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If x<1, then which of the following has the least value?

a) x²
b) x³
c) x⁴
d) x⁵

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

When x<1, the expression x² has the least value among the given options.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which expression has the least value when x<1, we can substitute different values of x into each expression and compare the results. Let's consider the options:

a) x²: When x<1, x² will always be positive, but it will be the smallest when x is closest to zero. So, x² has the least value among the options.

b) x³: When x<1, x³ will also be positive, but it will be larger than x² because x is being multiplied by a larger value (x).

c) x⁴: When x<1, x⁴ will be positive, but it will be even larger than x³ because x is being multiplied by a larger value (x) twice.

d) x⁵: When x<1, x⁵ will be positive, but it will be larger than x⁴ because x is being multiplied by a larger value (x) three times.

Therefore, the expression x² has the least value when x<1.

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