Absolute minimum

Definition

The absolute minimum of a function is the lowest value that it attains over its entire domain. It may occur at either an endpoint or at one of the relative minima.

Related terms

Local minimum: A local minimum is similar to an absolute minimum but only applies within a particular interval.

Global maximum: A global maximum is the highest value that a function attains over its entire domain.

Concave up/Concave down: These terms describe whether the graph of a function curves upwards or downwards, respectively.