MH1100/MTH112: Calculus I.

Problem set #11.

Solutions

Problem 1: (#6.1.9 to #6.1.14 from [Stewart].)

Which of the following functions are 1-1. Briefly justify.
(i) f (x) = x2 2x.
(ii) f (x) = 10 3x.
(iii) g(x) = 1/x.
(iv) g(x) = |x|.
(v) h(x) = 1 + cos x.
(vi) h(x) = 1 + cos x, for 0 x .
Solution
Well go through these one by one.
(i) The graph of this function is a shifted parabola, so it is clearly not
1-1. Another way to see this is to observe that f (0) = 0 = f (2).
(ii) The graph of this function is a non-horizontal straight line, so it will
clearly pass the horizontal line test. Another way to see that f (x) is
1-1 is to observe that f (x) = 3, so this is a decreasing function.
(iii) The graph of g(x) = 1/x is a standard hyperbola, which is clearly 1-1.
Another way to see that this function is 1-1 is to deduce that if x1
and x2 are two points where g(x1 ) = g(x2 ), then 1/x1 = 1/x2 , which
implies that x1 = x2 .
(iv) The function g(x) = |x| is not 1-1, because g(x) = g(x) for all x R.
(v) The function h(x) = 1 + cos x is not 1-1 because for every x R,
h(x + 2) = h(x).
(vi) This h(x) is 1-1. A transparent way of seeing this is to note that
h (x) = sin x, which is < 0 when 0 < x < . Thus h(x) is a
decreasing function on this interval.
!
1

Problem 2: (Based on #6.1.19 from [Stewart].)

If h(x) = x +
Solution

!
"
x, then what is h1 (6)? What about h h1 () ?

To begin, note that both x and x are increasing functions, so this function
h(x) is certainly 1-1, and so the inverse function h1 (x) is logically defined.
It also follows from the IVT that 6 lies in the range of h(x).
To determine h1 (6) we just have to answer the question: Which number
x
gives h(
x) = 6?
Substituting in guesses, we can quickly find that h(4) = 6. A more systematic approach would compute as follows. (Below, note that the domain
of h is [0, ), so we can assume that x
0.)

h(
x) = 6

x
+ x
=6 %
&
# $2
1
1 25
x
+2
x
+
=0
2
4
4
%
&

1 2 25
x
+
=
2
4

x
=2

x
= 4.

!
"
The second question is what is h h1 () . Without a single calculation
we can say that the answer is . This is because this number is the answer
to the question: What is the value in h(x) of the number whose value in
h(x) is ?
!
Problem 3:
Consider f (x) = x + cos x. Explain why f (x) is 1-1. What is f 1 (1)?
Solution:
The function is 1-1 because f (x) = 1 sin x is always greater than zero
(except at isolated points) so f (x) is an increasing function.
The value f 1 (1) is just the number x
which answers the question:
Which number x
gives f (
x) = 1? If we just think about this function (perhaps substituting in a few test values) well quickly realize that f (0) = 1.
Thus: f 1 (1) = 0.
!

Problem 4: (#6.1.22 from [Stewart].)

In the theory of relativity, the mass of a particle with speed v is
m = f (v) = '

m0
1

v2
c2

where m0 is the rest mass of the particle and c is the speed of light
in a vacuum. What is the inverse function f 1 (m) of f and what is its
interpretation?
Solution:

[0,c).
First of all note that the domain of the function is [0,
c]. (This is not surprising! Nothing travels faster than light, right?) Then note that the function
is increasing. (This is easy to check formally. Or we can intuitively reason:
2
As v increases from 0 to c, vc2 gets closer to 1, so the bottom line gets
smaller, so the whole function increases.) So it will be 1-1 and there will
be no problems discussing an inverse function.
To actually build the inverse function: The value of f 1 (m) will be the
v which solves the equation:
f (v) = m
m0
m= '
2
1 vc2
# m $2 v 2
0
1
= 2
m
c
(
# m $2
0
v =c 1
.
m

Thus:
f

(m) = c

# m $2
0

.
m
The interpretation of this function, is that given a body '
with rest mass
! "2
m0 , the speed it has to be going at to acquire a mass m is c 1 mm0 .

