The first derivative of the function f is given by f′(x)=x3cos2x−61. How many critical
values does f have on the open interval (0,10) ?
To find the critical values, set the derivative equal to 0. In the graphing calculator, we can enter the equation and find the x-intercepts.
As shown below, the graph of the derivative has 6 x-intercepts on the interval (0,10).
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Critical values also occur where f′(x) is undefined. This occurs at x=0, but our interval is (0,10) exclusive of 0.