What are the points of inflection, if any, of #f(x)=x^4 #?

1 Answer
Jan 1, 2016

The function has no points of inflection.

Explanation:

A point of inflection occurs when #f''(x)# switches from positive to negative, or vice versa. This correlates to #f(x)# switching concavity.

Possible points of inflection occur when #f''(x)=0#. So, to find the possible points of inflection, differentiate #f(x)# twice.

#f(x)=x^4#
#f'(x)=4x^3#
#f''(x)=12x^2#

Set #f''(x)=0# to find possible points of inflection.

#12x^2=0#
#x=0#

Create a sign chart to determine if the second derivative switches signs when #x=0#.

#color(white)(-----------)0#
#f''(x)color(white)(---)larr----------rarr#
#color(white)(------)"POSITIVE"color(white)(---)"POSITIVE"#

#f''(x)# doesn't change signs at #x=0#, so there's not a point of inflection when #x=0#. Since #x=0# was the only possible point, we know that #x^4# has no points of inflection.

graph{x^4 [-10.04, 9.96, -2.2, 7.8]}