How do you determine where the given function

Marshall Wolf

Marshall Wolf

Answered question

2022-04-18

How do you determine where the given function f(x)=(x+3)236 is concave up and where it is concave down?

Answer & Explanation

riasc31lj

riasc31lj

Beginner2022-04-19Added 8 answers

Step 1
In order to investigate concavity, we'll look at the sign of the second derivative
f(x)=(x+3)23-6
f(x)=23(x+3)13
Notice that x=3 there is a cusp at which the tangent becomes vertical. (The derivative goes to )
f'(x)=29(x+3)43 
=-29(x+3)43=-29(x+334)
The only place where f'' might change sign is at x=3
But clearly the numerator is always negative, and the denominator, being a positive times a 4th power, is always positive.
So f'' is always negative where it is defined.
The graph is concave down on , 3) and on (3, )
Because of the cusp at x=0, we cannot combine these two intervals.
Here's the graph of f

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