Point P is a point of inflection?

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In summary, a point of inflection is a point on a curve where the curvature changes from being concave upward to concave downward, or vice versa. It can be found by taking the second derivative of the curve and setting it equal to zero, and it marks a change in the direction of the curve's curvature. A curve can have multiple points of inflection, but they are not always visible on a graph.
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Hootenanny
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I just want to check something I'm not sure on. If at point P; [itex]f'(x) = 0[/itex] and [itex]f''(x) = 0 [/itex] and [itex]f'''(x) \neq 0[/itex] can we definatly say that point P is a point of inflection?

Regards,
~Hoot
 
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"bump" o:)
 
  • #3
That depends how you define "point of inflection", some times that's just how it is defined.

Easy way to test, if you consider x5 to be a point of inflection at x=0 then your test fails.

However if you don't consider it to be a point of inflection then your test is fine.
 
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  • #4
Thank you Zurtex, extremely helpful.

Regards,
~Hoot
 

FAQ: Point P is a point of inflection?

What is a point of inflection?

A point of inflection is a point on a curve where the curvature changes from being concave upward to concave downward, or vice versa. In other words, the curve changes from being curved upwards to being curved downwards, or from being curved downwards to being curved upwards.

How do you find the point of inflection on a curve?

The point of inflection can be found by taking the second derivative of the curve and setting it equal to zero. The x-coordinate of the point where the second derivative equals zero is the point of inflection.

What is the significance of a point of inflection in a curve?

A point of inflection is significant because it marks a change in the direction of the curve's curvature. It can also be used to determine the concavity of a curve and the presence of local extrema.

Can a curve have more than one point of inflection?

Yes, a curve can have multiple points of inflection. This occurs when the curvature of the curve changes direction more than once.

Are points of inflection always visible on a graph?

No, points of inflection are not always visible on a graph. They may be obscured by other points or features of the curve, or may not be present at all if the curve is not continuous.

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