Extrema: maximum and minimum

Let's see now the definitions of relative and absolute extrema by means of an example:

  • A function f has a relative or local minimum (respectively relative or local maximum) in x=a, if there is a neighbourhood Er(a) of the point, such that for every x belonging to Er(a), we have f(x)f(a)( respectively f(x)f(a))

  • A function f has an absolute minimum (respectively absolute maximum) in x=a, if for any x of the domain of f we have f(x)f(a)( respectively f(x)f(a))

Example

Consider the following function:

imagen

We observe that it has:

  • Relative maximum in x=1 relative minimum in x=1
  • The function is odd and it is not bounded.