Use a graphing calculator to graph f(x) = x+cos(kx). Use calculus to determine which values of k lead to a function with no local maxima or minima. What conclusions can be drawn?

Below, you can see the graph of the function:

f(x) = x + cos(k*x)

for different values of k, as follows:

red: k = 1

green: k = 2

orange: k = 0.

Now let's find the values of k such that our function does not have local maxima nor local minima.

First, remember that for a given function f(x), the local maxima or minima points are related to the zeros of the first derivate of f(x).

This means that if:

f'(x0) = 0.

Then x0 is a maxima, minima or an inflection point.

Then if a function is such that the f'(x) ≠ 0 , ∀x, then this function will not have local maxima nor minima.

Now we have:

f(x) = x + cos(k*x)

then:

f'(x) = 1  - k*sin(k*x)

This function will be zero when:

1 = k*sin(k*x)

1/k = sin(k*x)

now, remember that -1 ≤ sin(θ) ≤ 1

then if 1/k is smaller than -1, or larger than 1, we will not have zeros.

And this will happen if -1 < k < 1.