expscv said:
1how do i find the intersaction of sin(x) and \frac{2x}{\pi}
2 solve x-1 \leq \frac{1}{x-1}
The intersection of the graphs of y= sin(x) and y= \frac{2x}{\pi} (it's the graphs that intersect, not the functions) is where sin(x)= \frac{2x}{\pi}. There is no "algebraic" way to solve that but you could use any number of numerical methods: and, as ahrkron said, graphing it is simple. Plotting it on my handy-dandy TI-83 (and I remember when "four-function" calculators were big news!) I see immediately that (0,0) is one intersection and, since both functions are odd, there exist one point of intersection with x positive and one with x negative.
Zooming in on the positive-x point, It looks like it is (\frac{\pi}{2}, 1).
Well, yes, of course, sin(\frac{\pi}{2})= 1 and \frac{2}{/pi}(\frac{\pi}{2})= 1. Graphing shows us that there exist exactly three points of intersection and simple calculation show that they are (0,0), (\frac{\pi}{2}, 1), and (-\frac{\pi}{2}, 1).
As for the inequality: x-1 \leq \frac{1}{x-1}, I think the simplest general way to solve inequalities is to look at the equation:
x-1 = \frac{1}{x-1} is the same as (x-1)
2= 1 so
x-1= 1 => x= 2 or x-1= -1 => x= 0. Also the denominator of the fraction will be 0 when x-1= 0 => x= 1.
The point of that is that inequality can "change" (from "<" to ">") only where the two sides are equal or where the function is discontinuous: in this case where the denominator is 0: here at 0, 1, and 2.
If x= -1< 0, then the left side is (-1-1)= -2 and the right side is 1/(-2)= -1/2. -2< -1/2 so the inequality is true: therefore it is true for all x< 0.
If x= 1/2 (between 0 and 1), the left side is (1/2-1)=-1/2 and the right side is -2. -1/2> -2 so the inequality is false for all x between 0 and 1.
if x= 3/2 (between 1 and 2), the left side is (3/2-1)= 1/2 and the right side is 2. 1/2< 2 so the inequality is true for all x between 1 and 2.
Finally, if x= 3 (larger than 2), the left side is (3-1)= 2 and the right side is 1/2. 3> 1/2 so the inequality is false for all x> 2.
Since the problem was \leq, the equality is true at 0 and 2.
The inequality is true for x\leq 0 and 1< x \leq 2.