Problem 5: (#6.1.27 from [Stewart].)

Find a formula for the inverse function f 1 (x) to the function

1 x
.
f (x) =
1+ x
Solution:
If we write this function
f (x) =

1

1+ x

1
x

1
+1

we see that f (x) is the sum of two decreasing functions, so it is decreasing.

Thus f (x) is 1-1, and has a logically defined inverse. Furthermore, note that
limx f (x) = 1. Thus we deduce that the range of f (x) is [1, 1), which
will be the domain of the inverse function.
To determine the rule for the inverse, let x [1, 1). Then x
= f 1 (x)
satisfies:

1 x

x=
1+ x

x+x x
=1 x

(x + 1) x
=1x

1x

x
=
1+x
%
&
1x 2
x
=
.
1+x
Thus:
f

(x) =

1x
1+x

&2

.
!

Problem 6: (#6.1.42 from [Stewart].)

Why is

f (x) =
1-1? Determine (f 1 ) (2).

x3 + x2 + x + 1

Solution
Why is f (x) a 1-1 function? First, note that x3 +x2 +x+1 is an increasing
function because its derivative is 3x2 + 2x + 1 = 3(x + 1/3)2 + 2/3, which is
always > 0. Thus f (x) is the composition of two increasing functions, so it
is increasing as well, and so it is 1-1.
To use the formula for the derivative of an inverse, well need to know
f 1 (2), so must find an x
such that
4=x
3 + x
2 + x
+1x
3 + x
2 + x
3 = 0.
A bit of trial and error leads to the solution x
= 1, so:
f 1 (2) = 1.
Now we computed the requested derivative using the standard formula
for the derivative of an inverse:
(f 1 ) (2) =
=
=
=
=
=

1
f (f 1 (2))
1
f (1)
*

2 x3 +x2 +x+1

2 4
1
4

+,
,
(3x2 + 2x + 1) ,

x=1

1
(3 1 + 2 + 1)

1
6

2
.
3

Problem 7: (#6.1.46 from [Stewart].)

Suppose that g(x) is the inverse function of a dierentiable function f (x),
1
and let G(x) = g(x)
. If f (3) = 2 and f (3) = 19 , find G (2).
Solution
Well compute using the standard formula for the derivative of an inverse,
and other standard formulae. The computation will need g(2). Because g(x)
is the inverse of f (x), g(2) is the number x
such that f (
x) = 2. From the
given datum that f (3) = 2, we deduce g(2) = 3. Now:
..,
,
d
1
,
G (2) =
dx g(x) ,x=2
.,
,
1
d
,
=

[g(x)]
,
(g(x))2 dx
x=2
.,
,
1
1
,
=

(g(x))2 f (g(x)) ,x=2

=

1
1

(g(2))2 f (g(2))

1
1

2
3
f (3)

1 1
= 1
9 9
= 1.
!

Problem 8: (#6.1.49 from [Stewart].)

1. Find an expression for the inverse of a function g(x) = f (x + c), where
f (x) is a one-to-one function. Interpret your result geometrically in
terms of the graph of a function and its inverse.
2. Find an expression for the inverse of h(x) = f (cx), where c = 0.
Solution to (i)
To begin, note that if f (x) is 1-1, then g(x) = f (x + c) is 1-1 as well.
(What would a proof look like? Assume that x1 and x2 are two numbers
where g(x1 ) = g(x2 ). This implies that f (x1 + c) = f (x2 + c). Because f (x)
is 1-1 this implies that x1 + c = x2 + c, which implies that x1 = x2 .)
To determine a formula for g 1 (x): note that g 1 (x) is the unique x

such that g(
x) = x. Thus:
g(
x) = x
f (
x + c) = x

x
+ c = f 1 (x)

x
= f 1 (x) c.
So:
g 1 (x) = f 1 (x) c.

