M10B(Stream A) : Functions of Real Variables

University of the West Indies

Department of Mathematics
Problem Paper #05 Solutions

Lecturer: Sam McDaniel

Question 1
(a) Let f : R ! R be such that f (x) = 1=x for all x 6= 0:
Find a 4th degree Taylor series polynomial approximation for f near
a = 1: Use your approximation to estimate the value of 1=0:9:
p
(b) Let f : [ 1; 1) ! R be such that f (x) = x + 1 .
Find a fourth-order estimate for y = f (x) f (0) in powers of x=
x 0 = x:
sin x
(c) Find the Taylor series expansion for f (x) = in powers of x up to
1 x
and including the term in x4 :

Solution 1
(a) f (x) = 1=x for all x 6= 0:
The 4th degree Taylor series polynomial approximation for f near x =
a is
f 2 (a) f 3 (a) f 4 (a)
f (x) = f (a)+f 0 (a)(x a)+ (x a)2 + (x a)3 + (x a)4 +
2! 3! 4!
Now
1 2 2 6 4 24
f 0 (x) = 2
; f (x) = 3 ; f 3 (x) = 4
; f (x) = 5
x x x x
M10B Problem Paper 05 Solutions 2

and so

f ( 1) = 1; f 0 ( 1) = 1; f 2 ( 1) = 2; f 3 ( 1) = 6; f 4 ( 1) = 24

The 4th degree Taylor series polynomial approximation for f near x =

1 is therefore
2 6 24
f (x) = 1 (x + 1) + (x + 1)2 + (x + 1)3 + (x + 1)4 +
2! 3! 4!
= 1 (x + 1) (x + 1)2 (x + 1)3 (x + 1)4 +

Put x = 0:9 to get

1
1 ( 0:9 + 1) ( 0:9 + 1)2 ( 0:9 + 1)3 ( 0:9 + 1)4
0:9
= 1 (0:1) (0:1)2 (0:1)3 (0:1)4
= 1:1111
p
(b) f (x) = x+1 .
With y = f (x) f (0) and x = x 0 = x: The Taylor series
expansion is
f 2 (0) 2 f 3 (0) 3 f 4 (0) 4
y = f 0 (0) x + x + x + x +
2! 3! 4!
0 f 2 (0) 2 f 3 (0) 3 f 4 (0) 4
= f (0)x + x + x + x +
2! 3! 4!
Now,
1
f 0 (x) = 1
2
(x + 1) 2

3
f 2 (x) = 1
2
1
2
(x + 1) 2

5
f 3 (x) = 3
2
1
2
1
2
(x + 1) 2

7
f 4 (x) = 5
2
3
2
1
2
1
2
(x + 1) 2

resulting in

f 0 (0) = 12 ; f 2 (0) = 1
4
; f 3 (x) = 83 ; f 4 (0) = 15
16

and therefore,
1 2 1 3
y = 12 x 8
x + 16
x 5
128
x4 +

sin x
(c) To …nd the Taylor series expansion for f (x) = in powers of x
1 x
up to and including the term in x4 ; I’ll simply write down the series
1
expansions of sin x and before multiplying them to get the result.
1 x
Well most of us know that
1 3
sin x = x 6
x + 1
120
x5 +
 M10B Problem Paper 05 Solutions 3

and that
1
= 1 + x + x2 + x3 + x4 +
1 x
and so
sin x
= x 16 x3 + 120 1
x5 + 1 + x + x2 + x3 + x4 +
1 x
= x + x2 + x3 + x4 61 x3 1 4
6
x +
= x + x2 + 56 x3 + 56 x4 +

Question 2
(a) Show that x7 + x 1 has exactly one real root.
(b) Show that x3 3x + 4 = 0 has exactly one real root in [ 3; 1]:
(c) Prove that 2x3 2x2 + 3x = 2 has exactly one root and that this root
lies between 0 and 1:

