After completing this section, students should be able to do the following.

  • Find and classify local extrema of a function using derivatives.
  • Evaluate local extrema of a function to determine their values.
  • Apply the extreme value theorem to determine that functions have absolute extrema.
  • Identify when a function can and cannot have EVT applied to it.
  • Correctly locate and classify absolute extrema.
  • Determine if a function has absolute extrema.
  • Use the second derivative to classify critical values as the correct extrema type.
  • Identify when the second derivative test succeeds, and when it fails.
  • Correctly interpret what the failure of the second derivative test means.