View Full Version : 1.find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f(x)=(lnx)^5 at x=4?
britz821x16
Feb 14, 2012, 08:09 PM
2.find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f(x)=(lnx)^4 at x=5?
jcaron2
Feb 14, 2012, 08:36 PM
First you need to compute the derivative to find the slope at x=5.
f'(x)=\frac{d}{dx}\[(\ln x)^4\] = 4(\ln x)^3\;\cdot\;\frac{d}{dx}(\ln x)=\frac{4(\ln x)^3}{x}
f'(5)=\frac{4(\ln 5)^3}{5}
Once you have the slope, you just need to find a point on the line. The obvious choice is to use the point [5,f(5)]:
f(5)=(\ln 5)^4
Now just write the equation of a line in point-slope form:
y-y_0=m(x-x_0)
y-(\ln 5)^4=\frac{4(\ln 5)^3}{5}(x-5)
y=\frac{4(\ln 5)^3}{5}x-4(\ln 5)^3+(\ln 5)^4
britz821x16
Feb 14, 2012, 09:15 PM
What is the answer to f(x)=(lnx)^5 at x=4?
jcaron2
Feb 14, 2012, 09:36 PM
f(x)=(lnx)^5 at x=4 is (ln4)^5. It can't be simplified more than that.
britz821x16
Feb 14, 2012, 09:46 PM
I know question 2 is y=3.34x-9.97, but I don't know how to plug (ln4)^5 in a equation
jcaron2
Feb 14, 2012, 10:18 PM
Well, thanks for switching my reputation back to "helpful". :)
Since you have the answer to question #2, I edited my original post to answer that one.
Now I'll show you how to evaluate (4(ln 5)^3)/5. If you use the calculator built into Windows (in Accessories), you can change it to a Scientific calculator (under the View menu), and then you can plug in the expression. (It should be similar on almost any other scientific calculator, whether stand-alone, on your computer, on your smartphone, or online at a site like this one (http://www.calculator.com/calcs/calc_sci.html)).
Type in 5, then hit ln. That gives you ln(5) = 1.61
Then hit the x^y button, followed by 3, followed by =.
That gives you (ln(5))^3, which is around 4.17.
Now hit * 4 / 5 = which gives you (4(ln 5)^3)/5 = 3.34, which agrees with the answer you have!