined.

Step 4

Evaluate $\frac{1}{2} x^{2} - x$ at each $x$ value where the derivative is $0$ or undefined.

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Step 4.1

Evaluate at $x = 1$ .

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Step 4.1.1

Substitute $1$ for $x$ .

$\frac{1}{2} \cdot {(1)}^{2} - (1)$

Step 4.1.2

Simplify.

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Step 4.1.2.1

Simplify each term.

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Step 4.1.2.1.1

One to any power is one.

$\frac{1}{2} \cdot 1 - (1)$

Step 4.1.2.1.2

Multiply $\frac{1}{2}$ by $1$ .

$\frac{1}{2} - (1)$

Step 4.1.2.1.3

Multiply $- 1$ by $1$ .

$\frac{1}{2} - 1$

Step 4.1.2.2

To write $- 1$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by $\frac{2}{2}$ .

$\frac{1}{2} - 1 \cdot \frac{2}{2}$

Step 4.1.2.3

Combine $- 1$ and $\frac{2}{2}$ .

$\frac{1}{2} + \frac{- 1 \cdot 2}{2}$

Step 4.1.2.4

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{1 - 1 \cdot 2}{2}$

Step 4.1.2.5

Simplify the numerator.

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Step 4.1.2.5.1

Multiply $- 1$ by $2$ .

$\frac{1 - 2}{2}$

Step 4.1.2.5.2

Subtract $2$ from $1$ .

$\frac{- 1}{2}$

Step 4.1.2.6

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$- \frac{1}{2}$

Step 4.2

List all of the points.

$(1, - \frac{1}{2})$

Step 5