Lec 28: Mean Value Theorem
MATH 147 Section 2, Fall Term 2022
I Rolle’s Theorem
I The Mean Value Theorem
I Tests for constant and monotone functions
Key references: Text book sections 3.4.1–3.4.2
Rolle’s Theorem
Theorem 2 (Rolle’s Theorem)
Let f be a function that is continuous on the proper closed bounded interval [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b).
If f (a) = f (b), then there exists c ∈ (a, b) such that f 0 (c) = 0.
Proof.
By the Extreme Value Theorem, the maximum value M = sup{f (x) : x ∈ [a, b]} and minimum value
m = inf{f (x) : x ∈ [a, b]} are attained on [a, b]. There are three cases to consider.
Case 1: m = M.
Then f (x) = m for all x ∈ [a, b], so f 0 (c) = 0 for all c ∈ (a, b).
Case 2: m 6= M and f (a) < M.
Since f (b) = f (a), we also have f (b) < M. Hence, there must be a point c ∈ (a, b) such that f (c) = M. Then,
c is a local maximum of f so c is a critical point of f (Fermat’s Theorem). Since f is differentiable at c, we
have f 0 (c) = 0.
Case 3: m 6= M and f (a) > m.
Same as Case 2 but we find a local minimum at c ∈ (a, b).
The Mean Value Theorem (MVT)
Theorem 3 (The Mean Value Theorem)
Let f be continuous on the proper interval [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b). Then there exists c ∈ [a, b] such
that
f (b) − f (a) = f 0 (c)(b − a).
What is the geometric interpretation of this theorem?
Proof.
f (b)−f (a)
Define a function g (x) = f (a) + b−a
· (x − a), which defines a straight line passing through (a, f (a)) and
(b, f (b)).
Now define h(x) = f (x) − g (x) so that h(a) = h(b) = 0.
f (b)−f (a)
If f is differentiable on (a, b), then so are g and h, and h0 (x) = f 0 (x) − b−a
.
By Rolle’s Theorem, there exists c ∈ (a, b) such that h0 (c) = 0.
The result follows.
The Generalized Mean Value Theorem
Theorem 3 (The Generalized Mean Value Theorem)
Let f and g be continuous on the proper interval [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b). Then there exists c ∈ [a, b]
such that
f 0 (c)[g (b) − g (a)] = g 0 (c)[f (b) − f (a)].
How is this a “generalization” of the previous Mean Value Theorem?
What does this mean?
Proof.
Define h(x) = [f (x) − f (a)][g (b) − g (a)] − [f (b) − f (a)][g (x) − g (a)].
Notice that h(a) = h(b) = 0.
If f and g are differentiable on (a, b), then so is h, and h0 (x) = f 0 (x)[g (b) − g (a)] − [f (b) − f (a)]g 0 (x).
By Rolle’s Theorem, there exists c ∈ (a, b) such that h0 (c) = 0. The result follows.
Alternative statement of the Generalized Mean Value Theorem
The theorem on the previous slide is often written in a slightly different form and called Cauchy’s Mean Value
Theorem:
Let f and g be continuous on the proper interval [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b) with g 0 (x) 6= 0 for all
x ∈ (a, b). Then there exists c ∈ [a, b] such that
f 0 (c) f (b) − f (a)
= .
g 0 (c) g (b) − g (a)
The Derivative Test for Monotonicity
Theorem 5 (The Derivative Test for Monotonicity/The Increasing Function Theorem)
Let f be continuous on the proper interval I and differentiable on the interior of I .
1. If f 0 (x) > 0 for all x in the interior of I , then f is strictly increasing on I .
2. If f 0 (x) < 0 for all x in the interior of I , then f is strictly decreasing on I .
3. If f 0 (x) ≥ 0 for all x in the interior of I , then f is non-decreasing on I .
4. If f 0 (x) ≤ 0 for all x in the interior of I , then f is non-increasing on I .
Proof.
Here is an outline of the proof:
1. Pick arbitrary points x1 , x2 ∈ I with x1 < x2 .
2. Check that we can apply MVT to f on [x1 , x2 ].
3. Show that this leads to the desired results.
Constant Function Theorem
Proposition 1 (The Constant Function Theorem)
Let f be continuous on the proper interval I and differentiable on the interior of I with f 0 (x) = 0 for all x in the
interior of I . Then f is a constant function on I .
Proof.
Outline:
1. Let J be the interior of I .
2. Fix any point a ∈ J. Consider any x ∈ J with x > a. Applying the Mean Value Theorem gives the result
f (x) = f (a).
3. Similarly, for any x < a, we have f (x) = f (a).
4. Finally, by continuity of f on I , we must also have f (x) = f (a) for x ∈ I \ J.