Solution 2
(a) Let f (x) = x7 + x 1.
Since f is a polynomial, f is continuous and di¤erentiable on R. Con-
sider the interval, [0; 1]: f is continuous on [0; 1] and f (0) = 1; f (1) =
1 implying that f (0)f (1) < 0: By the Intermediate Value Theorem,
9 2 (0; 1) such that f ( ) = 0: So at least one root exists (between 0
and 1).
Now assume that f has another root, say : Without loss of
generality, let < : We therefore have that f ( ) = 0 = f ( ) and
since f is continuous on [ ; ] and di¤erentiable in ( ; ); by Rolles
theorem, 9k 2 ( ; ) such that f 0 (k) = 0:
But, f 0 (k) = 7k 6 + 1 1 for all k and so there is no 9k 2 ( ; ) such
that f 0 (k) = 0: This is a contradiction to Rolle’s theorem and therefore
the assumption is incorrect. That is, f has no other root. We conclude
that f has exactly one real root (since it has at least one real root) on
R.
(b) Let f (x) = x3 3x + 4:
f is a polynomial and so f is continuous on [ 3; 1] with f ( 3) =
27 + 9 + 4 = 14 < 0 and f ( 1) = 1 + 3 + 4 = 6 > 0: Therefore,
f ( 3)f ( 1) = 14 6 < 0: By the IMVT, 9 at least one 2 ( 3; 1)
such that f ( ) = 0: So f has at least one real root in the given interval.
Now suppose f has another root in the interval. Without
loss of generality, let < : f is continuous on [ ; ] and di¤erentiable
in ( ; ) with f ( ) = f ( ) = 0: By Rolle’s Theorem, there exists
k 2 ( ; ) such that f 0 (k) = 0: Now, f 0 (x) = 3x2 3 = 3(x2 1) =
3(jxj2 1) = 3(jxj + 1)(jxj 1) > 0 for all jxj > 1: Therefore, here
 M10B Problem Paper 05 Solutions 4

are no k 2 ( 3; 1) and hence no k 2 ( ; ) such that f 0 (k) = 0: This

contradicts Rolle’s Theorem and therefore f has no other real root in
[ 3; 1]:
(c) Let f (x) = 2x3 2x2 + 3x 2.
f is a polynomial and so f is continuous on [0; 1] with f (0) = 2 < 0
and f (1) = 2 2 + 3 2 = 1 > 0: Therefore, f (0)f (1) = 2 1 < 0:
By the IMVT, 9 at least one 2 (0; 1) such that f ( ) = 0: So f has
at least one real root in (0; 1):
Now suppose f has another root . Without loss of generality,
let < : f is continuous on [ ; ] and di¤erentiable in ( ; ) with
f ( ) = f ( ) = 0: By Rolle’s Theorem, there exists k 2 ( ; ) such
that f 0 (k) = 0: Now, f 0 (x) = 6x2 4x + 3 = 6(x 31 )2 + 73 7
3
for all
0
x 2 R: Therefore, there are no k 2 ( ; ) such that f (k) = 0: This
contradicts Rolle’s Theorem and therefore f has no other real root on
R: We conclude that f (x) has exactly one root and that this root lies
between 0 and 1:

Question 3
State Rolle’s Theorem.
Let f : [ 2; 3] ! R be such that f (x) = 1 x2=3 : Show that f ( 1) = f (1);
but f 0 (x) is never zero in the interval [ 1; 1]: Explain why this does not
contradict Rolle’s Theorem.

Solution 3
Rolle’s Theorem : Let f be a function that is continuous on [a; b] and
di¤erentiable in (a; b): If f (a) = f (b) then 9c 2 (a; b) such that f 0 (c) = 0:
f : [ 2; 3] ! R is such that f (x) = 1 x2=3 :
1 1
f ( 1) = 1 ( 1)2=3 = 1 [( 1)2 ] 3 = 1 13 = 1 1=0
1 1
f (1) = 1 (1)2=3 = 1 [(1)2 ] 3 = 1 13 = 1 1 = 0:
Therefore, f ( 1) = f (1) = 0
Now,
f 0 (x) = 2
3
x 1=3 = 2
3x1=3
;
2
which does not exist at x = 0: Also, f 0 (x) = is
never zero. Since f is
3x1=3
not di¤erentiable at x = 0; it is not di¤erentiable in ( 1; 1): Therefore the
hypothesis of Rolle’s Theorem is not satis…ed and so Rolle’s Theorem is not
contradicted.
 M10B Problem Paper 05 Solutions 5

Question 4
1
Let f : [ 1; 1] ! R be such that f (x) = x2 : Show that f satis…es
1 + x2
all the conditions for the application of Rolle’s Theorem.
Find all c which satisfy the conclusion of the theorem.

