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18 votes
How do I solve this problem? The trouble that I have is evaluating if 2^∞ or ∞³ is larger?

How do I solve this problem? The trouble that I have is evaluating if 2^∞ or ∞³ is-example-1
User Genekogan
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1 Answer

15 votes
15 votes

For large enough x, exponential functions like 2ˣ will always dominate a polynomial of any degree. This is to say the denominator will always be larger than the numerator (again, for sufficiently large x). So the limit in this case would be 0. (I'll leave a link in comments to a variety of answers regarding this detail.)

But if you've been introduced to L'Hopital's rule: we have


\displaystyle \lim_(x\to\infty)(5x^3+10)/(6*2^x-1) = \lim_(x\to\infty)(15x^2)/(6\ln(2)*2^x) = \lim_(x\to\infty)(30x)/(6\ln^2(2)*2^x) = \lim_(x\to\infty)(30)/(6\ln^3(2)*2^x) = \frac1\infty = 0

User Avandecreme
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