# Not sure how to do this one

• April 20th 2008, 01:33 PM
NAPA55
Not sure how to do this one
Use calculus techniques (can they be a bit more specific? :p) to show that the graph of the quadratic function f(x) = ax2 + bx + c, a>0 is decreasing on the interval x<(-b/2a) and increasing on the interval x>(-b/2a).
• April 20th 2008, 02:34 PM
TheEmptySet
Quote:

Originally Posted by NAPA55
Use calculus techniques (can they be a bit more specific? :p) to show that the graph of the quadratic function f(x) = ax2 + bx + c, a>0 is decreasing on the interval x<(-b/2a) and increasing on the interval x>(-b/2a).

$f(x)=ax^2+bx+c$ let take the derivative

$f'(x)=2ax+b$ set the derivative equal to zero.

$2ax+b=0 \iff x=-\frac{b}{2a}$ this is the critical point

now taking the 2nd derivative we get

$f''(x)=a \mbox{ but } a > 0$ so the graph is concave up

so the graph is decreasing on $(\infty,-\frac{b}{2a})$

and increasing on $(-\frac{b}{2a},\infty)$
• April 20th 2008, 05:02 PM
Mathstud28
Quote:

Originally Posted by NAPA55
Use calculus techniques (can they be a bit more specific? :p) to show that the graph of the quadratic function f(x) = ax2 + bx + c, a>0 is decreasing on the interval x<(-b/2a) and increasing on the interval x>(-b/2a).

Uhm...you posted a question like EXACTLY like this like 3 weeks ago...if you need further guidance refer back to that post