Monotonicity

Theorem

A function f:AB between ordered sets is called monotonic increasing if it preserves inequalities:

abf(a)f(b)

or monotonic decreasing if it reverses inequalities:

abf(a)f(b).

Intuitively, a function is increasing if making the input bigger makes the output bigger, and similarly for a decreasing function.

In the specific case of a real valued function of a real number, there is a close relationship between monotonicity and the derivative.