I don't know if what I'm doing is correct.
Let $f:\mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ be a function, $f(x)=e^{x^4-3x^2}$.
Choose the correct answer:
- $f$ has an absolute maximum at $x=0$.
- $f$ has a relative maximum at $x=0$ which isn't absolute.
- $f$ has a absolute minimum at $x=1$ and doesn't have any relative minimum. (Does this even make sense?)
- $f$ doesn't have relative maximum.
What I've been doing:
Since the question doesn't tell me the interval where I have to find the relative extrema, by the options the gave me I suppose that's $I=[0,1]$.
I know that when I have to find the relative extrema, I have to find the critical points for $f$ at the given interval, but this function doesn't have any. So how do I find it? (Algebraiclly).
When I look at the function it clearly does have a relative maximum at $x=0$ (Option 2), and it's clearly not absolute as $\lim_{x \to +\infty} f(x) = +\infty$ (is finding the limit as $x \to +\infty$ correct when trying to find the absolute extrema?).
So, how do I prove that option 2 is correct without looking at the graphic?
Best Answer
HINT
We have that
$$f(x)=e^{x^4-3x^2}>0 \implies f'(x)=(4x^3-6x)e^{x^4-3x^2}=0 \implies x=0 \,\lor \, x=\pm \sqrt{\frac23}$$
then consider the sign of $f'(x)$.