Find the local maximum and minimum of LaTeX:  \displaystyle f(x) = 5 x^{3} + 13 x^{2} + 7 x + 3 .

To find the critical numbers solve LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = 0 . The derivative is LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = 15 x^{2} + 26 x + 7 . Solving LaTeX:  \displaystyle 15 x^{2} + 26 x + 7 = 0 gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle x = \left[ - \frac{7}{5}, \  - \frac{1}{3}\right] . Using the 2nd derivative test gives:
LaTeX:  \displaystyle f''\left( - \frac{7}{5} \right) = -16  which is less than zero, so the function is concave down and LaTeX:  \displaystyle f\left(- \frac{7}{5}\right) = \frac{124}{25} is a local maximum.
LaTeX:  \displaystyle f''\left( - \frac{1}{3} \right) = 16  which is greater than zero, so the function is concave up and LaTeX:  \displaystyle f\left(- \frac{1}{3}\right) = \frac{52}{27} is a local minimum.