How do you find the intervals on which the graph of f(x)=5sqrtx-1f(x)=5x1 is concave up or is concave down, and find the x - coordinates o the points of inflection?

1 Answer
May 26, 2015

Unless required, I would not use calculus for this.

The graph of the square root function is:

graph{y=sqrtx [-1.34, 11.146, -1.744, 4.5]}

In f(x)=5sqrtx-1f(x)=5x1, the 55 stretches the graph vertically and the -11 translates down 11.

It is clear that the graph is concave down on (0,oo)(0,).
Since the concavity does not change, there are no inflection points.

If I am required to use calculus:

Note that the domain of ff is #[0

f'(x) = 5/(2sqrtx)

f''(x) = -5/(4sqrtx^3) is always negative on (0,oo)

Therefore, the graph of f is concave down.