Trig limit (strange exponential)

In summary, the student is trying to solve a problem involving y = (1+sin5x)cotx and does not know how to proceed. He is looking for help and has contacted a friend for help. Additionally, he is not sure what cosx should be and is trying to figure out a way to get 0/0 using L'Hopital's Rule.
  • #1
holezch
251
0

Homework Statement



[tex] lim_{x->0} (1+ sin5x)^{cotx} [/tex]

Homework Equations




that's the problem.. I don't know :s

The Attempt at a Solution


can't think of any theorems or any methods I could use here.. what should I do? thank you
 
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  • #2
An obvious approach in this type of problem is to let y = (1 + sin(5x))cot x, and then take the natural log of both sides.

Look in your textbook and see if you can find some examples that use this technique.
 
  • #3
okay thanks, I've never seen something like this before.
when I do that, I'll get lim x-> 0 cotxln(1+sinx) = lny, ln(1+sinx) looks alright, since sinx goes to 0 as x goes to 0, but what should I do about cotx? should I express this in another way to get 0/0 and use l'hopitals?
thank you
 
  • #4
Yes, use L'Hopital's Rule.

Also, you'll have lim x -> 0 ln y = lim x -> cot x * ln(1 + sin 5x). For the expression on the left, the standard technique is to reverse the order of the limit and log operations, to get ln(lim x ->0 y) = ...

Keep in mind that you'll be getting the ln of your limit.
 
  • #5
thanks for the reply, I don't really understand the meaning behind doing ln(lim x -> 0 y) versus lim x-> 0 ln(y) when I'll just ln( y) either way?

also, what kind of identity should I use for my cos x to get my 0/0? I tried sqrt(1-sin^2x) and playing around with the difference of squares, but it didn't work so well.

I feel like I might run into trouble with my ln(1+sinx) also, since that equals to zero, the product still might not go to zero, but I'll have to find a way around it. :S

thanks for the help!
 
  • #6
holezch said:
thanks for the reply, I don't really understand the meaning behind doing ln(lim x -> 0 y) versus lim x-> 0 ln(y) when I'll just ln( y) either way?
Here's the situation. You have y = (1 + sin5x)cotx. Taking the natural log of both sides gives:
ln y = ln (1 + sin5x)cotx

Now take the limit as x -> 0 of both sides:
lim ln y = lim ln (1 + sin5x)cotx

As long as the functions involved are continuous you can interchange the lim and ln operations, yielding:
ln (lim y) = lim ln (1 + sin5x)cotx

What you're interested in is lim y = lim ln (1 + sin5x)cotx. What you'll be getting above is the log of lim y.
holezch said:
also, what kind of identity should I use for my cos x to get my 0/0? I tried sqrt(1-sin^2x) and playing around with the difference of squares, but it didn't work so well.
Where are you getting cos(x)? The exponent is cot(x), not cos(x).
holezch said:
I feel like I might run into trouble with my ln(1+sinx) also, since that equals to zero, the product still might not go to zero, but I'll have to find a way around it. :S

thanks for the help!
You're being very sloppy. This is the second time you have mentioned ln(1 + sinx). It's ln(1 + sin(5x)). The product is cot(x)*ln(1 + sin5x). Can you think of a way to write this as a quotient suitable for use in L'Hopital's Rule, rather than a product?
 
  • #7
I was looking at cosx because we have cot(x ) , so we have cos(x)/sin(x) and I want to get 0/0 from this.
By the way, sorry about the 1+sinx v.s. 1+sin 5x, I just made a typo

but I see now that we're taking the limit as a whole, and not by separate products

thanks, I'll try
 
Last edited:
  • #8
cot(x) = 1/tan(x)
 

FAQ: Trig limit (strange exponential)

What is a trig limit (strange exponential)?

A trig limit (strange exponential) refers to a specific type of limit in trigonometry where the limit involves an exponential function with a trigonometric argument, such as sin(x) or cos(x).

How do you solve a trig limit (strange exponential)?

To solve a trig limit (strange exponential), you can use techniques such as factoring, trigonometric identities, and L'Hopital's rule. It is also important to understand the properties of exponential functions and trigonometric functions.

What are the common types of trig limits (strange exponential)?

The most common types of trig limits (strange exponential) include limits involving sin(x), cos(x), tan(x), cot(x), sec(x), and csc(x) functions with an exponential argument.

How do you use L'Hopital's rule to solve a trig limit (strange exponential)?

L'Hopital's rule states that if a limit has an indeterminate form, such as 0/0 or ∞/∞, then the limit can be evaluated by taking the derivative of the numerator and denominator separately and then evaluating the limit again. This technique can be used to solve trig limits (strange exponential) involving exponential functions.

Why are trig limits (strange exponential) important in mathematics and science?

Trig limits (strange exponential) are important in mathematics and science because they are used to solve a variety of real-world problems, such as calculating the rate of change in physical systems and analyzing data in fields such as engineering, physics, and economics.

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