Definition:Point of Inflection

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Definition

Let $f$ be a real function which is differentiable on an interval $\Bbb I \subseteq \R$.

Let $\xi \in \Bbb I$.


Definition 1

$f$ has a point of inflection at $\xi$ if and only if $\xi$ is a point on $f$ at which $f$ changes from being concave to convex, or vice versa.


Definition 2

$f$ has a point of inflection at $\xi$ if and only if the derivative $f'$ of $f$ has either a local maximum or a local minimum at $\xi$.


Also known as

A point of inflection can also be seen as inflection point.

An older spelling of inflection is inflexion.

Some sources give the term as a flex.


Also see

  • Results about points of inflection can be found here.


Sources