Help with understanding of L'Hospitals Rule

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding the application of L'Hospital's Rule in evaluating the limit of the function (lnx)^2/x as x approaches infinity. Participants are exploring the behavior of the function as both the numerator and denominator tend towards infinity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of L'Hospital's Rule, noting that both the numerator and denominator approach infinity. There are questions about how to determine the growth rates of the numerator compared to the denominator and the reasoning behind concluding that the limit is 0.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on applying L'Hospital's Rule multiple times, indicating a productive direction in the discussion. However, there is still uncertainty regarding the reasoning behind the limit's value.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the context of lecture notes and the challenge of understanding the professor's conclusions, indicating a possible lack of clarity in the initial problem setup or explanation.

shocklightnin
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Homework Statement


This was a question from our lecture notes, just not sure how the prof arrived at the answer.

lim x->infinity (lnx)^2/x

Homework Equations




lim x->infinity (lnx)^2/x
lim x->infinity 2lnx/x

The Attempt at a Solution




so both the numerator and denominator are going towards infinity, and by L'H it the lim x->infinity 2lnx/x
so this means that the numerator is 'growing' faster than the denominator, a constant x? also, how does one arrive at the conclusion that the limit is 0?
 
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(lnx)^2/x = (2/x)(ln x)

derivative of ln x = 1/x

Go from there. I'm drunk.
 
shocklightnin said:

Homework Statement


This was a question from our lecture notes, just not sure how the prof arrived at the answer.

lim x->infinity (lnx)^2/x

Homework Equations




lim x->infinity (lnx)^2/x
lim x->infinity 2lnx/x

The Attempt at a Solution




so both the numerator and denominator are going towards infinity, and by L'H it the lim x->infinity 2lnx/x
so this means that the numerator is 'growing' faster than the denominator, a constant x? also, how does one arrive at the conclusion that the limit is 0?

Just apply L'Hospital's rule again since you are still in an indeterminate inf/inf:
\frac{2}{x}

It should now be pretty sensible that it approaches 0 as x approaches infinity.
 
RoshanBBQ, thanks! Completely slipped my mind that sometimes we have to apply L'H more than once.
 

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