How do you find the inflection point(s) of the following equation #(1+ln(x))^3#?

1 Answer
Mar 29, 2015

I will assume that you know, in general how to find inflection points.

#f(x)=(1+lnx)^3#

#f'(x) = 3/x (1+ ln x)^2#

#f''(x)=-3/x^2(1+ln x)^2 color(red)(+) 3/x*2(1+ ln x) * 1/x#

#=3/x^2(1+ ln x)[-(1+ln x) color(red)(+)2]#

#=3/x^2(1+ ln x)(1-ln x)=3/x^2(1-ln^2 x)#

#f''(x)# does not exist for #x <= 0# and neither does #f(x)#, so the question of concavity there cannot arise.

Solve: #f''(x)=0#

#3/x^2(1-ln^2 x)=0#
at #ln x = +-1#, so, #x=e# or #x= 1/e#

Because #3/x^2 > 0# for all #x#,

the sign of #f''# depends only on the sign of #1-ln^2x#

On #(0, 1/e)#, we have #ln x < -1# so #ln^2x > 1# and #1-ln^2x <0# #f''(x) <0#

On #(1/e, e)#, we have #-1< ln x < 1# so #0< ln^2x < 1# and #1-ln^2x > 0# so #f''(x) > 0#

The concavity changes at #(1/e, f(1/e)) = (1/e, 0)#

On #(e, oo)#, we have #ln x > 1# so #ln^2x > 1# and #1-ln^2x <0# #f''(x) <0#

The concavity changes at #(e, f(e)) = (e, 8)#

The inflection points are #(1/e, 0)# and #(e, 8)#