Q.Find the intervals in which f(x)=x2−4x+6 is
Concept understanding — Increasing and Decreasing Functions
A function f is (strictly/monotonically) increasing on an interval if, whenever x1<x2 in that interval, f(x1)<f(x2); it is decreasing if f(x1)>f(x2) whenever x1<x2. Using the definition of the derivative as a limit of the ratio [f(x+h)−f(x)]/h, one can show that f is increasing on an interval wherever f′(x)≥0 there (strictly increasing where f′(x)>0 except possibly at isolated points where it equals zero), and decreasing wherever f′(x)≤0 (strictly decreasing where f′(x)<0 except at isolated zeros). So to find where a function increases or decreases: differentiate f, solve the inequality f′(x)>0 (or <0) — typically by factoring f′(x) and doing a sign analysis across the real line using the roots of f′(x) as boundary points — and state the resulting interval(s). A point where f′(x)=0 does not by itself tell us whether the function is increasing or decreasing there; that is decided by the sign of f′ on either side of it.
Compute f′(x)=2x−4=2(x−2) and sign-test around x=2.
Decreasing on (−∞,2); increasing on (2,∞).
f(x)=x2−4x+6⟹f′(x)=2x−4=2(x−2). Critical point: x=2.
For x<2: (x−2)<0⟹f′(x)<0, so f is decreasing.
For x>2: (x−2)>0⟹f′(x)>0, so f is increasing.
Decreasing on (−∞,2); increasing on (2,∞).
Differentiate, factor to find the single critical point, then sign-test the two resulting intervals.
Swapping which side of x=2 is increasing and which is decreasing.
- CBSE 2026Set SEM31 markMCQQ.Which one of the following is correct for all values of x if x∈(0,1)?(a) ex<1+x(b) loge(1+x)<x(c) sinx>x(d) logex>x
›Reveal solutionSolution
Show x−loge(1+x)>0 on (0,1) by checking it is increasing from 0; the other options fail.
Using monotonicity to prove an inequality is a CBSE/NCERT Class 12 application of derivatives technique.
Define g(x)=x−loge(1+x). Then
g′(x)=1−1+x1=1+xx>0for x∈(0,1).
So g is increasing, and g(0)=0, hence g(x)>0 for x∈(0,1), i.e.
loge(1+x)<x.
Checking the others: ex>1+x (not <), sinx<x (not >), and logex<0<x on (0,1) (not >). Only (b) holds.
✓Final answerloge(1+x)<x for x∈(0,1) — option (b).
- CBSE 2026Set SEM31 markMCQQ.Let f(x)=1+∣x∣x. Then f(x) is monotonically increasing in the interval (where R is the set of all real numbers).(a) R(b) R−{−1}(c) (−1,1)(d) (−∞,0)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Split at x=0 to remove the modulus; the derivative is positive on both pieces, so f is increasing on all of R.
Monotonicity via the sign of f′ is a CBSE/NCERT Class 12 application of derivatives topic.
For x≥0: f(x)=1+xx, so
f′(x)=(1+x)2(1+x)−x=(1+x)21>0.
For x<0: ∣x∣=−x, so f(x)=1−xx, and
f′(x)=(1−x)2(1−x)+x=(1−x)21>0.
The function is continuous at x=0, and f′>0 on both sides, so f is monotonically increasing on the whole real line R.
✓Final answerf is monotonically increasing on R — option (a).
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The equation of normal to the curve y=3x2−x+1 at (1,3) is ______.(a) x−5y−16=0(b) x+5y−16=0(c) x−5y+16=0(d) −5y−x−16=0
›Reveal solutionSolution
dxdy=6x−1=5 at (1,3), so the normal slope is −51; the normal line is x+5y−16=0 — option (ii).
Differentiate the curve y=3x2−x+1:
dxdy=6x−1.
At the point (1,3) the tangent slope is
mt=6(1)−1=5.
The normal is perpendicular to the tangent, so its slope is the negative reciprocal:
mn=−mt1=−51.
Using the point-slope form through (1,3):
y−3=−51(x−1)⇒5(y−3)=−(x−1)⇒5y−15=−x+1,
x+5y−16=0.
✓Final answerThe equation of the normal is x+5y−16=0 — option (ii).
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write the condition for the function f(x), to be strictly increasing, for all x∈R.
›Reveal solutionSolution
State the standard sufficient condition for strict monotonic increase.
A differentiable function f(x) is strictly increasing on R if its derivative is positive throughout:
f′(x)>0for all x∈R
✓Final answerf′(x)>0 for all x∈R.
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.The slope of tangent at any point (a,b) is also called as ______.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The slope of the tangent at a point on y=f(x) is the value of the derivative dxdy there, also called the gradient of the curve.
For a curve y=f(x), the tangent line at a point (a,b) has slope
dxdy(a,b)=f′(a).
This slope — the rate of change of y with respect to x at that point — is commonly referred to as the gradient of the curve at (a,b).
✓Final answerThe gradient of the curve (equivalently, the derivative dxdy) at that point.
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.A function f is said to be increasing at a point c if ______.(a) f′(c)=0(b) f′(c)>0(c) f′(c)<0(d) f′(c)=1
›Reveal solutionSolution
A function is increasing at a point c when its slope there is positive, i.e. f′(c)>0.
The derivative f′(c) measures the instantaneous rate of change (the slope of the tangent) of the function at x=c. Interpreting the sign:
- if f′(c)>0, the tangent slopes upward, so the function values are rising as x increases past c — the function is increasing at c;
- if f′(c)<0, the function is decreasing at c;
- if f′(c)=0, c is a stationary (critical) point.
Therefore the condition for f to be increasing at c is f′(c)>0.
✓Final answerf is increasing at c if f′(c)>0.
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.State whether the following statement is true or false. If f′(x)>0 for all x∈(a,b) then f(x) is decreasing function in the interval (a,b).(a) True(b) False
›Reveal solutionSolution
If f′(x)>0 throughout (a,b), the function is increasing on that interval, not decreasing. So the statement is False.
The sign of the derivative tells us how a function behaves:
- f′(x)>0 on an interval ⇒ f is increasing there,
- f′(x)<0 on an interval ⇒ f is decreasing there.
The statement claims that f′(x)>0 makes f decreasing, which is the opposite of the correct rule. A positive slope means the graph rises as x increases, i.e. f increases.
✓Final answerThe statement is False — option (b).
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