Ashley Kim

AP Calculus AB

The IVT, EVT, the closed interval method, and the MVT

The Intermediate Value Theorem

Suppose that f is continuous on the closed interval [a, b] and let N be any number
between
f(a) and f(b), where f (a) ≠ f (b). Then there exists a number c in (a, b) such that
f (c ) = N .

*The intermediate value Theorem is not true in general for discontinuous functions.
*The value N can be taken on once or more than once.

Example)
Show that there is a root of the equation

3x 2x 5x 1 0.
between -1 and 1.
The Extreme Value Theorem

If f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b], then f attains an absolute maximum

value f(c) and an absolute minimum value f(d) at some numbers c and d in [a, b].

*An extreme value can be taken on more than once.

*In some cases, a function need not possess extreme values if either hypotheses
(continuity or closed interval) is omitted from the Extreme Value Theorem.
The Closed Interval Method

To find the absolute maximum and minimum values of a continuous function f on

a closed interval [a, b].
1. Find the values of f at the critical numbers of f in (a, b).
2. Find the values of f at the endpoints of the interval.
3. The largest of the values from Steps 1 and 2 is the absolute maximum value; the
smallest of these values is the absolute minimum value.

Example)
Given f(x) = 2x 7x 10, find the absolute maximum of f(x) on [-1, 3].

Rolle’s Theorem

Let f be a function that satisfies the following three hypotheses:

1. f is continuous on the closed interval [a, b].
2. f is differentiable on the open interval (a, b).
3. f ( a) = f (b)

Then there is a number c in (a, b) such that f ' (c) = 0.

There are three cases of functions that show that Rolle’s Theorem can be applied to
any of these functions.

1. f ( x) = k , a constant

2. f ( x) > f (a ) for some x in (a, b)

3. f ( x) < f (a ) for some x in (a, b)

The Mean Value Theorem

Let f be a function that satisfies the following hypotheses:

1. f is continuous on the closed interval [a, b].
2. f is differentiable on the open interval (a, b).

Then there is a number c in (a, b) such that

f (b) − f (a )
f ' (c ) =
b−a
Or, equivalently,
f (b) − f (a ) = f ' (c)(b − a )

*There is one point on the graph where the slope of the tangent line is the same as
the slope of the secant line AB.
Example)
Find the value c such that the conclusion of the mean value theorem is satisfied for

f x 2x 6x 2

References
1. Stewart, James. Calculus, Thomson, 2008.

2. Dieudonné, Jean. Foundations of Modern Analysis, Academic Press, 1960.

3. Dawkins, Paul. Calculus, Online notes, 2003.

http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/CalcI/MeanValueTheorem.aspx