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

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

Answer Details

y = x3 + x2 - x + 1
$\frac{dy}{dx}$ = $\frac{d\left(x^3\right)}{dx}$ + $\frac{d\left(x^2\right)}{dx}$ - $\frac{d\left(x\right)}{dx}$ + $\frac{d\left(1\right)}{dx}$
$\frac{dy}{dx}$ = 3x2 + 2x - 1 = 0
$\frac{dy}{dx}$ = 3x2 + 2x - 1
At the maximum point $\frac{dy}{dx}$ = 0
3x2 + 2x - 1 = 0
(3x2 + 3x) - (x - 1) = 0
3x(x + 1) -1(x + 1) = 0
(3x - 1)(x + 1) = 0
therefore x = $\frac{1}{3}$ or -1
For the maximum point
$\frac{d^{2}y}{d{x}^2}$ < 0

$\frac{d^{2}y}{d{x}^2}$ 6x + 2
when x = $\frac{1}{3}$
$\frac{d{x}^2}{d{x}^2}$ = 6($\frac{1}{3}$) + 2
= 2 + 2 = 4
$\frac{d^{2}y}{d{x}^2}$ > o which is the minimum point
when x = -1
$\frac{d^{2}y}{d{x}^2}$ = 6(-1) + 2
= -6 + 2 = -4
-4 < 0

therefore, $\frac{d^{2}y}{d{x}^2}$ < 0

the maximum point is -1