Exercise 3 — 7 points
Topics: Logarithm function, Sequences
Parts $\mathbf { B }$ and $\mathbf { C }$ are independent
We consider the function $f$ defined on $] 0 ; + \infty [$ by $$f ( x ) = x - x \ln x ,$$ where ln denotes the natural logarithm function.
Part A
- Determine the limit of $f ( x )$ as $x$ tends to 0.
- Determine the limit of $f ( x )$ as $x$ tends to $+ \infty$.
- We admit that the function $f$ is differentiable on $] 0 ; + \infty \left[ \right.$ and we denote by $f ^ { \prime }$ its derivative function. a. Prove that, for every real number $x > 0$, we have: $f ^ { \prime } ( x ) = - \ln x$. b. Deduce the variations of the function $f$ on $] 0 ; + \infty [$ and draw its variation table.
- Solve the equation $f ( x ) = x$ on $] 0$; $+ \infty [$.
Part B
In this part, you may use with profit certain results from Part A. We consider the sequence $(u _ { n })$ defined by: $$\begin{cases} u _ { 0 } & = 0.5 \\ u _ { n + 1 } & = u _ { n } - u _ { n } \ln u _ { n } \text { for every natural number } n , \end{cases}$$ Thus, for every natural number $n$, we have: $u _ { n + 1 } = f \left( u _ { n } \right)$.
- We recall that the function $f$ is increasing on the interval $[ 0.5 ; 1 ]$. Prove by induction that, for every natural number $n$, we have: $0.5 \leqslant u _ { n } \leqslant u _ { n + 1 } \leqslant 1$.
- a. Show that the sequence $( u _ { n } )$ is convergent. b. We denote by $\ell$ the limit of the sequence $( u _ { n } )$. Determine the value of $\ell$.
Part C
For any real number $k$, we consider the function $f _ { k }$ defined on $] 0 ; + \infty [$ by: $$f _ { k } ( x ) = k x - x \ln x$$
- For every real number $k$, show that $f _ { k }$ admits a maximum $y _ { k }$ attained at $x _ { k } = \mathrm { e } ^ { k - 1 }$.
- Verify that, for every real number $k$, we have: $x _ { k } = y _ { k }$.