Convexity of functions and derivatives #
Here we relate convexity of functions ℝ → ℝ to properties of their derivatives.
Main results #
MonotoneOn.convexOn_of_deriv,convexOn_of_deriv2_nonneg: if the derivative of a function is increasing or its second derivative is nonnegative, then the original function is convex.ConvexOn.monotoneOn_deriv: if a function is convex and differentiable, then its derivative is monotone.
Monotonicity of f' implies convexity of f #
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ, is differentiable on its interior,
and f' is monotone on the interior, then f is convex on D.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ, is differentiable on its interior,
and f' is antitone on the interior, then f is concave on D.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ, and f' is strictly monotone on the
interior, then f is strictly convex on D.
Note that we don't require differentiability, since it is guaranteed at all but at most
one point by the strict monotonicity of f'.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ and f' is strictly antitone on the
interior, then f is strictly concave on D.
Note that we don't require differentiability, since it is guaranteed at all but at most
one point by the strict antitonicity of f'.
If a function f is differentiable and f' is monotone on ℝ then f is convex.
If a function f is differentiable and f' is antitone on ℝ then f is concave.
If a function f is continuous and f' is strictly monotone on ℝ then f is strictly
convex. Note that we don't require differentiability, since it is guaranteed at all but at most
one point by the strict monotonicity of f'.
If a function f is continuous and f' is strictly antitone on ℝ then f is strictly
concave. Note that we don't require differentiability, since it is guaranteed at all but at most
one point by the strict antitonicity of f'.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ, is twice differentiable on its
interior, and f'' is nonnegative on the interior, then f is convex on D.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ, is twice differentiable on its
interior, and f'' is nonpositive on the interior, then f is concave on D.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ, is twice differentiable on its
interior, and f'' is nonnegative on the interior, then f is convex on D.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ, is twice differentiable on its
interior, and f'' is nonpositive on the interior, then f is concave on D.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ and f'' is strictly positive on the
interior, then f is strictly convex on D.
Note that we don't require twice differentiability explicitly as it is already implied by the second
derivative being strictly positive, except at at most one point.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ and f'' is strictly negative on the
interior, then f is strictly concave on D.
Note that we don't require twice differentiability explicitly as it already implied by the second
derivative being strictly negative, except at at most one point.
If a function f is twice differentiable on an open convex set D ⊆ ℝ and
f'' is nonnegative on D, then f is convex on D.
If a function f is twice differentiable on an open convex set D ⊆ ℝ and
f'' is nonpositive on D, then f is concave on D.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ and f'' is strictly positive on D,
then f is strictly convex on D.
Note that we don't require twice differentiability explicitly as it is already implied by the second
derivative being strictly positive, except at at most one point.
If a function f is continuous on a convex set D ⊆ ℝ and f'' is strictly negative on D,
then f is strictly concave on D.
Note that we don't require twice differentiability explicitly as it is already implied by the second
derivative being strictly negative, except at at most one point.
If a function f is twice differentiable on ℝ, and f'' is nonnegative on ℝ,
then f is convex on ℝ.
If a function f is twice differentiable on ℝ, and f'' is nonpositive on ℝ,
then f is concave on ℝ.
If a function f is continuous on ℝ, and f'' is strictly positive on ℝ,
then f is strictly convex on ℝ.
Note that we don't require twice differentiability explicitly as it is already implied by the second
derivative being strictly positive, except at at most one point.
If a function f is continuous on ℝ, and f'' is strictly negative on ℝ,
then f is strictly concave on ℝ.
Note that we don't require twice differentiability explicitly as it is already implied by the second
derivative being strictly negative, except at at most one point.
Convexity of f implies monotonicity of f' #
In this section we prove inequalities relating derivatives of convex functions to slopes of secant
lines, and deduce that if f is convex then its derivative is monotone (and similarly for strict
convexity / strict monotonicity).
If f : 𝕜 → 𝕜 is convex on s, then for any point x ∈ s the slope of the secant line of f
through x is monotone on s \ {x}.
