THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

Department of Mathematics
MATH1010 University Mathematics 2022-2023 Term 1
Suggested Solutions for Quiz 2

x
1. (25 marks) Define f (x) = xe− 5 , with domain Df = [1, ∞).

(a) Find all the local maximum and local minimum (if exist) of f (x).
Show steps.

(b) Find all the point(s) of inflection (if exist) of f (x). Show steps.

(c) Find the global maximum and minimum values (if exist) of f (x).
Explain briefly.

Solution

(a) First we calculate the first derivative of f .

 
x x 1
f ′ (x) = e− 5 + xe− 5 −
5
x
 x 
= e− 5 1 − .
5

Thus f ′ < 0 on (1, 5), and f ′ > 0 on (5, ∞). This means f is
initially increasing on (1, 5), then decreasing on (5, ∞).

Hence x = 5 is the only local maximum (with maximum value

f (5) = 5e ), and x = 1 (edge point) is the only local minimum
1
(with minimum value f (1) = e− 5 ).
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(b)

′′ 1 −x  x 1 x
f (x) = − e 5 1− − e5
5  5 5
− x5 1  x 
= e − 1− +1
5 5
 
1 x 1
= − e− 5 2 − x (1)
5 5
x
Set f ′′ (x) = 0, we get x = 10(since e− 5 > 0).

x [1,10) 10 [10, ∞)
f ′′ (x) -ve 0 +ve
So the only point of inflection is attained at x = 10.
The point of inflection is (10, 10
e2 ).

(c) From (a), we know that f attains its global maximum at x = 5

implies Global maximum value of f (x) = 5e .
1
Consider f (1) = e1/5
> 0, and f is strictly decreasing on (5, ∞),
we just need to check the following limit for comparison:

x
lim f (x) = lim =0
x→∞ x→∞ ex/5
x
but ̸= 0 ∀x ∈ [1, ∞).
ex/5
Hence, f has no global minimum.
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2. (25 marks) Evaluate each of the following limits by using L’Hôpital’s

Rule. NO marks will be given if you use other methods or approaches.
Show all steps clearly.
cos x − 1
(a) lim 2
x→0 x
√
x
(b) lim+ √
x→0 1 − e2 x
 
1 1
(c) lim x −
x→0 e − 1 x
(d) lim+ x · (ln x)2
x→0
1
(e) lim (e3x − 2x) x
x→∞

Solution

(a)
 
cos x − 1 0
lim
x→0 x2 0
− sin x
= lim
x→0 2x
1 sin x
= lim −
x→0 2 x
1
=−
2
(b) The form is 00 , thus L’Hôpital’s rule applies

√
x
lim+ √
x→0 1 − e2 x
1
√
2 x
= lim+ √
1
x→0 0− e2 x · 2 · √
2 x
1
= lim+ √
x→0 −2e2 x
1
=−
2
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(c) The form is ∞−∞, however, if the difference is written as a single

fraction, then

x − ex + 1
 
1 1
lim − = lim .
x→0 ex − 1 x x→0 xex − x

This gives us the indeterminate form 00 . Thus, L’Hôpital’s rule

applies

x − ex + 1
 
1 1
lim − = lim
x→0 ex − 1 x x→0 xex − x
1 − ex
= lim x
x→0 xe + ex − 1
−ex 1
= lim x = − .
x→0 xe + 2ex 2

(d)

2 (ln x)2 ∞

lim x · (ln x) = lim+ 1
x→0+ x→0
x
∞
2(ln x) x1
= lim+
x→0 − x12
= lim+ −2x ln x
x→0
−2 ln x ∞
= lim+ 1
x→0
x
∞
− x2
= lim+
x→0 − x12
= lim+ 2x = 0.
x→0

1
(e) Since lim (e3x − 2x) = ∞ and lim = 0, the limit takes the
x→∞ x→∞ x
indeterminate form ∞0 .
1
Let f (x) = (e3x − 2x) x , then

ln(e3x − 2x)
ln f (x) = .
x
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∞
which assumes the indeterminate form ∞ and L’Hôpital’s rule
applies,

ln(e3x − 2x) 3e3x − 2 ∞

lim ln f (x) = lim = lim 3x
x→∞ x→∞ x x→∞ e − 2x ∞
3x
9e 27e3x
= lim 3x = lim = 3.
x→∞ 3e − 2 x→∞ 9e3x

By continuity of exponential function,

lim ln f (x)
lim f (x) = ex→∞ = e3 .
x→∞
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3. (20 marks)

(a) Let y = ex cos(sin x), find y(0), y ′ (0) and y ′′ (0) respectively.

