Increasing and Decreasing Functions

Steps to Find Increasing/Decreasing Intervals

1. Find
2. Find critical points where or is undefined
3. Divide the number line into intervals using critical points
4. Test the sign of in each interval
5. Determine where is increasing or decreasing

Example: Find Intervals

Find the intervals where is increasing or decreasing.

Local Maxima and Minima Test

Example: Find Local Extrema

Find local maxima and minima of .