How to Find the Absolute Maximum and Minimum Values

of a Continuous Function f on an Interval I

Let us rst recall:

Theorem: [Extreme Value Theorem ] If f is a continuous function on a closed interval a, b

of nite length, then the absolute maximum and minimum values of f on a, b exist.

Moreover, we have an algorithm to nd them:

How to nd the absolute maximum and minimum values of a continuous function f
on a closed interval a, b of nite length :
Ê Compute f œ.

Ë Find the critical points of f in ˆa, b.

Ì Add the endpoints a and b of the interval a, b to the list of points found in Step 2.
Í Compute the value of f at each point in the list.

Î The largest value in Step 4 is the absolute maximum value of f on a, b and the smallest
value is the absolute minimum value.

Example 1: Consider the function f ˆ x x4~3  x  x1~3 on the interval  1, 6.

We have f œ ˆ x 4~3 x1~3  1  1~3 x2~3 . f œ is not dened at x 0, therefore x 0 is a critical
point. Next we solve f œ ˆx 0. We let z x1~3 in the equation 4~3 x1~3  1  1~3 x2~3 0
to obtain 4z 3  3z 2  1 0. Since z 1 is a root, we have the factorization 4z 3  3z 2  1
ˆz  1ˆ4z 2  z  1. As the quadratic factor has no real roots, z 1 is the only solution.
Therefore x z 3 13 1, which belongs to the interval 1, 6, is the only other critical point.
Hence our list is 0, 1, 1 and 6. We have f ˆ0 0, f ˆ1 1, f ˆ1 3, and f ˆ6 5 61~3  6.
Observe that 5 6 1 ~3
 6 A 3

5 6 A9
1~3
53 6 A 93


725 A 721. We conclude that
the absolute maximum and minimum values of f ˆx x  x  x1~3 on the interval 1, 6 are
4 ~3

5 61~3  6 and 1, respectively.

X ::::X

Now let us consider the case of a continuous function f on an interval I which is not necessarily
closed or of nite length. In this case the absolute extreme values might or might not exist.
Consider the following modied version of the algorithm above:

How to nd the absolute maximum and minimum values of a continuous function f
on an interval I :
Ê Compute f œ.

Ë Find the critical points of f in the interior of I.

Ì Add the endpoints of the interval I to the list of points found in Step 2. [ For the purposes

of this algorithm we consider ª and ª as the endpoints of the corresponding innite intervals. ]

Í For the points in the list that belong to I, compute the value of f at that point. For
the points in the list that do not belong to I, compute the one-sided limit of f at that
point. [ The second case applies to open endpoints and innities. ]

Î If the largest number you nd in Step 4 occurs as a value at a point in I, then it is
the absolute maximum. Otherwise, there is no absolute maximum. Similarly for the
absolute minimum. [ For the purposes of this algorithm we consider innities as numbers. ]
This algorithm unlike the theorems below works in all cases where the one-sided limits at
the open endpoints of the interval exist, or are ª or ª.

x1
Example 2: Consider the function f ˆ x on the interval 0, ª.
x2  x  9
We have f œ ˆx ˆx2  2x  8~ˆx2  x  92 . The roots of f œ ˆx 0 are x 4 and x 2.
Only x 2 is in the interval 0, ª. So our list is 0, 2, and ª. f ˆ0 1~9, f ˆ2 1~5,
and lim f ˆx 0. Since 1~5 A 1~9 A 0, the absolute maximum is 1~5 and there is no absolute
x ª
minimum.

X::::X

Finally, we will have a look at two theorems that apply only when the function has exactly one
critical point in the interval. The rst one is an easy observation that follows from the relation
between the sign of the rst derivative and the function being increasing or decreasing:

Theorem: [1st Derivative Test for Absolute Extreme Values ] Suppose that f is continuous on
an interval I and has exactly one critical point c in I. Then:

Y If f œ ˆx A 0 for all x @ c in I and f œ ˆ x @ 0 for all xAc in I, then the absolute maximum
value of f on I occurs at c.

Y If f œ ˆx @ 0 for all x @ c in I and f œ ˆ x A 0 for all xAc in I, then the absolute minimum
value of f on I occurs at c.

Remark: Note that this test cannot be used in Example 1 above, as the function f has two
critical points in  1, 6. It can be used in Example 2 to conclude that the absolute maximum
value is 1~5, but not to conclude that f has no absolute minimum value on 0, ª.

Theorem: [2nd Derivative Test for Absolute Extreme Values ] Suppose that f is continuous
on an interval I and has exactly one critical point c in I. Then:

Y If f œœ ˆc A 0, then the absolute minimum value of f on I occurs at c.

Y If f œœ ˆc @ 0, then the absolute maximum value of f on I occurs at c.
Remark: Once again this test cannot be used in Example 1 above, as the function f has two
critical points in  1, 6.
It can be used in Example 2 to conclude that the absolute maximum
value is1~5 after computing f œœ ˆx 2ˆx3  3x2  24x  17~ˆx2  x  93 and observing that
œœ
f ˆ2 2~75 @ 0. However, it cannot be used to conclude that f has no absolute minimum
value on 0, ª in Example 2 .

For the sake of completeness we nish with a proof of the Second Derivative Test for Absolute
Extreme Values:

Proof: Suppose that f is continuous on an interval I, f has exactly one critical point c in I,
and f œœ ˆc @ 0.
Assume that f ˆc is not the absolute maximum value of f on I . Then there is a point p in I
with f ˆp A f ˆc. Without loss of generality we may assume that p A c.
Since f œœ ˆc exists and c is a critical point, we have f œ ˆc 0. Since limx c f œ ˆx~ˆx  c
limx c ˆf œ ˆx  f œ ˆc~ˆx  c f œœ ˆc @ 0, there is an open interval J containing c such that
f œ ˆx~ˆx  c @ 0 for x in J and x ~ c. Therefore, f œ ˆx @ 0 for x in J and x A c. In particular,
f is decreasing on J 9 c, p. Take q in J and c @ q @ p. As f ˆq  @ f ˆc @ f ˆp, the absolute
minimum value of f on the interval c, p occurs at some point c1 in ˆc, p. Then c1 is a critical
point of f by Fermat's Theorem, contradicting the assumption that c is the only critical point
in I . Therefore, f ˆc is the absolute maximum value of f on I .

Last revision: November 9, 2018