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-   -   1.find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f(x)=(lnx)^5 at x=4? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=636085)

  • Feb 14, 2012, 08:09 PM
    britz821x16
    1.find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f(x)=(lnx)^5 at x=4?
    2.find the equation of the line tangent to the graph of f(x)=(lnx)^4 at x=5?
  • Feb 14, 2012, 08:36 PM
    jcaron2
    First you need to compute the derivative to find the slope at x=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)]:



    Now just write the equation of a line in point-slope form:





  • Feb 14, 2012, 09:15 PM
    britz821x16
    What is the answer to f(x)=(lnx)^5 at x=4?
  • Feb 14, 2012, 09:36 PM
    jcaron2
    f(x)=(lnx)^5 at x=4 is (ln4)^5. It can't be simplified more than that.
  • Feb 14, 2012, 09:46 PM
    britz821x16
    I know question 2 is y=3.34x-9.97, but I don't know how to plug (ln4)^5 in a equation
  • Feb 14, 2012, 10:18 PM
    jcaron2
    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).

    Type in 5, then hit ln. That gives you ln(5) = 1.61

    Then hit the 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!

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