Calculus Examples

Find the Local Maxima and Minima f(x)=x^4-4x
f(x)=x4-4x
Step 1
Find the first derivative of the function.
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Step 1.1
Differentiate.
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Step 1.1.1
By the Sum Rule, the derivative of x4-4x with respect to x is ddx[x4]+ddx[-4x].
ddx[x4]+ddx[-4x]
Step 1.1.2
Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that ddx[xn] is nxn-1 where n=4.
4x3+ddx[-4x]
4x3+ddx[-4x]
Step 1.2
Evaluate ddx[-4x].
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Step 1.2.1
Since -4 is constant with respect to x, the derivative of -4x with respect to x is -4ddx[x].
4x3-4ddx[x]
Step 1.2.2
Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that ddx[xn] is nxn-1 where n=1.
4x3-41
Step 1.2.3
Multiply -4 by 1.
4x3-4
4x3-4
4x3-4
Step 2
Find the second derivative of the function.
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Step 2.1
By the Sum Rule, the derivative of 4x3-4 with respect to x is ddx[4x3]+ddx[-4].
f′′(x)=ddx(4x3)+ddx(-4)
Step 2.2
Evaluate ddx[4x3].
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Step 2.2.1
Since 4 is constant with respect to x, the derivative of 4x3 with respect to x is 4ddx[x3].
f′′(x)=4ddx(x3)+ddx(-4)
Step 2.2.2
Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that ddx[xn] is nxn-1 where n=3.
f′′(x)=4(3x2)+ddx(-4)
Step 2.2.3
Multiply 3 by 4.
f′′(x)=12x2+ddx(-4)
f′′(x)=12x2+ddx(-4)
Step 2.3
Differentiate using the Constant Rule.
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Step 2.3.1
Since -4 is constant with respect to x, the derivative of -4 with respect to x is 0.
f′′(x)=12x2+0
Step 2.3.2
Add 12x2 and 0.
f′′(x)=12x2
f′′(x)=12x2
f′′(x)=12x2
Step 3
To find the local maximum and minimum values of the function, set the derivative equal to 0 and solve.
4x3-4=0
Step 4
Find the first derivative.
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Step 4.1
Find the first derivative.
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Step 4.1.1
Differentiate.
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Step 4.1.1.1
By the Sum Rule, the derivative of x4-4x with respect to x is ddx[x4]+ddx[-4x].
ddx[x4]+ddx[-4x]
Step 4.1.1.2
Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that ddx[xn] is nxn-1 where n=4.
4x3+ddx[-4x]
4x3+ddx[-4x]
Step 4.1.2
Evaluate ddx[-4x].
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Step 4.1.2.1
Since -4 is constant with respect to x, the derivative of -4x with respect to x is -4ddx[x].
4x3-4ddx[x]
Step 4.1.2.2
Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that ddx[xn] is nxn-1 where n=1.
4x3-41
Step 4.1.2.3
Multiply -4 by 1.
f(x)=4x3-4
f(x)=4x3-4
f(x)=4x3-4
Step 4.2
The first derivative of f(x) with respect to x is 4x3-4.
4x3-4
4x3-4
Step 5
Set the first derivative equal to 0 then solve the equation 4x3-4=0.
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Step 5.1
Set the first derivative equal to 0.
4x3-4=0
Step 5.2
Add 4 to both sides of the equation.
4x3=4
Step 5.3
Subtract 4 from both sides of the equation.
4x3-4=0
Step 5.4
Factor the left side of the equation.
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Step 5.4.1
Factor 4 out of 4x3-4.
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Step 5.4.1.1
Factor 4 out of 4x3.
4(x3)-4=0
Step 5.4.1.2
Factor 4 out of -4.
4(x3)+4(-1)=0
Step 5.4.1.3
Factor 4 out of 4(x3)+4(-1).
4(x3-1)=0
4(x3-1)=0
Step 5.4.2
Rewrite 1 as 13.
4(x3-13)=0
Step 5.4.3
Since both terms are perfect cubes, factor using the difference of cubes formula, a3-b3=(a-b)(a2+ab+b2) where a=x and b=1.
4((x-1)(x2+x1+12))=0
Step 5.4.4
Factor.
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Step 5.4.4.1
Simplify.
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Step 5.4.4.1.1
Multiply x by 1.
4((x-1)(x2+x+12))=0
Step 5.4.4.1.2
One to any power is one.
4((x-1)(x2+x+1))=0
4((x-1)(x2+x+1))=0
Step 5.4.4.2
Remove unnecessary parentheses.
4(x-1)(x2+x+1)=0
4(x-1)(x2+x+1)=0
4(x-1)(x2+x+1)=0
Step 5.5
If any individual factor on the left side of the equation is equal to 0, the entire expression will be equal to 0.
x-1=0
x2+x+1=0
Step 5.6
Set x-1 equal to 0 and solve for x.
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Step 5.6.1
Set x-1 equal to 0.
x-1=0
Step 5.6.2
Add 1 to both sides of the equation.
x=1
x=1
Step 5.7
Set x2+x+1 equal to 0 and solve for x.
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Step 5.7.1
Set x2+x+1 equal to 0.
x2+x+1=0
Step 5.7.2
Solve x2+x+1=0 for x.
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Step 5.7.2.1
Use the quadratic formula to find the solutions.
-b±b2-4(ac)2a
Step 5.7.2.2
Substitute the values a=1, b=1, and c=1 into the quadratic formula and solve for x.
