Find the local maximum and minimum of LaTeX:  \displaystyle f(x) = 5 x^{3} + 9 x^{2} + 3 x + 2 .

To find the critical numbers solve LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = 0 . The derivative is LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = 15 x^{2} + 18 x + 3 . Solving LaTeX:  \displaystyle 15 x^{2} + 18 x + 3 = 0 gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle x = \left[ -1, \  - \frac{1}{5}\right] . Using the 2nd derivative test gives:
LaTeX:  \displaystyle f''\left( -1 \right) = -12  which is less than zero, so the function is concave down and LaTeX:  \displaystyle f\left(-1\right) = 3 is a local maximum.
LaTeX:  \displaystyle f''\left( - \frac{1}{5} \right) = 12  which is greater than zero, so the function is concave up and LaTeX:  \displaystyle f\left(- \frac{1}{5}\right) = \frac{43}{25} is a local minimum.