Calculus 5 : Interesting radicals

Calculus Level 3

\large \int_0^\sqrt[]{10} \sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\ldots}}}}} \, dx = \, ?


The answer is 5.

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3 solutions

Let us first consider if the following limit exists:

y = x x x x . . . = x 1 2 × x 1 4 × x 1 8 . . . = lim n k = 1 n x 1 2 k = lim n exp ( k = 1 n 1 2 k ln x ) = lim n exp ( ln x k = 1 n 1 2 k ) = exp ( ln x × 1 2 1 1 2 ) = e ln x = x \begin{aligned} y & = \sqrt {x \sqrt {x \sqrt {x\sqrt {x...}}}} \\ & = x^\frac 12 \times x^\frac 14 \times x^\frac 18 ... \\ & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \prod_{k=1}^n x^\frac 1{2^k} \\ & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \exp \left(\sum_{k=1}^n \frac 1{2^k} \ln x \right) \\ & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \exp \left(\ln x \sum_{k=1}^n \frac 1{2^k} \right) \\ & = \exp \left(\ln x \times \frac {\frac 12}{1-\frac 12} \right) \\ & = e^{\ln x} = x \end{aligned}

Therefore,

I = 0 10 x x x x . . . d x = 0 10 x d x = x 2 2 0 10 = 5 \begin{aligned} I & = \int_0^{\sqrt{10}} \sqrt {x \sqrt {x \sqrt {x\sqrt {x...}}}} \ dx \\ & = \int_0^{\sqrt{10}} x \ dx \\ & = \frac {x^2}2 \bigg|_0^{\sqrt{10}} \\ & = 5 \end{aligned}

This is a good start. However, your explanation has slight gaps. The issues are:

  1. You have not proven that x = x x x = \sqrt{ x \sqrt{ x \ldots } } . Yes, I know that this is well-known, and so you should make it clear that you're quoting a fact. E.g. you have not shown that this series must converge.
  2. When factoring, we cannot simply cancel an algebraic term. We have to justify that y 0 y \neq 0 in order to go from y 2 = x y y ( y x ) = 0 y = x y^2 = xy \Leftrightarrow y(y-x) = 0 \Leftrightarrow y = x .
  3. Instead of assuming that the limit exists, it is better to write it as x 1 2 × x 1 4 × x^ \frac{1}{2} \times x^{ \frac{1}{4} } \times \ldots , whence it's easier to see that it converges to x x .

Keep writing more solutions and you will get the hang of this!

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 8 months ago

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Thanks a lot for your comments and your patience. They are helpful. I failed to see point 3 earlier. I will keep writing solutions. Thanks again.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 4 years, 8 months ago

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Looks much better now!

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 8 months ago
Viki Zeta
Oct 2, 2016

Relevant wiki: u u -Substitution

This actually is a very easy problem, made tricky.

I = 0 10 x x x x d x Let i = x x x x i 2 = x x x x = x i x = i d i d x = 1 d x = d i I = 0 10 i d i = i 1 + 1 1 + 1 0 10 = i 2 2 0 10 = x 2 2 0 10 Since i = x = ( 10 ) 2 2 ( 0 ) 2 2 = 10 2 = 5 1 0 10 x x x x d x = 5 \displaystyle I = \int_0^{\sqrt[]{10}} ~ \sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\ldots}}}} ~ dx \\ \displaystyle \text{Let } i = \sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\ldots}}}} \\ \displaystyle i^2 = x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\ldots}}} = xi \\ \displaystyle \implies x = i \\ \displaystyle \dfrac{di}{dx} = 1 \\ \displaystyle dx = di \\ \displaystyle I = \int_0^{\sqrt[]{10}} ~ i ~ di \\ \displaystyle = \dfrac{i^{1+1}}{1+1} ~\Big|^{\sqrt[]{10}}_0\\ \displaystyle = \dfrac{i^2}{2}~ \Big|^{\sqrt[]{10}}_0\\ \displaystyle = \dfrac{x^2}{2}~ \Big|^{\sqrt[]{10}}_0 ~~ \boxed{\text{Since i = x}} \\ \displaystyle = \dfrac{(\sqrt[]{10})^2}{2} - \dfrac{(0)^2}{2} \\ \displaystyle = \dfrac{10}{2} = \dfrac{5}{1} \\ \displaystyle \boxed{\therefore \int_0^{\sqrt[]{10}} ~ \sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\sqrt[]{x\ldots}}}} ~ dx = 5}

This is a good start. However, your explanation has slight gaps. The issues are:

  1. In the first line, you are assuming that the series converges. Why must this be the case?
  2. When factoring, we cannot simply cancel an algebraic term. We have to justify that i 0 i \neq 0 in order to go from i 2 = x i i ( i x ) = 0 i = x i^2 = xi \Leftrightarrow i(i-x) = 0 \Leftrightarrow i = x .

Keep writing more solutions and you will get the hang of this!

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 8 months ago

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By induction hypothesis it converges.

Viki Zeta - 4 years, 8 months ago

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Please state that in the solution, so that others can understand how to fill in the gap.

Note that point 2 hasn't been addressed.

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 8 months ago

Why did you subtract in the end?

Akeel Howell - 4 years, 8 months ago

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The question at first actually is to find A B A-B , view reports for further information why it was changed.

Viki Zeta - 4 years, 8 months ago
Rab Gani
Jul 11, 2017

√(x√(x√(x√(..√x) .)) ) = y, xy = y^2, x=y ∫ x dx=(1/2) x^2, So the answer is 5.

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