(b) Find the n-th derivative of y = x2 ax , where a > 1 is a constant.

Solution

(a) Differentiation gives

y = ex cos(sin x),

y ′ = ex cos(sin x) − ex sin(sin x) cos x

= y − y tan(sin x) cos x

= y (1 − tan(sin x) cos x)

and

y ′′ = y ′ (1 − tan(sin x) cos x)

− y sec2 (sin x) cos2 x − tan(sin x) sin x .

Hence,
y(0) = 1, y ′ (0) = 1, y ′′ (0) = 0.
dr x
(b) Since r
a = ax (ln a)r for r = 0, 1, 2, · · · , n, therefore,
dx
dn y
dxn
= x2 ax (ln a)n + C1n 2x)ax (ln a)n−1 + C2n (2)ax (ln a)n−2

= ax (ln a)n−2 x2 (ln a)2 + 2nx(ln a) + n(n − 1)

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4. (20 marks)

(a) Find the 5th order Taylor polynomial for f (x) = arctan x about
x = 0. Show all steps.

(b) Using (a), find, with steps, the first 3 non-zero terms of the Taylor
1117x22
polynomial (in ascending order) for g(x) = about x = 0.
2 + 2x2
(Note: NO marks will be given if you simply write down the final
answer for (a), and if you do not use the result of (a) when attempting
(b).)

Solution

(a) The 5th order Taylor polynomial for f (x) = arctan x about x = 0
is as follows:

′ f ′′ (0)
f (x) = arctan x = f (0) + f (0)(x − 0) + (x − 0)2
2!
′′′ (4)
f (0) f (0)
+ (x − 0)3 + (x − 0)4
3! 4!
(5)
f (0)
+ (x − 0)5
5!

i. f (0) = 0
1 1
ii. f ′ (x) = =⇒ f ′
(0) = =1
1 + x2 1 + 02
iii. f ′′ (x) = −1(1 + x2 )−2 · 2x = −2x(1 + x2 )−2 =⇒ f ′′ (0) = 0

iv. f ′′′ (x) = −2(1 + x2 )−2 + 4x(1 + x2 )−3 · 2x =⇒ f ′′′ (0) = −2

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v.

f (4) (x) = 4(1 + x2 )−3 · 2x + 4(1 + x2 )−3 · 2 · 2x − 24x2 (1 + x2 )−4 · 2x

= 8x · (1 + x2 )−3 + 16x · (1 + x2 )−3 − 48x3 · (1 + x2 )−4

= 24x(1 + x2 )−3 − 48x3 (1 + x2 )−4 =⇒ f (4) (0) = 0

vi.

f (5) (x) = 24(1 + x2 )−3 − 72x · (1 + x2 )−4 · (2x) − 144x2 · (1 + x2 )−4

+ 192x3 (1 + x2 )−5 · (2x)

=⇒ f (5) (0) = 24

Therefore, the 5th order Taylor polynomial for f (x) = arctan x

about x = 0 is

2 3 24 5
=x− x + x
3! 5!
1 3 1 5
=x− x + x
3 5

(b) By using (a), we have

1 1
f (x) = arctan x = x − x3 + x5 + O x7 ,


3 5

Consider

1
f ′ (x) = 2 4 6


= 1 − x + x + O x
1 + x2
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Note that

1117x22
g (x) =
2 + 2x2 
1117x22

1
=
2 1 + x2
1117x22
1 − x2 + x4 + O x6



=
2
1117x22 1117x24 1117x26
+ O x28


= − +
2 2 2

Thus, the first 3 non-zero terms of the Taylor polynomial for g (x)
1117x22 24
1117x26
are 2 , − 1117x
2 and 2 .
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5. (10 marks) Show that

2(b − a) 2(b − a)
2
< arctan(2b) − arctan(2a) < for 0 ≤ a < b.
1 + 4b 1 + 4a2

State the theorem(s) that you have used.

Solution

Let f (x) = arctan(2x), which is differentiable for x > 0. By the mean

value theorem, there exists c ∈ (a, b) such that

arctan(2b) − arctan(2a) ′
= f (c),
b−a

that is,
arctan(2b) − arctan(2a) 2
= .
b−a 1 + 4c2
For a < c < b,
2 2 2
< < ,
1 + 4b2 1 + 4c2 1 + 4a2
thus
2(b − a) 2(b − a)
< arctan(2b) − arctan(2a) < ,
1 + 4b2 1 + 4a2
for 0 ≤ a < b.