Home > Calculus calculators > Derivative > Critical Points and Extrema example

9. Critical Points and Extrema Calculator example ( Enter your problem )
  1. Example-1
Other related methods
  1. First Derivative
  2. Second Derivative
  3. Third Derivative
  4. Fourth Derivative
  5. nth Derivative / Higher order Derivative
  6. Derivative at a Point
  7. First derivative test for Local maxima and minima
  8. Second derivative test for Local maxima and minima
  9. Critical Points and Extrema
  10. Increasing and decreasing functions at point
  11. Increasing and decreasing intervals

8. Second derivative test for Local maxima and minima
(Previous method)
10. Increasing and decreasing functions at point
(Next method)

1. Example-1





Method
Find Critical Points and Extrema (for single variable function)
Step-1: Find the first derivative `f^'(x)` of the function.
Step-2: Put `f^'(x)=0`, solve this equation and find the values of x.
Step-3: These values of x give critical points.
Step-4: Find the second derivative `f^('')(x)` of the function.
Step-5: Put these values of x in the second derivative `f^('')(x)`.
Step-6: If `f^('')(x)<0` then it gives maximum value and If `f^('')(x)>0` then it gives minimum value.

Example-1
`f(x)=x^3+6x^2-15x+7`
Find Second derivative test for Local maxima and minima


Solution:
Here, `f(x)=x^3+6x^2-15x+7`

Step-1: Find the derivative of the function
`:. f^'(x)=``d/(dx)(x^3+6x^2-15x+7)`

`=d/(dx)(x^3)+d/(dx)(6x^2)-d/(dx)(15x)+d/(dx)(7)`

`=3x^2+12x-15+0`

`=3x^2+12x-15`



Step-2: Find the critical points of the derivative function
To find critical points, set `f'(x)=0` and then solve for x

`f^'(x)=0`

`=>3x^2+12x-15 = 0`

`=>3(x^2+4x-5) = 0`

`=>3(x^2-x+5x-5) = 0`

`=>3(x(x-1)+5(x-1)) = 0`

`=>3(x-1)(x+5) = 0`

`=>(x-1) = 0" or "(x+5) = 0`

`=>x = 1" or "x = -5`

The solution is
`x = 1,x = -5`

`:.` The critical points are `x=1` and `x=-5`



Step-3: Apply the second derivative test
Now, `f^('')(x)=``d/(dx)(3x^2+12x-15)`

`=d/(dx)(3x^2)+d/(dx)(12x)-d/(dx)(15)`

`=6x+12-0`

`=6x+12`

Evaluate `f^('')(x)` at the critical points

For `x=1`

`f^('')(1)``=6*1+12`

`=6+12`

`=18`` > 0`

`:.` At `x=1` the function is local minimum

For `x=-5`

`f^('')(-5)``=6*(-5)+12`

`=-30+12`

`=-18`` < 0`

`:.` At `x=-5` the function is local maximum



Step-4: Calculate the extrema values
Substitute the `x` values back into the original function `f(x)`

`f(x)=x^3+6x^2-15x+7`

1. At `x=1`

`f(1)``=1^3+6*1^2-15*1+7`

`=1+6-15+7`

`=-1`

local minimum point = `(1,-1)`

2. At `x=-5`

`f(-5)``=(-5)^3+6*(-5)^2-15*(-5)+7`

`=-125+150+75+7`

`=107`

local maximum point = `(-5,107)`

graph





This material is intended as a summary. Use your textbook for detail explanation.
Any bug, improvement, feedback then Submit Here



8. Second derivative test for Local maxima and minima
(Previous method)
10. Increasing and decreasing functions at point
(Next method)





Share this solution or page with your friends.
 
 
Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. Terms, Privacy
 
 

.