Find the local maximum and minimum of LaTeX:  \displaystyle f(x) = - 3 x^{3} + 3 x^{2} - x - 2 .

To find the critical numbers solve LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = 0 . The derivative is LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = - 9 x^{2} + 6 x - 1 . Solving LaTeX:  \displaystyle - 9 x^{2} + 6 x - 1 = 0 gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle x = \left[ \frac{1}{3}\right] . Using the 2nd derivative test gives:
LaTeX:  \displaystyle f''\left( \frac{1}{3} \right) = 0  The 2nd derivative test fails.