Solution 4
1
Let f : [ 1; 1] ! R be such that f (x) = x2 :
1 + x2
1
x2 and are both continuous on [ 1; 1] and hence f is continuous on
1 + x2
[ 1; 1]:
1
x2 and are both di¤erentiable in ( 1; 1) and hence f is di¤erentiable
1 + x2
in ( 1; 1):
Also,
1
f ( 1) = ( 1)2 = 1 12 = 1
2
1 + ( 1)2
1
and f (1) = (1)2 2
= 1 21 = 12 :
1 + (1)

Hence f ( 1) = f (1) and so f satis…es all the conditions for the application
of Rolle’s Theorem. By Rolle’s Theorem, 9c 2 ( 1; 1) such that f 0 (c) = 0:
That is,
2c
f 0 (c) = 2c + =0
(1 + c2 )2
2c(1 + c2 )2 + 2c
= =0
(1 + c2 )2

We solve 2c(1 + c2 )2 + 2c = 0:

2c[(1 + c2 )2 + 1] = 0

resulting in c = 0 only.

Question 5
1
By considering the function f (t) = tan t on [x; 1]; x > 0; prove that
1 x 1 x 1
< tan x< +
4 1 + x2 4 2
 M10B Problem Paper 05 Solutions 6

Solution 5
1
Let f (t) = tan t where t 2 [x; 1] and x > 0: f is continuous on [x; 1] and
1
di¤erentiable in (x; 1) with f 0 (t) = : By the MVT, 9k 2 (x; 1) such
1 + t2
that
f (1) f (x)
f 0 (k) = :
1 x
That is,
1 tan 1 (1) tan 1 (x) 4
tan 1 (x)
= = :
1 + k2 1 x 1 x
Now, x < k < 1 and therefore, x2 < k 2 < 1 ) 1 + x2 < 1 + k 2 < 2 implying
1 1 1
< 2
< ;
2 1+k 1 + x2
and so
1 4
tan 1 (x) 1
< < :
2 1 x 1 + x2
Multiplying through by 1 x (which is positive):
1 x 1 x
< tan 1 (x) < ;
2 4 1 + x2
or (multiplying by 1)
1 x 1 x
< + tan 1 (x) < :
1 + x2 4 2
Therefore,
1 x 1 x 1
< tan x< + :
4 1 + x2 4 2

Question 6
State the Mean Value Theorem. By applying this result to the function
f : [1 h; 1] ! R, such that f (x) = log x; prove that if h 2 (0; 1); then

1 h
h < log < :
1 h 1 h

Solution 6
The Mean Value Theorem: Let f : [a; b] ! R, be continuous on [a; b] and
di¤erentiable in (a; b); then there exists c in (a; b) such that

f (b) f (a)
f 0 (c) = :
b a
 M10B Problem Paper 05 Solutions 7

Let f : [1 h; 1] ! R be such that f (x) = log x; where 0 < h < 1: Since f

is a log, it is continuous on [1 h; 1]; and di¤erentiable in (1 h; 1): Hence,
there exists k 2 (1 h; 1) such that

f (1) f (1 h)
f 0 (k) =
1 (1 h)
1
log 1 log(1 h) log(1 h) log 1 h
= = = :
h h h
That is,
1 log 1 1 h
=
k h
Now, 1 h < k < 1 and so
1 1
1< < :
k 1 h
That is,
1
log 1 h 1
1< < ;
h 1 h
resulting in
1 h
h < log < :
1 h 1 h

Question 7
Let f (x) = xn e x ; where n > 0; x 0:
Determine the interval(s) on which f is strictly increasing and on which f is
strictly decreasing.

Solution 7
Let f (x) = xn e x ; where n > 0; x 0:
f (x) is strictly decreasing when f 0 (x) < 0 and is strictly increasing when
f 0 (x) > 0:
Now,
f 0 (x) = xn e x
+ nxn 1 e x
= ( x + n)xn 1 e x :
Since x 0; xn 1 e x
0 and so

f 0 (x) < 0 when x + n < 0 i.e. x > n

and f 0 (x) > 0 when x + n > 0 i.e. x < n

Therefore, f is strictly decreasing on (n; 1) and is strictly increasing on

(0; n):