Hard Problem concerning logarithms

In summary, the conversation is about a problem with proving a recurrence relation for a polynomial of degree 2n-2. The person offering help suggests that the issue may be trying to prove too much and explains how taking derivatives affects the degree of the polynomial. They also mention that based on the first two derivatives, it seems evident that the polynomial is of degree 2n-2.
  • #1
courtrigrad
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2
Hello all

I need help with the problem attached below. I tried proof by induction, but cannot prove it. P(n) is a polynomial of degree 2n-2. I have to establish the recurrence relation.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 

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  • #2
probably you are trying to prove too much, if all you want is to show that all derivatives of e^(-x^(-2)) vanish at zero, but anyway, notice that every time you take a derivative by the product rule, on one hand you differentiate the original function which multiplies that factor by x^(-3), so the degree of that factor goes down by 3. But when you differentiatiate the other factor, the one with negative powers of x, the pwoer of x goes down by 1.

so when you clear denominators, you have to multiply by the larger negative power, which is x^(-3n) where n is the numbwer of tiomes you did this. On the other factor, when you multiply by this, since those powers only went down on e each time,l you get a polynomial in the top whiose degree goes up 2 each time, and it seems form looking at thes econd erivative that it was degree 2 that time, hence ingeneral is degree 2n-2.

i.e. this is obvious from looking at the first two derivatives. I could be wrong of course.
 
  • #3
for reaching out for help with this problem! The hard problem concerning logarithms is a common one that many students struggle with. Let's break it down step by step to see if we can find a solution together.

First, let's review what we know about logarithms. A logarithm is the inverse function of an exponential function. In other words, if we have an equation in the form of y = a^x, the logarithm is the exponent that we need to raise a to in order to get y. For example, if we have the equation 8 = 2^x, then the logarithm of 8 with base 2 is 3, because 2^3 = 8.

Now, let's take a look at the given problem. We have a polynomial P(n) of degree 2n-2. In order to establish a recurrence relation, we need to find a pattern in the coefficients of the polynomial. Since the degree is 2n-2, we can assume that the polynomial has the form P(n) = a(2n-2) + b(2n-3) + c(2n-4) + ... + k, where a, b, c, ..., k are constants.

Next, we can use the definition of logarithms to rewrite this polynomial as P(n) = a(2^n)^2 + b(2^n)^3 + c(2^n)^4 + ... + k. Now, we can see that the coefficients of the polynomial are increasing by a factor of 2^n each time. This means that we can express the polynomial as P(n) = a(2^n)^2 + b(2^n)^3 + c(2^n)^4 + ... + k = a(2^n)^2 + 2^n(b(2^n)^2) + 2^n(c(2^n)^3) + ... + 2^n(k(2^n)^n-1).

We can simplify this further by factoring out 2^n, giving us P(n) = 2^n(a(2^n) + b(2^n)^2 + c(2^n)^3 + ... + k(2^n)^n-1). Now, we can see that this polynomial has a recursive structure, where each term is multiplied by 2^n. This means that we can establish a recurrence relation as P(n) = 2^nP(n
 

1. What is the "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms?

The "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms is a mathematical concept that refers to the difficulty in solving logarithmic equations when the base of the logarithm is unknown or a variable. This problem arises because there is no direct method for finding the value of a variable in the exponent of a logarithmic equation.

2. Why is the "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms important?

The "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms is important because logarithms are commonly used in various scientific and mathematical fields, such as physics, engineering, and finance. Solving logarithmic equations is crucial in order to understand and solve complex problems in these fields.

3. What are some strategies for solving the "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms?

There are several strategies for solving the "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms. One approach is to rewrite the logarithmic equation in exponential form and then solve for the variable using algebraic techniques. Another method is to use numerical approximations, such as the Newton-Raphson method, to find a close approximation to the solution.

4. Can the "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms be solved in all cases?

No, the "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms cannot be solved in all cases. There are some logarithmic equations that have no solution, such as when the base of the logarithm is negative or zero. In some cases, the solution may also be complex or involve infinite solutions.

5. How can the "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms be applied in real-world situations?

The "Hard Problem" concerning logarithms can be applied in various real-world situations, such as calculating interest rates, analyzing data in exponential growth and decay models, and solving problems in physics and engineering that involve exponential functions. It can also be used in financial applications, such as calculating compound interest and determining the present value of future payments.

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