Section 5.

5 Absolute Extrema

Absolute Maximum and Minimum:

Suppose f (x) is defined on some interval I.

1. We say that f (xM ) is an absolute maximum on the interval I if xM 2 I and

f (x)  f (xM ) for all x 2 I

2. We say that f (xm ) is an absolute minimum on the interval I if xm 2 I and

f (xm )  f (x) for all x 2 I

Extreme Value Theorem: If f (x) is continuous on the closed and bounded interval
[a, b], then f attains both its absolute maximum and its absolute minimum on [a, b].

Steps to Finding the Absolute Extrema on a Closed Interval [a, b]:

1. Locate all critical values.

2. Evaluate f (x) at all the critical values and also at the two values a and b.

3. The absolute maximum of f (x) on [a, b] will be the largest number found in Step 2,
while the absolute minimum of f (x) on [a, b] will be the smallest number found in
Step 2.

1. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of f on the given interval.
f (x) = x3 6x2 + 9x + 8 on [1, 8]
2. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of f on the given interval.
9
f (x) = x + on [0.2, 12]
x

3. Find the absolute minimum and absolute maximum values of f on the given interval.
f (x) = x ln(2x) on [0.5, 2]

4. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of f on the given interval.
490x
f (x) = 2 on [0, 10]
x + 49

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5. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of f on each interval.
f (x) = 6x2 + 84x + 1000

(a) (2, 7)

(b) (2, 7]

6. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of f on each interval.
f (x) = 2x2 20x + 550

(a) [1, 11]

(b) (1, 11)

(c) (1, 11]

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7. Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of f on the given interval.
f (x) = x4 4x3 + 4x2 20 on (0, 1)

8. Find the x-value corresponding to the absolute minimum value of f on the given interval.
6x16
f (x) = 4x on (0, 1)
e

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4 Fall 2016, Maya Johnson