Problem Set 5
Mathematics I
August 9, 2019
1 Questions
1. Prove that for all x > 1, we have
√ 1
2 x>3− .
x
2. Prove that
| arctan x − arctan y| ≤ |x − y|.
3. (a) Let f (n) be the nth derivative of a function f , that is,
f (n) = ((f 0 )0 · · · )0
| {z }
n differentiations
Prove by mathematical induction that
n
(n)
X n (k) (n−k)
(f g) = f g .
k=0
k
n n!
Here = is the binomial coefficient and you may
k k!(n − k)!
find the find the formula
n n n+1
+ = (1)
k−1 k k
useful.
1
(b) Prove the formula (1).
4. Determine intervals where the function f = x + | sin 2x| is increasing
and where it is decreasing. Also, find local maxima and minima.
5. Consider the function f where
x2
f (x) = .
x2 + 3
Find all intervals where f is increasing or decreasing, find all points of
local maximum or minimum, and find all intervals where f is concave
up or concave down. Also find any points where f has an infinite limit
as well as the behaviour as x → ±∞. Finally, use all this information
to sketch the graph of f .
6. You want to extend a ladder from the ground, over a 2 m high fence,
to a vertical wall located 1 m behind the fence (see Figure 1). How
long must your ladder be for this to be possible?
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
Figure 1: A ladder extending over a fence to a wall
7. The stiffness of a wooden beam of rectangular cross section is propor-
tional to the product of the “width” and the cube of the “height” of
the cross section (see Figure 2). Find the width and the height of the
stiffest beam that can be cut out of a circular log of radius R.
8. Light travels in such a way that it requires the minimum possible time
to get from one point to another. If it travels with speed v1 in one
2
Figure 2: Cross section of a log and a cut out beam
medium and with speed v2 in a second medium, and if the two media
are separated by a plane interface, show that a ray of light passing
from a point A in one medium to a point B in the other, is bent at the
interface in such a way that
sin θ1 v1
= ,
sin θ2 v2
where θ1 and θ2 are the angles of incidence and refraction (see Figure
3).
9. Evaluate the following limits:
(a)
ln x
lim
x→1 x − 1
(b)
tan x − x
lim
x→0 x3
(c)
sin x
lim
x→π 1 − cos x
3
l
l
l
medium with
l
l θ1
light speed v1 l
l
l
l
l
medium with
L
L
light speed v2 L
L
L
θ2 LL
L
L
L
Figure 3: A light ray refracted between two media
(d)
xa − 1
lim
x→1 xb − 1
(e)
a bx
lim 1 +
x→∞ x
10. Prove the statement from the lecture that for p, ε > 0, we have
(ln x)p
lim = 0.
x→+∞ xε
11. Prove the statement from the lecture that a function f (x) is concave
upward on an interval I if and only if for any a < x < b in I we have
f (x) − f (a) f (b) − f (a)
<
x−a b−a
Recall from the lectures, tha concave upward on I means by defini-
tion that for all a, b ∈ I, the line segment joining the points (a, f (a)),
(b, f (b)) lies above the graph of f (x).