Locate and classify the critical point using the Second Derivative Test
Consider the function for .
Find the critical number of for , and use the Second Derivative Test to determine whether it corresponds to a local maximum or a local minimum. State the location and the type of extremum.
Hint
Compute using the quotient rule, set it equal to zero to find the critical number, then compute and evaluate its sign at that point.
Step-by-step solution
Using the quotient rule, . Setting the numerator equal to zero gives , so , which means is the only critical number for (the denominator is never zero or undefined on this domain).
Differentiating again with the quotient rule gives . Evaluating at : . Since , the Second Derivative Test confirms is a local maximum, with value .
Find the inflection point
Using , find the -coordinate of the inflection point of for , and verify that concavity actually changes there.
Hint
Set , solve for , and check the sign of on either side of that value to confirm the concavity switches.
Step-by-step solution
Setting requires the numerator to vanish (the denominator is never zero for ), so , giving .
For slightly less than , , so (concave down); for slightly greater, , so (concave up). Since concavity changes sign, is indeed an inflection point.
Related problems
- Problem 7: Critical point via the Second Derivative Test
- Problem 16: Locate and classify the local extremum using the Second Derivative Test
- Problem 15: Locate and classify the critical point using the Second Derivative Test
- Problem 10: Finding and classifying critical points using the Second Derivative Test
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