This is exactly what our geometric understanding of inverse functions

predicts: The graph of g(x) is obtained from the graph of f (x) by shifting it
c units to the left. So when we reflect this arrangement over the line y = x,
the graph of g(x) is reflected to the graph of g 1 (x), the graph of f (x) is
reflected to the graph of f 1 (x), and we expect that the graph of g 1 (x) is
obtained from the graph of f 1 (x) shifting it down c units.
Solution to (ii).
We argue in the same way:
h(
x) = x
f (c
x) = x

c
x = f 1 (x)
1
x
= f 1 (x).
c
Thus: h1 (x) = 1c f 1 (x).
!
7

Problem 9: (#6.2.17 and #6.2.18 from [Stewart].)

Solution to (i).
The two points we are given determine two equations for the constants C
and a:
1. 6 = Ca1 .
2. 24 = Ca3 .
If we divide the second equation by the first we deduce: a2 = 4. Thus
a = 2. (We do not discuss exponential functions with negative base.)
Then substituting a = 2 into the first equation gives C = 3.
Thus: f (x) = 3 2x .
Solution to (ii).
In this case the two equations we get are:
1. 2 = Ca0 .
2. 2/9 = Ca2 .
These can be solved to deduce: f (x) = 2
f (x) = 2 3x .

! 1 "x
3

, which can be rewritten

!

Problem 10 : (#6.1.50 from [Stewart].)

Let f (x) be a 1-1, twice dierentiable function with inverse function g(x).
Show that:
f (g(x))
g (x) =
.
[f (g(x))]3
Solution
According to the standard formula, the derivative of g(x) is:
g (x) =

1
f (g(x))

If we dierentiate this formula we get:

1

g (x) =

(f (g(x)))2

(f (g(x)))2

(f (g(x)))3

1
1

f (g(x)) g (x)
f (g(x))

1
f (g(x))

f (g(x))

which is the formula we had to show.

!

Problem 11:
Use geometric transformations to sketch the graph of the function
f (x) = 2 + 5(1 ex ).
Solution
We seek a sequence of elementary transformations which will take the standard exponential function f (x) = ex into this function.
The sequence of transformations, and the corresponding geometric transformations, are:
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1
5

f (x) = ex
10
9
8
7
6
5

f (x)f (x)

4
3
2
1
0
1
5

f (x) = ex
1
0
1
2
3
4

f (x)f (x)

5
6
7
8
9
10
5

f (x) = ex

10

3
2
1
0
1
2
3

f (x)f (x)+1

4
5
6
7
8
9
10
5

f (x) = 1 ex
10

f (x)5f (x)

10

15

20
5

f (x) = 5(1 ex )
10
8
6
4
2
0
2
4

f (x)f (x)+2

6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
5

f (x) = 2 + 5(1 ex )
!

11

Problem 12: (#6.2.25 from [Stewart].)

Determine the limit

e3x e3x
.
x e3x + e3x
lim

Solution
This limit can be reduced to the standard limit limx ex = 0 by the
deduction:
% 3x
&
e3x e3x
e
1 e6x
lim
= lim

x e3x + e3x
x e3x
1 + e6x
=

1 limx e6x
1 + limx e6x

1
1

= 1.
!
Problem 13: (#6.2.29 from [Stewart].)
Use a version of the squeeze theorem to determine the limit
!
"
lim e2x cos x .
x

Solution

We have
1 cos x 1.

Because e2x > 0 for all x, we can deduce from the above inequalities
that
e2x e2x cos x e2x .
Now because
lim e2x = lim (e2x ) = 0

we deduce form the natural

version
!
" of the squeeze theorem as x that
the given limit limx e2x cos x exists, and equals 0.

12

Problem 14: (#6.2.67 from [Stewart].)

Find the absolute maximum and absolute minimum of
f (x) = xex

2 /8

on the interval [1, 4].

