find the max/min by taking the derivative of the equation, setting it equal to zero, and finding the critical numbers for X. then use that X back in the original equation to find out the maximum and minimum points. to find the inflection points take the 2nd derivative of the equation, set that equal to zero, and repeat the above with that point. To find out if a point is a min or a max, i think you just test points on either side of the critical points to see if the slope is positive or negative... using the first or second derivative test i forget its late don't quote me on all of that i'm going from what i THINK i learned in calc