1 problem found
Given that \(y = \ln ( x + \sqrt{x^2 + 1})\), show that \( \displaystyle \frac{\d y}{\d x} = \frac1 {\sqrt{x^2 + 1} }\;\). Prove by induction that, for \(n \ge 0\,\), \[ \l x^2 + 1 \r y^{\l n + 2 \r} + \l 2n + 1 \r x y^{\l n + 1 \r} + n^2 y^{\l n \r} = 0\;, \] where \(\displaystyle y^{(n)} = \frac{\d^n y}{\d x^n}\) and \(y^{(0)} =y\,\). Using this result in the case \(x = 0\,\), or otherwise, show that the Maclaurin series for \(y\) begins \[ x - {x^3 \over 6} +{3 x^5 \over 40} \] and find the next non-zero term.
Solution: \begin{align*} && y & = \ln ( x + \sqrt{x^2+1}) \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{\d y}{\d x} &= \frac{1}{x+\sqrt{x^2+1}} \cdot \frac{\d }{\d x} \left ( x + \sqrt{x^2+1} \right) \\ &&&= \frac{1}{x+\sqrt{x^2+1}} \left (1 + \frac12 \frac{2x}{\sqrt{x^2+1}} \right) \\ &&&= \frac{1}{x+\sqrt{x^2+1}} \left ( \frac{\sqrt{x^2+1} + x}{\sqrt{x^2+1}}\right) \\ &&&= \frac{1}{\sqrt{x^2+1}} \end{align*} Note that \(\displaystyle y^{(2)} = - \frac12 \frac{2x}{(x^2+1)^{3/2}} = - \frac{x}{(x^2+1)^{3/2}}\), and in particular \((x^2+1)y^{(2)} + xy^{(1)} = 0\). Now applying Leibnitz formula: \begin{align*} 0 &= \left ( (x^2+1)y^{(2)} + xy^{(1)} \right )^{(n)} \\ &= \left ( (x^2+1)y^{(2)}\right )^{(n)} + \left (xy^{(1)} \right )^{(n)} \\ &= (x^2+1)y^{(n+2)} +n2xy^{(n+1)} + \binom{n}{2}2y^{(n)} + xy^{(n+1)} + n y^{(n)} \\ &= (x^2+1)y^{(n+2)} + (2n+1)xy^{(n+1)} + (n^2-n+n)y^{(n)} \\ &= (x^2+1)y^{(n+2)} + (2n+1)xy^{(n+1)} + n^2y^{(n)} \end{align*} as required. When \(x = 0\): \begin{align*} && y(0) &= \ln(0 + \sqrt{0^2+1}) \\ &&&= \ln 1 = 0 \\ && y'(0) &= \frac{1}{\sqrt{0^2+1}} = 1 \\ && y^{(n+2)} &= -n^2 y^{(n)} \\ && y^{(2k)} &= 0 \\ && y^{(3)} &= -1 \\ && y^{(5)} &= 3^2 \\ && y^{(7)} &= - 5^2 \cdot 3^2 \\ \end{align*} Therefore the Maclaurin series about \(x = 0\) is \begin{align*} y &= x - \frac{1}{3!} x^3 + \frac{3^2}{5!} x^5 - \frac{3^2 \cdot 5^2}{7!} x^7 + \cdots \\ &= x - \frac{1}{6} x^3 + \frac{3}{1 \cdot 2 \cdot 4 \cdot 5} x^5 - \frac{5}{1 \cdot 2 \cdot 4 \cdot 2 \cdot 7} x^7 + \cdots \\ &= x - \frac{1}{6}x^3 + \frac{3}{40} x^5 - \frac{5}{56} x^7 + \cdots \end{align*}