MATHS

PROJECT

SECTION – A
Topic – Explain the concepts of Increasing and Decreasing
functions, using geometrical significance of dy/dx.
Illustrate with proper examples.

YASHONEEL BINGLEY
XII – SCIENCE
28
 INDEX
● Acknowledgement.

● Introduction.

● Increasing and decreasing functions.

● Definition of Increasing functions.

● Definition of Decreasing functions.

● Definition of Increasing and Decreasing

functions at a point.
● How derivatives are used to find whether the
function is Increasing or Decreasing Function?
● Definition of Critical Numbers.

● What are intervals of increase and decrease?

● Calculation of intervals of increase or decrease.

● Solved examples.
● Bibliography.
 ACKNOWLEDGEME

NT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to our

Maths teacher Prashant Sir and I would also like to thank
our Principal Sudha ma’am, who gave me the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic -
Increasing and Decreasing functions. This project helped
me in doing a lot of research and I came to know about
many new things and I am really thankful to them.
Secondly, I would also like to thank my cousins who helped
me a lot in finalizing this project within the limited time
frame.
Introduction
Increasing and Decreasing function is one of the applications of
derivatives. Derivatives are used to identify that the function is
increasing or decreasing in a particular interval.
Generally, we know that if something is increasing, it is going upward
and if something is decreasing it is going downwards. Hence if we talk
graphically, if the graph of function is going upward then it is an
increasing function and if the graph is going downward then it is a
decreasing function.

Increasing and Decreasing Function

A function is said to be an increasing function if the value of y increases

with the increase in x.
As we can see from the above figure that at the right of the origin, the
curve is going upward as we are going to the right so it is called
Increasing Function.
A function is said to be a Decreasing function if the value of y
decreases with the increase in x. As above, in the left of the origin, the
curve is going downward if we are moving from left to right.
Definition of Increasing Function
This is the definition of a function which is increasing on an interval. If
there is a function y = f(x)
● A function is increasing over an interval, if for every x1 and x2 in
the interval,
x1 < x2, f( x1) ≤ f(x2)

● A function is strictly increasing over an interval, if for every x1

and x2 in the interval,
x1 < x2, f( x1) < f(x2)
There is a difference of symbol in both the above increasing functions.

Definition of Decreasing Function

If there is a function y = f(x)

● A function is decreasing over an interval , if for every x1 and x2 in

the interval,
x1 < x2, f( x1) ≥ f(x2)
 ● A function is strictly decreasing over an interval, if for every
x1 and x2 in the interval,
x1 < x2, f( x1) > f(x2)
There is a difference of symbol in both the above decreasing functions.

Definition of Increasing and Decreasing

function at a point.
Let x0 be a point on the curve of a real valued function f. Then f is said
to be increasing, strictly increasing, decreasing or strictly decreasing
at x0, if there exists an open interval I containing x0 such that f is
increasing, strictly increasing, decreasing or strictly decreasing,
respectively in I.
If there is a function f and interval I = (x0 – h, x0 + h), h > 0

● It is said to be increasing at x0 if f is increasing in

(x0 - h, x0 + h) x1 < x2 in I ⇒ f(x1) ≤ f(x2)

● It is said to be strictly increasing at x0 if f is strictly increasing in

(x0 - h, x0 + h)
x1 < x2 in I ⇒ f(x1) < f(x2)
 ● It is said to be decreasing at x0 if f is decreasing in (x0 - h, x0 + h)
x1 < x2 in I ⇒ f(x1) ≥ f(x2)

● It is said to be strictly decreasing at x0 if f is strictly decreasing

in (x0 - h, x0 + h)
x1 < x2 in I ⇒ f(x1) > f(x2)

How derivatives are used to find whether

the function is Increasing or Decreasing
Function?
We can use the first derivative test to check whether the function is
increasing or decreasing.
Theorem:-
Let f be continuous on [a, b] and differentiable on the open interval
(a, b).
Then
(a) If f′(x) > 0 for each x ∈ (a, b) then f is increasing in interval [a, b]
(b)If f′(x) < 0 for each x ∈ (a, b) then f is decreasing in interval [a,
b]
(c) If f′(x) = 0 for each x ∈ (a, b) then f is a constant function in [a,
b]
This can be proved with the help of mean value theorem also.

Proof:
Let x1, x2 ∈ [a, b] such that x1 < x2
Now we can prove it with the help of Mean value theorem, which says
that there is a point c between x1 and x2 so that
Let x1, x2 ∈ [a, b] such that x1 < x2
Now we can prove it with the help of Mean value theorem, which says
that there is a point c between x1 and x2 so that

a. Let fꞌ(c) ≥ 0

Hence, f is an increasing function.

b. Let fꞌ(c) ≤ 0

Hence, f is a decreasing function.

c. Let fꞌ(c) = 0
Hence, f is a constant function.

