Project Report on Increasing and Decreasing
Functions
1. Introduction
In the study of calculus, functions play a central role in understanding how quantities change. Two
of the most important concepts are increasing functions and decreasing functions. These concepts
help us determine the behavior of a function over an interval and are essential in many fields such
as physics, economics, biology, and engineering. In simple words, these ideas tell us whether the
graph of a function rises or falls as we move from left to right along the x-axis.
Mathematicians and scientists often rely on these properties while analyzing real-life problems. For
example, the growth of population, the profit of a company, or the decay of radioactive substances
can be studied by observing whether the function increases or decreases over time.
2. Basic Definitions
(a) Increasing Function
A function f(x) is said to be increasing on an interval I if for any two points x1, x2 ∈ I, with x1 < x2,
we have f(x1) < f(x2). This means that as the value of x increases, the value of f(x) also increases.
The graph of such a function rises upwards as we move from left to right.
(b) Decreasing Function
A function f(x) is said to be decreasing on an interval I if for any two points x1, x2 ∈ I, with x1 < x2,
we have f(x1) > f(x2). This means that as the value of x increases, the value of f(x) decreases. The
graph of such a function falls downward as we move from left to right.
These two definitions form the foundation for studying the monotonicity of functions, that is, whether
functions are going up or down in certain intervals.
3. Geometrical Significance of Derivative
The derivative dy/dx or f'(x) represents the slope of the tangent line to the curve y = f(x) at a
particular point. The slope gives us an idea of the tilt of the curve at that point. This provides a
geometric way of studying functions.
- If f'(x) > 0, the slope of tangent is positive. The curve rises, so the function is increasing. - If f'(x) <
0, the slope of tangent is negative. The curve falls, so the function is decreasing. - If f'(x) = 0, the
tangent is horizontal. This usually indicates a turning point (local maximum or minimum).
Thus, the derivative acts as a tool that allows us to test monotonicity. This is why derivatives are so
important in calculus.
4. Procedure to Determine Increasing and Decreasing Intervals
To determine whether a function is increasing or decreasing on a given interval, the following steps
are used:
Step 1: Find the derivative f'(x). Step 2: Identify critical points by solving f'(x) = 0. Step 3: Divide the
domain into intervals using the critical points. Step 4: Test the sign of f'(x) in each interval. Step 5:
Conclude whether the function is increasing or decreasing in each interval.
This step-by-step procedure is very systematic and is often applied in curve sketching and
optimization problems.
5. Illustrative Examples
Example 1: f(x) = x²
f'(x) = 2x. For x < 0, f'(x) < 0 (decreasing). For x > 0, f'(x) > 0 (increasing). At x = 0, slope = 0, which
is a minimum point. Hence f(x) = x² decreases on (-∞, 0) and increases on (0, ∞).
Example 2: f(x) = sin(x)
f'(x) = cos(x). On (0, π/2), cos(x) > 0 (increasing). On (π/2, π), cos(x) < 0 (decreasing). Thus, the
sine function alternates between increasing and decreasing.
Example 3: f(x) = e^x
f'(x) = e^x. Since e^x is always positive, the function is increasing for all real values of x.
Example 4: f(x) = ln(x)
f'(x) = 1/x. For x > 0, derivative is positive, so ln(x) is always increasing on (0, ∞).
Example 5: f(x) = -x²
f'(x) = -2x. For x < 0, derivative is positive (increasing). For x > 0, derivative is negative
(decreasing). Thus, the function increases on (-∞, 0) and decreases on (0, ∞).
6. Applications of Increasing and Decreasing Functions
The concepts of increasing and decreasing functions are not only theoretical but also practical.
Some applications are listed below:
1. Economics: Increasing profit functions show growth, while decreasing cost functions show
efficiency. 2. Physics: Motion of a particle can be studied by observing increasing or decreasing
displacement. 3. Biology: Population growth can be modeled as an increasing function, while decay
of substances is modeled as decreasing functions. 4. Engineering: Optimization problems often
involve determining intervals of increase and decrease. 5. Statistics: Probability density functions
are analyzed using monotonicity.
7. Conclusion
From the above study, we conclude that: - If f'(x) > 0, the function is increasing. - If f'(x) < 0, the
function is decreasing. - If f'(x) = 0, the function has a stationary point which may be a maximum or
minimum. Thus, derivatives provide a powerful method to analyze functions. The study of
increasing and decreasing functions is essential in mathematics and is widely applied in science,
economics, and real life. This project highlights the importance of calculus in understanding the
natural and applied world.