Solution
2

We are asked for the extreme values of a continuous function f (x) = xex /8
on the closed interval [1, 4]. We can obtain them from an application of
the closed interval method.
The first thing we need to do is find the critical numbers of f (x). The
function is dierentiable at every point, so the critical numbers are the set
of numbers at which the derivative is zero: f (c) = 0. The derivative is:
%
&
2x
x2
2

x2 /8
x2 /8
f (x) = e

xe
= 1
ex /8 .
8
4
The only point inside the given interval [1, 4] at which this derivative is
zero is at x = 2.
To finish we need to compare the values at the critical number x = 2
with the values at the boundaries of the interval, at x = 1 and at x = 4.
The three values are:
f (1) = e1/8 0.88
f (2) = 2e1/2 1.21
f (4) = 4e2 0.54
We conclude that on the interval [1, 4], the given function f (x) =
achieves an absolute maximum of 1.21 at x = 2, and an absolute
minimum of 0.88 at x = 1.
2
xex /8

13

Problem 15: (#6.2.99 from [Stewart].)

!
"
Given f (x) = 3 + x + ex , calculate f 1 (4).
Solution

To begin, notice that this function is the sum of increasing functions, so it

is increasing, so it is 1-1 and has a well-defined inverse. The calculation of
the derivative of the inverse will be a standard application of the formula
for the derivative of an inverse function. The formula will need f 1 (4). If
we notice that f (0) = 3 + 0 + e0 = 4 we conclude that f 1 (4) = 0.
Then:
,
d / 1 0,,
1
f (x) ,
=

1
dx
f (f (4))
x=4
1
=
(1 + ex )|x=0
1
=
1+1
1
=
.
2
!
Problem 16: (#6.2.100 from [Stewart].)
Evaluate the limit
lim

Solution

esin x 1
.
x

The trick here is to recognize that this is a limit defining a certain derivative.
Set
g(x) = esin x .
Then:
lim

esin x 1
x

esin x esin 0
x
x

= g ()
!
",
= cos x esin x ,x=
=

lim

= (1)esin
= 1.

14

Problem 17: (#6.3.35 and #6.3.36 from [Stewart].)

Solve the following equations:
(a) e2x ex 6 = 0.
(b) ln(2x + 1) = 2 ln x.
Solution to (a)
The equation is equivalent to
(ex 3)(ex + 2) = 0.
An x solves this equation if and only if (ex 3) = 0 or (ex + 2) = 0. The
only solution is x = ln 3.
Solution to (b)
Because ln (2x + 1) + ln x = ln (x(2x + 1)), we can rewrite the given equation:
ln (x(2x + 1)) = 2.
Because ex is 1-1, an x solves this equation if and only if

x(2x + 1) = e2
2x2 + x e2 = 0
!
"2
2 x + 14 18 e2 = 0
x = 14 14 8e2 + 1.

Because x must be > 0 for ln x to make sense, we take the positive solution
only:
1 1) 2
x= +
8e + 1.
4 4

15

Problem 18:
Solve the following inequalities:
(a) 2 < ln x < 9.
(b) e23x > 4.
Solution to (a).
Because ex and its inverse ln x are increasing functions, a < b if and only if
ea < eb . Thus:
2 < ln x < 9
if and only if
e 2 < x < e9 .
Solution to (b).
By the same logic as in Part (a), e23x > 4 if and only if 2 3x > ln 4. The
set of solutions to this inequality is
1
x < (2 ln 4).
3
!

16

Problem 19: (#6.3.55 from [Stewart].)

If f (x) =

3 e2x , then:

(i) What is the domain of f (x)?

(ii) What is f 1 , stated with its domain?
Solution
An x lies in the domain of f if and only if 3 e2x 0. So:
%
.
1
dom(f ) = , ln 3 .
2

The domain of f 1 (x) is the range of f (x), which is [0, 3).

To
the rule for the inverse function: let x [0, 3) and let
! determine
0
x
, 12 ln 3 such that f (
x) = x. Then:

3 e2x = x
3 e2x = x2
e2x = 3 x2
2
x = ln (3 x2 )
x
= 12 ln (3 x2 ).

