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Notes
Questions
Find the points of inflection.
\(\textbf{1)}\) \( f(x)=x^3+6x^2-10x+4 \)
\(\textbf{2)}\) \( f(x)=\frac{1}{2}x^4-3x^2 \)
\(\textbf{3)}\) \( f(x)=x^3(x+2) \)
\(\textbf{4)}\) \( f(x)=\displaystyle\frac{x}{x^2+1} \)
\(\textbf{5)}\) \( f(x)=\displaystyle\frac{x+4}{\sqrt{x}} \)
See Related Pages\(\)
\(\bullet\text{ Calculus Homepage}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\text{All the Best Topics…}\)
\(\bullet\text{ Definition of Derivative}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\, \displaystyle \lim_{\Delta x\to 0} \frac{f(x+ \Delta x)-f(x)}{\Delta x} \)
\(\bullet\text{ Equation of the Tangent Line}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,f(x)=x^3+3x^2−x \text{ at the point } (2,18)\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Constant Rule}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}(c)=0\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Power Rule}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}(x^n)=nx^{n-1}\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Constant Multiple Rule}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}(cf(x))=cf'(x)\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Sum and Difference Rules}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}[f(x) \pm g(x)]=f'(x) \pm g'(x)\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Sin and Cos}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}sin(x)=cos(x)\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Product Rule}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}[f(x) \cdot g(x)]=f(x) \cdot g'(x)+f'(x) \cdot g(x)\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Quotient Rule}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}\left[\displaystyle\frac{f(x)}{g(x)}\right]=\displaystyle\frac{g(x) \cdot f'(x)-f(x) \cdot g'(x)}{[g(x)]^2}\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- Chain Rule}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}[f(g(x))]= f'(g(x)) \cdot g'(x)\)
\(\bullet\text{ Derivatives- ln(x)}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}[ln(x)]= \displaystyle \frac{1}{x}\)
\(\bullet\text{ Implicit Differentiation}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Horizontal Tangent Line}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Mean Value Theorem}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Related Rates}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Increasing and Decreasing Intervals}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Intervals of concave up and down}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Inflection Points}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Graph of f(x), f'(x) and f”(x)}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\)
\(\bullet\text{ Newton’s Method}\)
\(\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,x_{n+1}=x_n – \displaystyle \frac{f(x_n)}{f'(x_n)}\)
In Summary
Inflection points in calculus are points on a graph where the concavity changes. This means that the curve changes from being concave upwards to concave downwards, or vice versa. A formal definition of an inflection point is a point on a function where the second derivative changes sign.
Inflection points are important to study in calculus because they can help us understand the behavior of a function. They can also be used to identify local extrema, or the highest and lowest points on a graph within a given region.
Inflection points are typically studied in calculus courses.
One common mistake students make when working with inflection points is confusing them with local extrema. It’s important to remember that inflection points only indicate a change in concavity, while local extrema represent the highest or lowest points on a graph within a specific region.
Topics that use Inflection Points
Optimization: Inflection points can be used to find the local minimum or maximum of a function. These points represent the points at which the function changes from being concave up to concave down, or vice versa.
Graph sketching: Inflection points can be used to sketch the rough shape of a function by determining the concavity and curvature of the function at various points.
Differential equations: Inflection points can be used to find the stability of equilibrium solutions in differential equations. For example, in a population growth model, an inflection point may indicate a change in the population’s growth rate.
Demand curve for a product: The demand curve for a product represents the relationship between the price of the product and the quantity of the product that consumers are willing to purchase. The inflection point on the demand curve occurs at the price where the elasticity of demand changes from elastic to inelastic.
Population growth curve: The population growth curve represents the relationship between the size of a population and the rate of population growth. The inflection point on the population growth curve occurs at the population size where the rate of population growth changes from positive to negative.
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