Question

Find the Taylor series for f(x) centered at the given value of a. (Assume that f has a power series expansion. Do not show that Rn(x)→0 . f(x)=lnx, a=

Answer 1

Here we just want to find the Taylor series for f(x) = ln(x), centered at the value of a (which we do not know).

Remember that the general Taylor expansion is:

`f(x) = f(a) + f'(a)*(x - a) + (1)/(2!)*f''(a)(x -a)^2 + ...`

for our function we have:

f'(x) = 1/x

f''(x) = -1/x^2

f'''(x) = (1/2)*(1/x^3)

this is enough, now just let's write the series:

`f(x) = ln(a) + (1)/(a) *(x - a) - (1)/(2!) *(1)/(a^2) *(x - a)^2 + (1)/(3!) *(1)/(2*a^3) *(x - a)^3 + ....`

This is the Taylor series to 3rd degree, you just need to change the value of a for the required value.