Does L'Hopital's work here?

Calculus Level 2

If L = lim x 0 + x 1 cos x L=\displaystyle \lim_{x \rightarrow 0^{+} } \dfrac{x}{\sqrt{1-\cos{x}}} , and L L can be represented in the form a \sqrt{a} , find a a .


The answer is 2.

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5 solutions

using expansion cos(x) = 1-(x^2)/2!+(x^4)/4!-.....so on 1-cos(x)=(x^2)/2!-(x^4)/4!+....so on then just take x^2 common from all terms and apply limit

nicely done!

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 7 months ago
Hobart Pao
Sep 22, 2015

lim x 0 + x 1 cos x 1 + cos x 1 + cos x \lim_{x \rightarrow 0^{+}} \dfrac{x}{\sqrt{1-\cos x}} \cdot \dfrac{\sqrt{1+\cos x}}{\sqrt{1+ \cos x}} = lim x 0 + x 1 + cos x 1 cos 2 x = \lim_{x \rightarrow 0^{+}} \dfrac{x \sqrt{1+\cos x}}{\sqrt{1-\cos^{2} x}} = lim x 0 + x 1 + cos x sin x = \lim_{x \rightarrow 0^{+}} \dfrac{x \sqrt{1+\cos x}}{\left| \sin x \right|} We know that lim x 0 sin x x = 1 \displaystyle \lim_{x \rightarrow 0} \dfrac{\sin x}{x} = 1 and it's fine if it's flipped because the numerator in that key limit is approximately the same as the denominator when x approaches zero. = lim x 0 + 1 + cos x = \lim_{x \rightarrow 0^{+}} \sqrt{1+\cos x} Substitute in zero. Answer is 2 \boxed{\sqrt{2}}

Nice solution...i like this one..

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 8 months ago

By the way, L'Hopital's does work if you manipulate the original function. It won't work by application to the original. But it's not necessary here.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 8 months ago

i don't think it is a right solution because sin function is with only magnitude

Mayank Gupta - 5 years, 8 months ago

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I don't understand what you're talking about.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 8 months ago

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I just want to say that sinx may be +ve or may be -ve

Mayank Gupta - 5 years, 8 months ago

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@Mayank Gupta Right but in this case, since x approaches positive infinity, we don't have to worry about that. If it were approaching negative infinity, then you'd be correct.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 8 months ago

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@Hobart Pao I didn't get how x approaches to positive infinity because according to question x approches to +ve
zero

Mayank Gupta - 5 years, 8 months ago

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@Mayank Gupta Oops, I mean zero. But it's approaching from the right side, which is positive.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 8 months ago
Amlan Sahu
Oct 23, 2015

we can easily get our answer using a simple trigonometry identity

Akhil Bansal
Sep 22, 2015

L = lim x 0 + x 1 cos x \Rightarrow L = \displaystyle\lim_{x\rightarrow 0^+} \dfrac{x}{\sqrt{1 - \cos x}}

Put 1 cos ( x ) = 2 sin 2 x 2 1 - \cos(x) = 2\sin^2 \dfrac{x}{2}

L = lim x 0 + x 2 sin 2 x 2 \Rightarrow L =\displaystyle\lim_{x\rightarrow 0^+} \dfrac{x}{\sqrt{2\sin^2 \dfrac{x}{2}}}

W h e n x 0 sin x x ( As x is very small ) When \quad x \rightarrow 0 \Rightarrow \sin x \rightarrow x \quad \quad (\text{As x is very small})

L = lim x 0 + x 2 x 2 4 \Rightarrow L = \displaystyle\lim_{x\rightarrow 0^+} \dfrac{x}{\sqrt{\dfrac{2 x^2}{4}}}

L = lim x 0 + 2 x x 2 , x 2 = x ( As x is positive ) \Rightarrow L = \displaystyle\lim_{x\rightarrow 0^+} \sqrt2 \dfrac{x}{\sqrt{x^2}} \quad, \quad \sqrt{x^2} = x \quad \quad (\text{As x is positive} )

L = 2 \Rightarrow \boxed{L = \sqrt2}

Thanks for your solution! However, there's actually a really easy way to solve this limit. I'll post my friend's solution.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 8 months ago
Chew-Seong Cheong
Sep 16, 2019

L = lim x 0 + x 1 cos x By Maclaurin series = lim x 0 + x 1 1 + x 2 2 ! x 4 4 ! + Divide up and down by x = lim x 0 + 1 1 2 ! x 2 4 ! + x 4 6 ! = 2 \begin{aligned} L & = \lim_{x \to 0^+} \frac x{\sqrt{1-\color{#3D99F6} \cos x}} & \small \color{#3D99F6} \text{By Maclaurin series} \\ & = \lim_{x \to 0^+} \frac x{\sqrt{1-\color{#3D99F6}1 + \frac {x^2}{2!} - \frac {x^4}{4!} + \cdots}} & \small \color{#3D99F6} \text{Divide up and down by }x \\ & = \lim_{x \to 0^+} \frac 1{\sqrt{\frac 1{2!} - \frac {x^2}{4!} + \frac {x^4}{6!} - \cdots}} \\ & = \sqrt 2 \end{aligned}

Therefore, a = 2 a= \boxed 2 .

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