Calculus (3rd Edition)

Published by W. H. Freeman
ISBN 10: 1464125260
ISBN 13: 978-1-46412-526-3

Chapter 14 - Calculus of Vector-Valued Functions - 14.4 Curvature - Exercises - Page 735: 22

Answer

At an inflection point we have $f{\rm{''}}\left( x \right) = 0$. Hence, the curvature is zero at an inflection point.

Work Step by Step

We have $y = f\left( x \right)$. By Eq. (5) of Theorem 2, the curvature is given by $\kappa \left( x \right) = \frac{{|f{\rm{''}}(x|}}{{{{\left( {1 + f'{{\left( x \right)}^2}} \right)}^{3/2}}}}$ By Theorem 2 of Section 4.4, at an inflection point we have $f{\rm{''}}\left( x \right) = 0$. Hence, the curvature is zero at an inflection point.
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