The first derivative and the second derivative give you information about the shape of the graph. Each derivative tells you different things but they do parallel one another, i.e. the pattern with the first derivative is repeated in the second derivative, as shown in this table. These may not make sense initially but, after you have studied each, they will.

For the discussion of a topic, select a link above, starting with the the first derivative, increasing and decreasing intervals. The topics need to be discussed in order, since they build on one another. Once you have studied each of these topics, come back to this page and we will help you put all your newly-learned knowledge together.

We touched on asymptotes on the continuity page. After you are comfortable with that material, come back here and watch this next video. It has lots of good examples of specific types of vertical asymptotes.

Okay, at this point you should have read all six topics listed in the table above and worked those practice problems. The practice problems put all those concepts together to build a picture of what a graph should look like and how it behaves. In addition, you will need to have covered specifics about domain and range.

Math Word Problems Demystified