Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Critical Points
Critical points occur where the derivative of a function, f', is either zero or undefined. These points are essential for identifying local maxima and minima, as they indicate where the function's slope changes. In the context of the graph provided, critical points can be found where the graph of f' intersects the x-axis.
Recommended video:
Local Maxima and Minima
Local maxima and minima are points on the graph of a function where the function reaches a highest or lowest value, respectively, in a neighborhood around that point. To determine these points from the derivative graph, one looks for changes in the sign of f' around critical points: a change from positive to negative indicates a local maximum, while a change from negative to positive indicates a local minimum.
Recommended video:
The First Derivative Test: Finding Local Extrema
Inflection Points
Inflection points are points on the graph of a function where the concavity changes, which can be identified by examining the second derivative, f''. However, in the context of the derivative graph f', inflection points correspond to where f' changes from increasing to decreasing or vice versa. These points indicate a change in the behavior of the original function's curvature.
Recommended video: