Exercise 6.2 · Q6: Strictly increasing or decreasing: five functions
Find the intervals in which the following functions are strictly increasing or decreasing:
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
(e)
(a) Let . Then
gives .
In , . In , .
So is strictly decreasing on and strictly increasing on .
(b) Let . Then
gives .
In , . In , .
So is strictly increasing on and strictly decreasing on .
(c) Let . Then
gives or .
In , . In , . In , .
So is strictly increasing on , and strictly decreasing on and .
(d) Let . Then
gives .
In , . In , .
So is strictly increasing on and strictly decreasing on .
(e) Let . By the product rule,
gives , or .
In and , . In and , .
So is strictly increasing on and , and strictly decreasing on and .
Want the reason behind every step, the basics and the checks?
Five functions, one method: factorise the derivative, find its zeros, and read its sign on each interval between them. Positive means strictly increasing, negative means strictly decreasing. Part (e) adds a twist: its derivative is zero at three points, but it changes sign at only one of them, so the function keeps falling (or rising) straight through the other two.
- Given
- Five polynomial functions of a real variable .
- To find
- For each, the intervals on which it is strictly increasing and those on which it is strictly decreasing.
- Plan
- For each part: (1) differentiate and factorise; (2) solve ; (3) sign chart; (4) conclude by Theorem 1 and its proof (strict inequality because is strictly positive or negative inside each interval).
Basics you need
On an interval I: strictly increasing means ; strictly decreasing means , for all in I. The question asks for these strict versions. Lesson: increasing and decreasing functions
Let be continuous on and differentiable on . The Mean Value step in the book's proof, , shows: if on then is strictly increasing on ; if , strictly decreasing. For an interval like , apply this on for every pair inside.
Take out common factors first (including a minus sign), then factorise the quadratic that is left. Basics: factorising and the discriminant
A product is positive when it has an even number of negative factors, negative when odd. A square such as is never negative: it is positive except at its root, where it is 0. Basics: sign of a product
(Section 5.3), and (power rule with the chain rule, inner function of derivative 1). Needed in part (e). Basics: the chain rule
Solution
All five functions are polynomials, so each is continuous and differentiable at every real number. Theorem 1 can therefore be used on any closed interval, and only the sign of needs work.
Part (a):
Derivative and its zero
Power rule term by term; the constant has derivative 0. Taking out the 2 shows that the sign of is the sign of .Sign and conclusion
For : , so (test: ). For : (test: ).
Part (a), not to scale: changes from negative to positive at . By Theorem 1 and its proof, is strictly decreasing on and strictly increasing on .
An upward parabola with vertex at : falling, then rising, as the chart says.A positive constant factor (here 2) never changes the sign. Basics: sign of a product
Part (b):
Derivative and its zero
Taking out (not ) leaves , whose sign is easy to read. The minus sign in front then flips that sign.Sign and conclusion
For : , so (test: ). For : , so (test: ).
Part (b), not to scale: the factor goes from negative to positive at ; the factor reverses both signs. So is strictly increasing on and strictly decreasing on .
A downward parabola (coefficient of is ) rises up to its vertex at and falls after it.A negative constant factor reverses every sign in the chart. Basics: sign of a product
Part (c):
Derivative, factorised
Check: . ✓ So or .
For we need two numbers with product 2 and sum 3: they are 1 and 2. Taking out first keeps the quadratic monic and easy to factorise.Product 2, sum 3: the pair 1, 2. Basics: factorising and the discriminantSign chart
- : has two negative factors, so it is positive; times : . (Test: .)
- : one negative factor, product negative; times : . (Test: .)
- : product positive; times : . (Test: .)
Part (c), not to scale: . The factor is not drawn; it turns the sign of round. Keep track of the : it is the easiest sign to lose, and losing it swaps every answer.Conclusion
is strictly increasing on and strictly decreasing on and on .
"On and on ": separately. On their union is not decreasing: lies in the first interval and in the second, yet . The values went up in between, on , where climbs from to .
Part (d):
Derivative and its zero
Sign and conclusion
For : , so (test: ). For : (test: ).
Part (d), not to scale: changes from positive to negative at . So is strictly increasing on and strictly decreasing on .
Downward parabola, vertex at : rising before, falling after.
Part (e):
Product rule
Take and . Then and , so
Expanding first would give a degree-6 polynomial that is hard to factorise back. The product rule keeps the factors visible.Take out the common factor
Both terms contain :
So or .
The first term has one extra factor and the second one extra ; those are what is left in the bracket. Then .Sign chart: only one factor can change sign
, and the squares and are positive except at and (where they are 0). So, away from , the sign of is the sign of :
- on and on (tests: , );
- on and on (tests: , ).
Part (e), not to scale: . The squared factors touch 0 but never go negative, so changes sign only at . At and the derivative is 0 but keeps the same sign on both sides. The graph is momentarily flat there without turning.A square is never negative. Basics: sign of a productConclusion, and a stronger statement
By Theorem 1 and its proof, is strictly decreasing on and on , and strictly increasing on and on . This is the answer key's form.
In fact more is true. is continuous at , so Theorem 1 on gives strict decrease on and on . Pairs inside one of these two pieces are covered already, and for a pair on opposite sides, , we get . So is strictly decreasing on all of , and in the same way strictly increasing on all of .
: falling (rose) all the way down to , then rising (green). At and the curve flattens but does not turn. Vertical scale compressed. A neat cross-check: , so . For , as grows towards 1 the quantity shrinks, so the bracket shrinks, and cubing keeps the order; so falls. For the bracket grows, so rises. Exactly the conclusion above.
(a) Strictly decreasing on , strictly increasing on .
(b) Strictly increasing on , strictly decreasing on .
(c) Strictly increasing on ; strictly decreasing on and on .
(d) Strictly increasing on , strictly decreasing on .
(e) Strictly increasing on and , strictly decreasing on and ; in fact strictly decreasing on and strictly increasing on .
(Textbook answer: (a) decreasing for , increasing for ; (b) decreasing for , increasing for ; (c) increasing for , decreasing for and ; (d) increasing for , decreasing for ; (e) increasing in and , decreasing in and .)
(a) , , : down then up. (b) , , : up then down. (c) , , , , : down, up, down. (d) , , : up then down. (e) Using : , , , , , , . Falling all the way to (even through ), rising after it (even through ).
- Losing a negative constant (the in (b), the in (c), the in (d)). It reverses every sign in the chart.
- In (e), treating every zero of as a change of direction. At and the squared factors are 0 but do not change sign.
- Expanding before differentiating. Legal but long, and the factorised derivative is hard to recover. Use the product rule.
- Joining intervals with "". In (c), is decreasing on each of and , not on their union.
- Factorise completely and read the sign factor by factor; constants and squares are part of the chart too.
- A zero of from an even power does not change the sign of : the function keeps its direction through it.
- For a quadratic , the turning point is ; means down-then-up, means up-then-down.
Every fact used, and where it comes from
| Fact | Used in | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly increasing and strictly decreasing | Every part | Definition 1 (iv), (v), Section 6.3 (Lesson: increasing and decreasing functions) |
| Derivatives of polynomials; product rule | Every part; Part (e), Step 1 | Algebra of derivatives (rules (1), (2)), Section 5.3; Table 5.3 |
| Part (e), Step 1 | Chain rule, Theorem 4, Section 5.3.1 | |
| Sign of gives strict increase or decrease | Every part | Theorem 1 and its proof, Section 6.3 |
| Joining intervals at a point of continuity | Part (e), Step 4 | Theorem 1 (closed interval) and Definition 1 |
| Interval method with a sign table | Every part | Examples 10 and 11, Section 6.3 |
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