(Note that this deduction confirms

our guess for the range of f (x).)

Thus the rule for f 1 : [0, 3) R is:

f 1 (x) =

1
ln (3 x2 ).
2
!

17

Problem 20: (#6.3.56 from [Stewart].)

If f (x) = ln(2 + ln x), then:
(i) What is the domain of f (x)?
(ii) What is f 1 , stated with its domain?
Solution
The domain of ln x is (0, ), so the domain of ln (2 + ln x) is the set of x
such that 2 + ln x > 0. Thus:
!
"
dom(f ) = e2 , .
The domain of the inverse function f 1 (x) is the range of f , which is all
of R.
!

To determine
the rule for the inverse function, let x R and let x

"
such that f (
x) = x. Then:

e2 ,

ln(2 + ln x
) = x
2 + ln x
= ex
x
x
= e(e 2) .

Thus the rule for the inverse function f 1 : R R is

f 1 (x) = e(e

x 2)

.
!

18

Problem 21: (#6.3.61 from [Stewart].)

3
If f (x) = e(x ) , then what is f 1 (x), the corresponding inverse function?

Solution
The domain of f is all of R. The domain of the inverse function f 1 (x)
is the range of f , which is (0, ). To determine the rule for the inverse
function, let x (0, ), and let x
R such that f (
x) = x. Then:
3

x = e(x)
(
x)3 = ln x
1
x
= (ln x) 3 .

Thus the rule for the inverse function f 1 : (0, ) R is:

f 1 (x) = (ln x)1/3 .
!

19

Problem 22: (#6.3.64 from [Stewart].)

If f (x) =

ex
1+2ex ,

then what is f 1 (x), the corresponding inverse function?

Solution
To begin, note that this function does not obviously appear to be 1-1. To
understand it better, lets calculate the derivative, which is
f (x) =

ex (1 + 2ex ) ex 2ex
ex
=
.
(1 + 2ex )2
(1 + 2ex )2

This is always > 0, so the function is increasing, and so is 1-1 and has a
well-defined inverse.
The domain of f (x) is all of R. To understand the range, note that
ex
=0
x 1 + 2ex
lim

while

ex
1
1
= lim x
= .
x
x e
x+ 1 + 2e
+2
2
! 1"
Thus the range of f (x) is 0, 2 .
lim

!
"
The domain of the inverse function is the range of f , so is 0, 12 .
!
"
To determine the rule for the inverse function, let x 0, 12 , and let
x
R such that f (
x) = x. Then:
x=

x(1

ex
1+2ex
+ 2ex )

= ex

ex (1 2x) = x
#
$
x
x
= ln 12x
.

!
"
Thus the inverse function f 1 : 0, 12 R is given by the rule
%
&
x
1
f (x) = ln
.
1x
!

20

Problem 23 : (#6.3.67 from [Stewart].)

Consider the function
#
$
)
f (x) = ln x + x2 + 1 .

Show that f (x) is an odd function of x. Then find the corresponding inverse
function.
Solution
To begin: note that f (x) is constructed from increasing functions, so it is
itself increasing, and 1-1.
The first thing we are asked to show is that f (x) is odd: f (x) = f (x).
Observe:
#
$
)
f (x) = ln x + (x)2 + 1
1
2

)
2+1
x
+
x

= ln x + x2 + 1
x + x2 + 1
x2 + (x2 + 1)

x + x2 + 1
1

= ln
x + x2 + 1
#
$
)
= ln x + x2 + 1
= ln

= f (x).