-1±12-4(11)21
Step 5.7.2.3
Simplify.
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Step 5.7.2.3.1
Simplify the numerator.
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Step 5.7.2.3.1.1
One to any power is one.
x=-1±1-41121
Step 5.7.2.3.1.2
Multiply -411.
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Step 5.7.2.3.1.2.1
Multiply -4 by 1.
x=-1±1-4121
Step 5.7.2.3.1.2.2
Multiply -4 by 1.
x=-1±1-421
x=-1±1-421
Step 5.7.2.3.1.3
Subtract 4 from 1.
x=-1±-321
Step 5.7.2.3.1.4
Rewrite -3 as -1(3).
x=-1±-1321
Step 5.7.2.3.1.5
Rewrite -1(3) as -13.
x=-1±-1321
Step 5.7.2.3.1.6
Rewrite -1 as i.
x=-1±i321
x=-1±i321
Step 5.7.2.3.2
Multiply 2 by 1.
x=-1±i32
x=-1±i32
Step 5.7.2.4
Simplify the expression to solve for the + portion of the ±.
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Step 5.7.2.4.1
Simplify the numerator.
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Step 5.7.2.4.1.1
One to any power is one.
x=-1±1-41121
Step 5.7.2.4.1.2
Multiply -411.
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Step 5.7.2.4.1.2.1
Multiply -4 by 1.
x=-1±1-4121
Step 5.7.2.4.1.2.2
Multiply -4 by 1.
x=-1±1-421
x=-1±1-421
Step 5.7.2.4.1.3
Subtract 4 from 1.
x=-1±-321
Step 5.7.2.4.1.4
Rewrite -3 as -1(3).
x=-1±-1321
Step 5.7.2.4.1.5
Rewrite -1(3) as -13.
x=-1±-1321
Step 5.7.2.4.1.6
Rewrite -1 as i.
x=-1±i321
x=-1±i321
Step 5.7.2.4.2
Multiply 2 by 1.
x=-1±i32
Step 5.7.2.4.3
Change the ± to +.
x=-1+i32
Step 5.7.2.4.4
Rewrite -1 as -1(1).
x=-11+i32
Step 5.7.2.4.5
Factor -1 out of i3.
x=-11-(-i3)2
Step 5.7.2.4.6
Factor -1 out of -1(1)-(-i3).
x=-1(1-i3)2
Step 5.7.2.4.7
Move the negative in front of the fraction.
x=-1-i32
x=-1-i32
Step 5.7.2.5
Simplify the expression to solve for the - portion of the ±.
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Step 5.7.2.5.1
Simplify the numerator.
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Step 5.7.2.5.1.1
One to any power is one.
x=-1±1-41121
Step 5.7.2.5.1.2
Multiply -411.
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Step 5.7.2.5.1.2.1
Multiply -4 by 1.
x=-1±1-4121
Step 5.7.2.5.1.2.2
Multiply -4 by 1.
x=-1±1-421
x=-1±1-421
Step 5.7.2.5.1.3
Subtract 4 from 1.
x=-1±-321
Step 5.7.2.5.1.4
Rewrite -3 as -1(3).
x=-1±-1321
Step 5.7.2.5.1.5
Rewrite -1(3) as -13.
x=-1±-1321
Step 5.7.2.5.1.6
Rewrite -1 as i.
x=-1±i321
x=-1±i321
Step 5.7.2.5.2
Multiply 2 by 1.
x=-1±i32
Step 5.7.2.5.3
Change the ± to -.
x=-1-i32
Step 5.7.2.5.4
Rewrite -1 as -1(1).
x=-11-i32
Step 5.7.2.5.5
Factor -1 out of -i3.
x=-11-(i3)2
Step 5.7.2.5.6
Factor -1 out of -1(1)-(i3).
x=-1(1+i3)2
Step 5.7.2.5.7
Move the negative in front of the fraction.
x=-1+i32
x=-1+i32
Step 5.7.2.6
The final answer is the combination of both solutions.
x=-1-i32,-1+i32
x=-1-i32,-1+i32
x=-1-i32,-1+i32
Step 5.8
The final solution is all the values that make 4(x-1)(x2+x+1)=0 true.
x=1,-1-i32,-1+i32
x=1,-1-i32,-1+i32
Step 6
Find the values where the derivative is undefined.
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Step 6.1
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 7
Critical points to evaluate.
x=1
Step 8
Evaluate the second derivative at x=1. If the second derivative is positive, then this is a local minimum. If it is negative, then this is a local maximum.
12(1)2
Step 9
Evaluate the second derivative.
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Step 9.1
One to any power is one.
121
Step 9.2
Multiply 12 by 1.
12
12
Step 10
x=1 is a local minimum because the value of the second derivative is positive. This is referred to as the second derivative test.
x=1 is a local minimum
Step 11
Find the y-value when x=1.
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Step 11.1
Replace the variable x with 1 in the expression.
f(1)=(1)4-41
Step 11.2
Simplify the result.
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Step 11.2.1
Simplify each term.
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Step 11.2.1.1
One to any power is one.
f(1)=1-41
Step 11.2.1.2
Multiply -4 by 1.
f(1)=1-4
f(1)=1-4
Step 11.2.2
Subtract 4 from 1.
f(1)=-3
Step 11.2.3
The final answer is -3.
y=-3
y=-3
y=-3
Step 12
These are the local extrema for f(x)=x4-4x.
(1,-3) is a local minima
Step 13
image of graph
f(x)=x4-4x
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