If f : 𝕜 → 𝕜 is concave on s, then for any point x ∈ s the slope of the secant line of f
through x is antitone on s \ {x}.
Convex functions, derivative at left endpoint of secant #
If f : ℝ → ℝ is convex on S and right-differentiable at x ∈ S, then the slope of any
secant line with left endpoint at x is bounded below by the right derivative of f at x.
Reformulation of ConvexOn.le_slope_of_hasDerivWithinAt_Ioi using derivWithin.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is convex on S and differentiable within S at x, then the slope of any
secant line with left endpoint at x is bounded below by the derivative of f within S at x.
This is fractionally weaker than ConvexOn.le_slope_of_hasDerivWithinAt_Ioi but simpler to apply
under a DifferentiableOn S hypothesis.
Reformulation of ConvexOn.le_slope_of_hasDerivWithinAt using derivWithin.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is convex on S and differentiable at x ∈ S, then the slope of any secant
line with left endpoint at x is bounded below by the derivative of f at x.
Convex functions, derivative at right endpoint of secant #
If f : ℝ → ℝ is convex on S and left-differentiable at y ∈ S, then the slope of any secant
line with right endpoint at y is bounded above by the left derivative of f at y.
Reformulation of ConvexOn.slope_le_of_hasDerivWithinAt_Iio using derivWithin.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is convex on S and differentiable within S at y, then the slope of any
secant line with right endpoint at y is bounded above by the derivative of f within S at y.
This is fractionally weaker than ConvexOn.slope_le_of_hasDerivWithinAt_Iio but simpler to apply
under a DifferentiableOn S hypothesis.
Reformulation of ConvexOn.slope_le_of_hasDerivWithinAt using derivWithin.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is convex on S and differentiable at y ∈ S, then the slope of any secant
line with right endpoint at y is bounded above by the derivative of f at y.
Convex functions, monotonicity of derivative #
If f is convex on S and differentiable on S, then its derivative within S is monotone
on S.
If f is convex on S and differentiable at all points of S, then its derivative is monotone
on S.
Strict convex functions, derivative at left endpoint of secant #
If f : ℝ → ℝ is strictly convex on S and right-differentiable at x ∈ S, then the slope of
any secant line with left endpoint at x is strictly greater than the right derivative of f at
x.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is strictly convex on S and differentiable within S at x ∈ S, then the
slope of any secant line with left endpoint at x is strictly greater than the derivative of f
within S at x.
This is fractionally weaker than StrictConvexOn.lt_slope_of_hasDerivWithinAt_Ioi but simpler to
apply under a DifferentiableOn S hypothesis.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is strictly convex on S and differentiable at x ∈ S, then the slope of any
secant line with left endpoint at x is strictly greater than the derivative of f at x.
Strict convex functions, derivative at right endpoint of secant #
If f : ℝ → ℝ is strictly convex on S and differentiable at y ∈ S, then the slope of any
secant line with right endpoint at y is strictly less than the left derivative at y.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is strictly convex on S and differentiable within S at y ∈ S, then the
slope of any secant line with right endpoint at y is strictly less than the derivative of f
within S at y.
This is fractionally weaker than StrictConvexOn.slope_lt_of_hasDerivWithinAt_Iio but simpler to
apply under a DifferentiableOn S hypothesis.
If f : ℝ → ℝ is strictly convex on S and differentiable at y ∈ S, then the slope of any
secant line with right endpoint at y is strictly less than the derivative of f at y.
Strict convex functions, strict monotonicity of derivative #
If f is convex on S and differentiable on S, then its derivative within S is monotone
on S.
If f is convex on S and differentiable at all points of S, then its derivative is monotone
on S.
Concave functions, derivative at left endpoint of secant #
Concave functions, derivative at right endpoint of secant #
Concave functions, anti-monotonicity of derivative #
If f is concave on S and differentiable at all points of S, then its derivative is
antitone (monotone decreasing) on S.