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1. If f (x) = ln(x) and g(x) = x2 − 9, find expressions for the following functions and
indicate their domains.
(a) f ◦ g
(b) g ◦ f
(c) f ◦ f
(d) g ◦ g
Solution.
(a) (f ◦ g)(x) = f (g(x)) = f (x2 − 9) = ln(x2 − 9). We must have x2 − 9 > 0 for
ln(x2 − 9) to be defined, so x2 > 9. Then |x| > 3, so x > 3 or x < −3. The
domain is (−∞, −3) ∪ (3, ∞).
(b) (g ◦ f )(x) = g(f (x)) = g(ln(x)) = (ln(x))2 − 9. We must have x > 0 for ln(x) to
be defined, so the domain is (0, ∞).
(c) (f ◦ f )(x) = f (f (x)) = f (ln(x)) = ln(ln(x)). We must have x > 0 for ln(x) to be
defined and ln(x) > 0 for ln(ln(x)) to be defined. For that latter, exponentiate
both sides to see we need x > e0 = 1. So the domain is (1, ∞).
(d) (g ◦ g)(x) = g(g(x)) = g(x2 − 9) = (x2 − 9)2 − 9 = x4 − 18x2 + 72. This is a
polynomial, so its domain is the whole real line, or in other words its domain is
(−∞, ∞).
Solution. Don’t bother trying to find f −1 (x) for general x, as this is very difficult.
Instead, note that if y = f −1 (2), then f (y) = 2. So f 1 (2) is the number that, when
input to f (x), returns 2. In other words, we need to solve
2x + ln(x) = 2.
The best way to do this is to try whole numbers near 0. That is, try x = −1, 0, 1, etc.
In this case, 1 works, since 2(1) = ln(1) = 2. So f −1 (2) = 1.
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we want only one copy of x in the equation, so factor out an x. Then x(2y − 1) = 1 − y.
Finally, divide by (2y − 1) to get
1−y
x=
2y − 1
(a) e2 ln 3
(b) log10 25 + log10 4
(c) tan(arcsin( 21 ))
(d) sin(cos−1 ( 45 ))
Solution.
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(a) e2 ln 3 = eln(3 ) = eln(9) = 9.
(b) log10 25 + log10 4 = log10 (4 · 25) = log10 100 = 2. (Since 102 = 100.)
(c) Set θ = arcsin(1/2) and draw a triangle. You know sin(theta)
√ = 1/2, so from the
triangle you’ll see that tan(arcsin(1/2)) = tan(θ) = 1/ 3.
(d) Set θ = cos−1 ( 45 ). Then cos(theta) = 4/5. Draw the triangle. The missing side
has length 3, so sin(θ) = 3/5.
Solution.
h3 − 3h2 + 3h − 1 + 1 h3 − 3h2 + 3h
lim = lim = lim h2 − 3h + 3 = 3
x→0 h x→0 h x→0
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(d) Multiply by the conjugate. We have
√
√ x2 + 4x + 1 + x x2 + 4x + 1 − x2 4x + 1
lim ( x2 + 4x + 1−x) √ 2 = lim √ 2 = lim √ 2
x→∞ x + 4x + 1 + x x→∞ x + 4x + 1 + x x→∞ x + 4x + 1 + x
where we have used difference of√squaresqto our advantage. Now divide through
√ √
by x, recalling that y/x = y/ x2 = y/x2 provided x > 0. Then the limit is
equal to
4 + x1
lim q
x→∞
1 + x4 + x12 + 1
and since x → ∞, all terms divided by x go to zero. Then the limit is just left as
4/(1 + 1) = 2.
6. Prove that
lim x2 cos(1/x2 ) = 0
x→0
Solution. This needs the squeeze theorem. If you don’t remember what it says, look
it up. The key observation is that
−1 ≤ cos(1/x2 ) ≤ 1
because the range of cos is simply [−1, 1], regardless of what is “inside”. If we multiply
through by x2 , which is strictly positive, we have
−x2 ≤ x2 cos(1/x2 ) ≤ x2
and now the middle of this inequality is equal to our function. But because
the squeeze theorem implies that the limit of the middle quantity must also go to zero,
and this is what the problem asked.
Solution.
(a) We want |14 − 5x − 4| < , or |10 − 5x| < , so factoring out a 5 means we want
5|x − 2| < . We know that, for whatever δ we choose, we have |x − 2| < δ, so if
δ = /5, then 5|x − 2| < 5δ = , and we’re done. (Just write the proof up with
“Let > 0, and so on...”.)
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(b) Let’s write this up differently.
So now we work with what we want. We want |x1/3 | < , which is the same as
|x| < 3 . This looks the the “have” equation - in fact, if we set 3 = δ, then this
is what we have.
(c) Doing this again,
Again, we want to make the “want” equation look like the “have” equation. We
can rewrite the want equation as |x2 − 3x + 2| < or as |x − 2||x − 1| < . We
already have |x − 2| < δ, so we just need to do something about |x − 1|. But
really, this can’t get too big. See,
by using the triangle inequality. So if we make sure δ < 1, then |x − 1| < 2. Then
|x − 2||x − 1| < 2δ. So if 2δ = , we’re done. The only caveat is that we need to
make sure δ < 1, so we set δ = min{/2, 1}, just to make sure.
√
(d) For the last one, there’s no δ. We want to show that |2/ x − 4| > N when
|x − 4| < δ and x > 4 (since the limit is from above) for ANY N that is given to
us. So
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Want: √ > N, Have: |x − 4| < δ, x > 0
x − 4
Now manipulate the “want”. Remember x > 4 so the √ stuff inside the absolute
value is positive, so the “want” is really just 2/N > x − 4 or, equivalently,
(2/N )2 > x − 4 = |x − 4|, since x > 4. Then if set (2/N )2 = δ, this is just our
“have” equation, so we have what we want!