NOTE:-
1. f is strictly increasing in (a, b) if
f ' (x) > 0, ∀ x ∈ [a, b]
2. f is strictly decreasing in (a, b) if
f ' (x) < 0, ∀ x ∈ [a, b]
3. f is increasing or
decreasing on R if it
is increasing or
decreasing in every
interval of R.

What is constant function?

As we know that the derivative is zero and y is always 4 in the above

figure. This is the graph of line with one variable.
If we talk about curve, the function will be constant if its fꞌ(c) = 0.

Here in the above figure, at green points the curve is neither

increasing nor decreasing. The slope of the curve is zero at these
points. It could be the highest or the lowest point of the curve in its
neighborhood.

Definition of Critical Numbers

The Critical Numbers for a function f are those numbers c in the
domain of f for which fꞌ(c) = 0 or does not exists.
A critical point is a point whose x coordinate is the critical number c
and the y coordinate is the f(c).
What are intervals of increase and
decrease?
Interval is basically all the numbers between given two numbers.
If we talk about curve, we can say the portion of a curve which is
coming in between the two given numbers on the x-axis is the
required interval.

As in the above figure,

Interva Type of
l function
(-5,-2) Increasing

(-2,1) Constant

(1,3) Increasing

(3,5) decreasing
 Calculation of intervals of increase or
decrease
To calculate the intervals of increase or decrease function, we need to
follow some steps:
● First of all, we have to differentiate the given function.
● Then solve the first derivative as equation to find the value of x.
● The first derivative: f'(x) = 0.

● Form open intervals with the values of the x which we got after
solving the first derivative and the points of discontinuity.
● Take a value from every interval and find the sign they have in the
first derivative.
● If f'(x) > 0 is increasing.
● If f'(x) < 0 is decreasing.
● Write the intervals of increase and decrease.

Example 1:
Find the intervals of increase and decrease of the function f(x)
= x3 − 3x + 2.
Solution:
f(x) = x3 − 3x + 2.
The derivative of f(x) =
f’(x) f'(x) = 3x2 −3
Solve the derivative as f'(x) = 0
3x2 −3 = 0
3x2 = 3
x2 = 1
x = -1 and x = 1
Now we have to check the sign of first derivative in every interval to find
the function is increasing or decreasing.
​ On the interval (−∞, −1),
Let x = −2
f’(−2) = 3(−2)2 −3
f’(−2) = 12 −3
f’(−2) = 9 > 0
​ On the interval

(−1, 1), Let x =0

f'(0) = 3(0)2 −3

f'(0) = −3 < 0
​ On the interval (1, ∞),

Let x = 2
f'(2) = 3(2)2 −3
f'(2) = 12 −3
f'(2) = 9 > 0
Hence,
The function is increasing in the intervals: (−∞, −1) and (1, ∞)
the function is decreasing in the interval: (−1, 1).
Example 2:

Find the intervals in which the function f(x) = 2x3 – 3x2 -36x +7 is
1. Strictly Increasing

2. Strictly Decreasing

Solution:

A function is strictly increasing or decreasing on an open

interval where its derivative is positive or negative.

Given:

f(x) = 2x3 – 3x2 -36x +7

The derivative of f(x) will be

fꞌ(x) = 6x2 – 6x -36

= 6(x2 – x -6)
= 6(x2 – 3x + 2x – 6)
= 6[x(x – 3) + 2(x – 3)]
= 6[(x + 2) (x – 3)]

Now we know that fꞌ(x) = 0

So x = -2, 3
Now -2 and 3 are dividing the number line in the three disjoint
intervals (-∞,-2), (-2, 3) , (3, ∞).
Now we have to check the sign of first derivative in every
interval to find the function is increasing or decreasing.
On the interval (−∞, −2),

Let x = −3
f’(−3) = 6[(x + 2) (x – 3)]
f’(−3) = 6[(- 3 + 2) (- 3 – 3)]
f’(−3) = 6[(-1) (- 6)]
= 6(6)
= 36 > 0

On the interval (−2, 3),

Let x = 0
f'(0) = 6[(0 + 2) (0 – 3)]
f'(0) = 6( – 6)
= – 36 < 0

On the interval (3, ∞),

Let x = 4
f'(4) = 6[(4 + 2) (4 – 3)]
f'(4) = 6[6.1]
= 36 > 0
Hence,

The function is strictly increasing in the intervals: (−∞,

−2) and (3, ∞) The function is strictly decreasing in the
interval: (−2, 3).
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

● www.google.com
● www.askiitians.com
● www.googleimages.com
● www.byjus.com