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The second derivative and applications of differentiation

Understand and use the second derivative test for finding local maxima and minima.

mm-u3-t3-s1-d4

Interactive

Second derivative test — bowl or hill, or inconclusive

manipulative

Jump between stationary points; f″ > 0 is a local min (bowl), f″ < 0 a local max (hill), and f″ = 0 means the test cannot decide.

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