Find the local maximum and minimum of LaTeX:  \displaystyle f(x) = 7 x^{3} + 33 x^{2} + 9 x - 4 .

To find the critical numbers solve LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = 0 . The derivative is LaTeX:  \displaystyle f'(x) = 21 x^{2} + 66 x + 9 . Solving LaTeX:  \displaystyle 21 x^{2} + 66 x + 9 = 0 gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle x = \left[ -3, \  - \frac{1}{7}\right] . Using the 2nd derivative test gives:
LaTeX:  \displaystyle f''\left( -3 \right) = -60  which is less than zero, so the function is concave down and LaTeX:  \displaystyle f\left(-3\right) = 77 is a local maximum.
LaTeX:  \displaystyle f''\left( - \frac{1}{7} \right) = 60  which is greater than zero, so the function is concave up and LaTeX:  \displaystyle f\left(- \frac{1}{7}\right) = - \frac{227}{49} is a local minimum.