Lesson Plan: The Mean Value Theorem Mathematics
This lesson plan includes the objectives, prerequisites, and exclusions of the lesson teaching students how to interpret and use the mean value theorem.
Objectives
Students will be able to
- understand how Rolle’s theorem relates to the mean value theorem,
- understand the mean value theorem and when its conditions are satisfied,
- find points in an interval that satisfy the mean value theorem for a given function.
Prerequisites
Students should already be familiar with
- critical points of a function,
- classifying a critical point as a local minimum or maximum using the first derivative test,
- the distinction between local and absolute minima or maxima,
- the extreme value theorem,
- Rolle’s theorem.
Exclusions
Students will not cover
- second derivatives.
