Outline

Chapter 8: Maclaurins
Series

Introduction
Conditions of Maclaurins Series
Worked Problems on Maclaurins Series
Numerical Integration Using Maclaurins Series
Limiting Values

jenwei@mail.ntust.edu.tw

2008 Spring
1

Introduction

Conditions of Maclaurins Series

Using Maclaurins series, mixed functions

containing, say, algebraic, trigonometric and
exponential functions, may be expressed solely
as algebraic functions, and differentiation and
integration can often be more readily performed.
Maclaurins theorem or Maclaurins series:
x2
x3
f ( x ) = f (0) + xf ' (0) +
f ' ' ( 0) +
f ' ' ' (0) + ...
2!
3!

At x = 0 the following 3 conditions are met:

f(0)
f (0), f (0), f (0),
The resultant Maclaurins series must be
convergent.

Worked Problems on Maclaurins Series

Problem 4. Expand ln(1 + x) to five terms.
[ln(1 + x) = x x2/2 + x3/3 x4/4 + x5/5 ]

Worked Problems on Maclaurins Series

Problem 1. Determine the first four terms of the
power series for cos x.
[cos x = 1 x2/2! + x4/4! x6/6! + ]

Problem 5. Expand ln(1 x) to five terms.

[ln(1 x) = x x2/2 x3/3 x4/4 x5/5 ]

Problem 10. Produce a power series for cos2 2x

as far as the term in x6.
[cos2 2x = 1 4x2 + 16x4/3 128x6/45 + ]

Problem 6. Determine the power series for

ln((1 + x)/(1 x)).
[ln((1 + x)/(1 x)) = 2(x + x3/3 + x5/5 + )]
5

Exercise 36

Exercise 36

Exercise 1. Determine the first four terms of the

power series for sin 2x using Maclaurins series.
[sin 2x = 2x 4x3/3 + 4x5/15 8x7/315 + ]
Exercise 3. Use Maclaurins theorem to
determine the first three terms of power series
for ln(1 + ex).
[ln 2 + x/2 + x2/8]
Exercise 6. Develop, as far as the term in x4,
the power series for sec 2x.
[1 + 2x2 + 10x4/3]

Exercise 7. Expand e2x cos 3x as far as the term

in x2 using Maclaurins series.
[1 + 2x 5x2/2]
Exercise 8. Determine the first three terms of
the series for sin2x by applying Maclaurins
theorem.
[x2 x4/3 + 2x6/45 ]

Numerical Integration Using

Maclaurins Series

Exercise 37

A method of finding the approximate value of a

definite integral is to express the function as a
power series using Maclaurins series, and then
integrating each algebraic term in turn.

Exercise 2. Use Maclaurins theorem to expand

cos 2x and hence evaluate, correct to 2 decimal
1 cos 2 x
places,
dx .
0
x1 / 3
[0.88]

0. 4

sin
Problem 11. Evaluate 2e d , correct to 3
0. 1
significant figures.
[0.771]
1 sin
d using
Problem 12. Evaluate
0

Exercise 4. Use Maclaurins theorem to expand

x ln( x + 1) as a power series. Hence evaluate,

Maclaurins series, correct to 3 significant figures.

[0.946]

correct to 3 decimal places,

[0.061]

0. 5

x ln( x + 1)dx .

Limiting Values (1/2)

10

Limiting Values (2/2)

It is sometimes necessary to find limits of the

f ( x)
form lim
, where f(a) = 0 and g(a) = 0.
xa g ( x )

However, a knowledge of series does not help

x 2 + 3x 4
with examples such as lim 2
.
x 1 x 7 x + 6

For certain limits, a knowledge of series can

sometimes help.

LHopitals rule will enable us to determine such

limits when the differential coefficients of the
numerator and denominator can be found.

x + x 3 / 3 + ... x
tan x x
lim
lim

x 0
3
x 0
x3

x 3 / 3 + ...
1 1
lim
=
= lim
=

3
x 0
x 0 3 3
x
11

12

LHopitals Rule

Problems & Exercise 38

x 2 + 3x 4
Problem 14. Determine lim 2

x 1 x 7 x + 6

[1]

LHopitals rule states:

f ( x)
f ' ( x)
lim
= lim

provided g ' ( a ) 0.
xa g ( x )
xa g ' ( x )

sin x x
Problem 15. Determine lim

2
x 0
x

[0]

f ' ( x)
0
is still ; if so, the
It can happen that lim

xa g ' ( x )
0

numerator and denominator are differentiated

again (and again) until a non-zero value is
obtained for the denominator.

sin cos
Exercise 5. Determine lim

0
3

[1/3]

sinh x sin x
Exercise 7. Determine lim

x 0
x3

[1/3]
13

14

Exercise 38
sin 1
Exercise 8. Determine lim

ln sin
2
[1]

Homework
Assignment 2

sec t 1
Exercise 9. Determine lim

t 0
t sin t
[1/2]

Deadline: 7 April 2008

(Firm Real-Time)

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