What is the domain

of f (x)? The issue is that ln x is only defined when
x > 0. Because x + x2 + 1 1 for all x 0, we deduce that [0, ) lies in
the domain of f (x). Also: we just showed that f (x) = f (x), so (, 0]
must lie in the domain of f (x) of f as well. Thus: the domain of f (x) is the
whole of R.
What is the range of f (x)? Note that f (0) = 0, f (x) is increasing, and
limx f (x) = , which implies that [0, ) lies in the range of f (x). Also:
f (x) is odd, as we just showed, so (, 0] must lie in the range of f (x) as
well. So the range of f is all of R.
Thus the inverse function is a function with domain R and range R. To

21

determine the rule, let x and x

R be reals such that f (
x) = x. Then:
#
$

ln x
+ x
2 + 1 = x

x
2 + 1 = ex x

x
+ 1 = (e2x 2ex x
+x
2 )

2ex x
= e2x 1

x
= 12 (ex ex ) .
So:
f 1 (x) =

"
1! x
e ex .
2

22

Problem 24: (#6.3.70 from [Stewart].)

Analyse the given limits by using the equation g(x) = eln g(x) to push all the
dependence on x into the index.
Solutions
Solution to (a).
lim xln x = lim

e(ln x)

$ln x

= lim e(ln x) = .
x

In this analysis we have used the fact that if limx f (x) = , and
limx g(x) = , then limx f (g(x)) = as well. We havent proved
this explicitly, although it is exactly what you would expect from such limits.
Solution to (b).
2

lim x ln x = lim e(ln x) = 0.

x0+

x0+

In this limit, the property we have used is that if limx f (x) = L, and
limx0+ g(x) = , then limx0+ f (g(x)) = L. Again, this is an expected
property which we havent proved explicitly.
Solution to (c).
1

lim x1/x = lim e x ln x = 0.

x0+

x0+

The reasoning here is that as x 0+ , 1/x + and ln x , so

their product tends to . And because limx ex = 0, the whole limit
approaches zero.
Solution to (d).
lim (ln 2x) ln x = lim e ln xln (ln 2x) = 0.

This is a variation on the logic in Part (c).

Curious students are invited to construct proofs of the intuitive properties we have used in the above discussions.
!
23

Problem 25: (#6.4.37 from [Stewart].)

Find an equation of the tangent line to the curve
y = ln (x2 3x + 1)
at the point (3, 0).
Solution
This will just be a simple calculation. Well need the derivative of the
function at the point 3.
dy
1
= 2
(2x 3).
dx
x 3x + 1
At x = 3 this derivative is: 3.
So the tangent line is given by:
y = 0 + 3(x 3) = 3x 9.

Problem 26: (#6.4.46 from [Stewart].)

Use logarithmic dierentiation to dierentiate the function
2
f (x) = xex x (x + 1)2/3 .
Solution
The first step in logarithmic dierentiation is to take the logarithm of both
sides:
# 2
$
ln f (x) = ln
xex x (x + 1)2/3 .
The second step is to use the properties of the logarithm to simplify the
expression:
1
2
ln f (x) = ln x + (x2 x) + ln (x + 1).
2
3
The third step is to dierentiate both sides, using the chain rule:
f (x)
1
2
=
+ 2x 1 +
.
f (x)
2x
3(x + 1)
Finally, solve for the derivative you want, substituting back in f (x):
%
&
x2 x
2
1
2

f (x) =
+ 2x 1 +
xe
(x + 1) 3 .
2x
3(x + 1)

24

Problem 27: (#6.4.47 from [Stewart].)

Use logarithmic dierentiation to dierentiate the function
f (x) = xx .
Solution
Well do this one a bit more quickly:
f (x) = xx

ln f (x) = ln (xx )

ln f (x) = x ln x
f (x)
x
f (x) = ln x + x
f (x) = (ln x + 1) xx .

!
Problem 28: (#6.4.52 from [Stewart].)
Use logarithmic dierentiation to dierentiate the function
f (x) = (sin x)ln x .
Solution
Compute:

f (x) = (sin x)ln x

!
"
ln f (x) = ln sin xln x

ln f (x) = ln x ln (sin x)
f (x)
f (x)

ln (sin x) + ln x sin1 x cos x

#
$
x)
ln x cos x
f (x) = ln (sin
+
(sin x)ln x .
x
sin x
=

1
x

25