Using L'Hospital's Rule to Evaluate a Limit

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around evaluating a limit involving the expression (x/x+1) raised to the power of 7x as x approaches infinity. The subject area pertains to calculus, specifically the application of L'Hospital's Rule in limit evaluation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss breaking the limit into a fraction suitable for L'Hospital's Rule, with suggestions to differentiate the numerator and denominator. There are considerations about the form of the limit, particularly the 0*infinity type, and the potential simplification using logarithms. Some participants express uncertainty about the number of times L'Hospital's Rule may need to be applied.

Discussion Status

Several participants have offered guidance on how to approach the limit, including the use of logarithmic transformation and the application of L'Hospital's Rule. There is a mix of interpretations regarding the limit's behavior as x approaches infinity, with some participants questioning assumptions about the outcome.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of the limit potentially being 1, but this is contested, indicating a lack of consensus on the expected result. The discussion also highlights the challenge of handling divergent forms in the limit evaluation process.

1337caesar
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so I've been working on this for a while now and i just can't get it.

Evaluate the limit using L'Hospital's rule if necessary

lim X -> INF
(x/x+1) ^7x

i know i need to do...


exp(lim x-> inf 7x ln(x/x+1))

from there I'm stuck.

i appreciate any help
 
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You could break it up into numerator and denominator, f(x)/g(x) let's say, where f(x) = x^7x and g(x) = (x+1)^7x l'hopital's rule says that if both f(x) and g(x) are divergent, then x--> inf f(x)/g(x) = x-->inf f'(x) / g'(x) , so you take the derivative of the top and bottom separately... you're doing to have to do this until its not divergent anymore... or 8 times? i guess?
i see what you're going for with the exp(7xln...) but i think that's probably harder / more work. Good luck
 
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7x*ln(x/(x+1)) is a 0*infinity limit. Use l'Hopital again. Write it as 7*ln(x/(x+1))/(1/x). You can make life a little easier by changing ln(x/(x+1)) to -ln((x+1)/x) and simplifying inside the log.
 
lzkelley said:
well, we can see that the answer is going to be one, because in the limit that x --> inf, x = x+1 therefore x/x+1 = 1, so 1^anything even inf is still 1.
Now to prove that more rigorously, you break it up into numerator and denominator, f(x)/g(x) let's say, where f(x) = x^7x and g(x) = (x+1)^7x l'hopital's rule says that if both f(x) and g(x) are divergent, then x--> inf f(x)/g(x) = x-->inf f'(x) / g'(x) , so you take the derivative of the top and bottom separately... you're doing to have to do this until its not divergent anymore... or 8 times? i guess?
i see what you're going for with the exp(7xln...) but i think that's probably harder / more work. Good luck

The limit isn't 1. And taking the log does make it easier.
 
As Dick said taking the log makes it a lot easier.

You may have to apply l'Hopital more than once.
 
thanks guys i got it by taking ln of the whole thing and l'hopitaling the thing twice. ended up being e^(-7)
 

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