Concavity
This original textbook reading covers part of the AP topic. Follow the AP course outline for complete topic instruction and practice.
- Concavity
A representation of the curvature of a graph.
Examples: Green represents concave up, blue represents concave down
- Related Glossary Terms
- Index
Glossary and deeper reading · 1 refreshers
These editorial refreshers supplement the reading. Definitions and examples are added guidance; original source wording and recorded answers remain in their original context.
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Concavity
Concavity describes how a graph’s slope changes as the input increases. A graph is concave up where its derivative increases and concave down where its derivative decreases. For example, x² is concave up because its derivative 2x increases. A positive second derivative establishes concave-up behavior on an interval, while a negative one establishes concave-down behavior.