87.0k views
1 vote
Calculus help??????

the functions

f(x)= ln(x) and g(x)= x^2-1

they are both 0 when x=1

apply the Race Track Principle to explain which of the following inequalities is true for x is (greater than or equal to) 1:

f(x) < g(x)
or
g(x) < f(x)

1 Answer

5 votes

f(x)=\ln x\implies f'(x)=\frac1x

g(x)=x^2-1\implies g'(x)=2x

You have
2x^2>1 for all
x\ge1, and dividing by
x gives
2x>\frac1x, or
g'(x)>f'(x). By the racetrack principle, then, it follows that
g(x)>f(x).