In mathematics, "sign" refers to whether a number is positive (+), negative (-), or zero (0). It helps us understand direction and magnitude when analyzing functions and their derivatives.
Related terms
Increasing/Decreasing: The sign of the first derivative determines whether a function is increasing (positive) or decreasing (negative).
Relative extrema occur at points where a function changes from increasing to decreasing (maximum) or from decreasing to increasing (minimum). These points are determined by the sign change in the first derivative.