Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Critical Points
Critical points of a function occur where its derivative is zero or undefined. These points are essential for identifying local maxima and minima, as they represent potential locations where the function's behavior changes. To find critical points, one must first compute the derivative of the function and solve for the values of x that satisfy the condition f'(x) = 0.
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First Derivative Test
The First Derivative Test is a method used to determine whether a critical point is a local maximum, local minimum, or neither. By analyzing the sign of the derivative before and after the critical point, one can conclude that if the derivative changes from positive to negative, the point is a local maximum; if it changes from negative to positive, it is a local minimum.
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Absolute Maximum and Minimum
The absolute maximum and minimum values of a function on a closed interval are the highest and lowest values the function attains within that interval. To find these values, one must evaluate the function at its critical points and at the endpoints of the interval. The largest and smallest of these values will be the absolute maximum and minimum, respectively.
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