I've been trying to prove that $\frac{b-a}{1+b}<\ln(\frac{1+b}{1+a})<\frac{b-a}{1+a}$ using the Mean value theorem. What I've tried is setting $f(x)=\ln x$ and using the Mean value theorem on the interval $[1,\frac{1+b}{1+a}]$. I managed to prove that $\ln(\frac{1+b}{1+a})<\frac{b-a}{1+a}$ but not the other part, only that $\frac{1+a}{1+b}<\ln(\frac{1+b}{1+a})$. any help?
p.s: sorry if I have some mistakes in my terminology or so on, I'm not totally fluent in english.
Answer
You apply the mean value theorem to the function $f : x \mapsto \ln (1+x)$ on the interval $[a,b]$. Note that $f$ fulfills the hypothesis of the theorem : being continuous on $[a,b]$ and differentiable on $]a,b[$.
On this interval the function $f'$ is bounded below by $\frac{1}{1+b}$ and above by $\frac{1}{1+a}$, so that $$\frac{1}{1+b} \leq \frac{f(b)-f(a)}{b-a} \leq \frac{1}{1+a}.$$ Replacing $f$ with its explicit definition and $f'$ by what I let you calculate, and "multiplying the inequalities" by $b-a$ gives you the wanted result.
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