Find the value of x at the minimum point of the curve y = x3 + x2 - x + 1

Assessment: JAMB UTME - Mathematics - 2011 Subject: General Mathematics

Question 1 Report

Find the value of x at the minimum point of the curve y = x3 + x2 - x + 1
Answer Details
y = x3 + x2 - x + 1
d y d x  =  d ( x 3 ) d x  +  d ( x 2 ) d x  -  d ( x ) d x  +  d ( 1 ) d x
d y d x  = 3x2 + 2x - 1 = 0
d y d x  = 3x2 + 2x - 1
At the maximum point  d y d x  = 0
3x2 + 2x - 1 = 0
(3x2 + 3x) - (x - 1) = 0
3x(x + 1) -1(x + 1) = 0
(3x - 1)(x + 1) = 0
therefore x =  1 3  or -1
For the maximum point
d 2 y d x 2  < 0

d 2 y d x 2  6x + 2
when x =  1 3
d x 2 d x 2  = 6( 1 3 ) + 2
= 2 + 2 = 4
d 2 y d x 2  > o which is the minimum point
when x = -1
d 2 y d x 2  = 6(-1) + 2
= -6 + 2 = -4
-4 < 0

therefore,  d 2 y d x 2  < 0

the maximum point is -1

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