Chapter 11: Problem 20
Find the Taylor series for \(f(x)\) centered at the given value of a. [Assume that \(f\) hat \(f\) has a power series expansion. Do not show that \(R_{n}(x) \rightarrow 0 . ]\) \(f(x)=x^{-2}, \quad a=1\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The Taylor series is \( \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} (-1)^n (x-1)^{n} \).
Step by step solution
01
Compute Derivatives of the Function
To construct the Taylor series, we first need to find the derivatives of the function \( f(x) = x^{-2} \). Start by finding the first few derivatives:1. \( f(x) = x^{-2} \)2. \( f'(x) = -2x^{-3} \)3. \( f''(x) = 6x^{-4} \)4. Continue this process to observe the pattern in the derivatives for higher-order terms.
02
Evaluate Derivatives at a=1
Now evaluate each derivative at \( a = 1 \). 1. \( f(1) = 1^{-2} = 1 \) 2. \( f'(1) = -2 \times 1^{-3} = -2 \)3. \( f''(1) = 6 \times 1^{-4} = 6 \)4. Use this pattern to evaluate higher derivatives at \( x = 1 \).
03
Apply Taylor Series Formula
The Taylor series centered at \( a \) is given by:\[f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{f^n(a)}{n!} (x-a)^n\]For \( f(x) = x^{-2} \) and \( a = 1 \), substitute the values from Step 2 into this formula:\[1 - 2(x-1) + \frac{6}{2}(x-1)^2 - \cdots\]This simplifies to:\[1 - 2(x-1) + 3(x-1)^2 - \cdots\]
04
Express the General Term
To express the general term, identify the pattern in the coefficients and derivatives. For the function \( f(x) = x^{-2} \), the general term for the \( n \)-th derivative is:\[\frac{(-1)^n n!}{x^{n+2}}\]Evaluated at \( x = 1 \), it becomes \( (-1)^n n! \). Therefore, the general term in the series becomes:\[(-1)^n n! \frac{(x-1)^{n}}{n!} = (-1)^n (x-1)^{n}\]
05
Write the Complete Series
Now write the complete Taylor series for \( f(x) = x^{-2} \) around \( a = 1 \) as:\[\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} (-1)^n (x-1)^{n}\]This represents the expansion for \( f(x) \) centered at \( a = 1 \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Power Series Expansion
A power series expansion allows us to express a function as an infinite sum of terms. Each term is made up of a coefficient and a variable raised to a power. Power series are usually centered around a certain point, which allows them to closely approximate the value of the function in the vicinity of that point.
A function can be represented as a power series when it can be expressed in the form
A function can be represented as a power series when it can be expressed in the form
- \( f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} c_n (x-a)^n \)
- \( c_n \) are the coefficients.
- \( (x-a)^n \) is the variable term.
Derivatives
Derivatives are a fundamental concept in calculus that represents how a function changes as its input changes. In the context of a Taylor series, the derivatives tell us how the function behaves at a specific point, which we use for constructing the series.
Here is a recap of the derivatives for the function \( f(x) = x^{-2} \):
Here is a recap of the derivatives for the function \( f(x) = x^{-2} \):
- The first derivative \( f'(x) = -2x^{-3} \) indicates the rate of change of the function.
- The second derivative \( f''(x) = 6x^{-4} \) tells us about the rate at which the first derivative itself is changing.
Taylor Series Formula
The Taylor series formula provides a method to express a function as an infinite sum of terms calculated from the values of its derivatives at a particular point.
The formula is written as:
The formula is written as:
- \( f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{f^n(a)}{n!} (x-a)^n \)
- \( f^n(a) \) is the \( n \)-th derivative of the function evaluated at the point \( a \).
- \( n! \) ("n factorial") is the product of all positive integers up to \( n \).
- \( (x-a)^n \) represents the power of \( (x-a) \).
Function Evaluation
Function evaluation in the context of Taylor series involves substituting specific values into the derivatives of a function.
In our example, we evaluate derivatives of \( f(x) = x^{-2} \) at \( x = 1 \):
We then construct terms such as \( 1 - 2(x-1) + 3(x-1)^2 \), representing the behavior of the function at \( x = 1 \). Function evaluation simplifies the process of creating an accurate polynomial approximation for the function at the chosen center.
In our example, we evaluate derivatives of \( f(x) = x^{-2} \) at \( x = 1 \):
- The function \( f(1) = 1 \)
- The first derivative \( f'(1) = -2 \)
- The second derivative \( f''(1) = 6 \)
We then construct terms such as \( 1 - 2(x-1) + 3(x-1)^2 \), representing the behavior of the function at \( x = 1 \). Function evaluation simplifies the process of creating an accurate polynomial approximation for the function at the chosen center.