함수의 그래프 그리기

(a) First, we differentiate. $$f(x) = x^5-x\qquad f'(x)=5x^4-1\qquad f''(x)=20x^3\qquad$$ The function and its first derivative tells us the following:

• $\displaystyle \lim_{x \to \infty} f(x)=\infty$, $\displaystyle \lim_{x \to -\infty} f(x)=-\infty$
• $f'(x)> 0$ (i.e. $f$ is increasing) for $|x|> \dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}}$
• $f'(x)=0$ (i.e. $f$ has critical points) for $x= \pm\dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}} \approx \pm 0.67$
• $f'(x)< 0$ (i.e. $f$ is decreasing) for $|x| < \dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}}$
• $f\left(\pm\dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}}\right)=\mp\dfrac{4}{5\sqrt[4]{5}}\approx\mp0.53$

This gives us a first idea of the shape of the graph.

We refine this skeleton using information from the second derivative.

• $f''(x)> 0$ (i.e. $f$ is concave up) for $x> 0$,
• $f''(x)=0$ (i.e. $f$ has an inflection point) for $x=0$, and
• $f''(x)< 0$ (i.e. $f$ is concave down) for $x<0$

Thus

• $f$ has no asymptotes
• $f$ has a local maximum at $x=-\dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}}$ and a local minimum at $x=\dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}}$
• $f$ has an inflection point at $x=0$
• $f$ is concave down for $x<0$ and concave up for $x>0$

(b) The function $x^5-x+k$ has a root at $x=x_0$ if and only if $x^5-x=-k$ at $x=x_0$. So the number of distinct real roots of $x^5-x+k$ is the number of times the curve $y=x^5-x$ crosses the horizontal line $y=-k$. The local maximum of $x^5-x$ (when $x=-\dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}}$) is $\dfrac{4}{5\sqrt[4]{5}}$, and the local minimum of $x^5-x$ (when $x=\dfrac{1}{\sqrt[4]{5}}$) is $-\dfrac{4}{5\sqrt[4]{5}}$. So, looking at the graph of $x^5-x$ above, we see that the number of distinct real roots of $x^5-x+k$ is

• 1 when $|k|>\dfrac{4}{5\sqrt[4]{5}}$
• 2 when $|k|=\dfrac{4}{5\sqrt[4]{5}}$
• 3 when $|k|<\dfrac{4}{5\sqrt[4]{5}}$