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I have tried to evaluate this limit:

$$\lim_{x\to \infty } \left(x(x+1) \log \left(\dfrac{x+1}{x} \right)-x\right)=\frac12$$

using $\lim_ {x\to \infty }\left(1+\dfrac{1}{x}\right)^{x}=e$, and using the variable change $z=\dfrac{1}{x}$ to get some known and standrad limit related to $\log$ natural logarithm properties function but I didn't succeed? Then any way and it's good if there is a suitable way for high school level.

StubbornAtom
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  • $$\log (\frac{x+1}{x} )=\log (1+\frac{1}{x} )= \frac{1}{x} -\frac{1}{2x^2} +\frac{1}{3x^3} - \ldots$$ when $x>1$ – Yuriy S Aug 17 '19 at 19:09
  • Thanks , but is there anyway available for high school student – zeraoulia rafik Aug 17 '19 at 19:11
  • But if you are not allowed to use Taylor series (an unfortunate, but real occurence) then I can try to work it out in another way – Yuriy S Aug 17 '19 at 19:15
  • Thanks youris , I want a sutiable way for high school level if it is possible , i have tried manytimes but no result – zeraoulia rafik Aug 17 '19 at 19:16
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    Can you use L'Hospital's Rule? – DonAntonio Aug 17 '19 at 19:21
  • @YuriyS Why "But if you are not allowed to use Taylor series (an unfortunate, but real occurence)" ? In all basic calculus courses I know limits are way before Taylor polynomials, not to mention Taylor series. As this is is a High School question then this is even sharper. – DonAntonio Aug 17 '19 at 19:23
  • L'Hôpital's rule for $$\frac{(x+1)\log\left(\frac{x+1}{x}\right)-1}{\frac{1}{x}}$$? – rtybase Aug 17 '19 at 19:35
  • There's a part of the limit that can be easily dealt with: $$L=1+\lim_{x \to \infty} x \left(\log \left( (1+\frac{1}{x} )^x \right)-1 \right)$$

    The second part is tricky to find without L'Hospital or Taylor. Since it's of the type $ \infty \cdot 0$. Obviously, it's equal to $-1/2$

    – Yuriy S Aug 17 '19 at 19:40

2 Answers2

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Further to my comment, L'Hôpital's rule applied twice $$\lim\limits_{x\to\infty}\frac{(x+1)\log\left(\frac{x+1}{x}\right)-1}{\frac{1}{x}}= \lim\limits_{x\to\infty}\frac{\log\left(1 + \frac{1}{x}\right)-\frac{1}{x}}{-\frac{1}{x^2}}=\\ \lim\limits_{x\to\infty}\frac{\frac{1}{x^2 + x^3}}{\frac{2}{x^3}}= \lim\limits_{x\to\infty}\frac{1}{2}\cdot\frac{x^3}{x^2+x^3}=\frac{1}{2}$$ It is worth mentioning that both times we are dealing with $\frac{0}{0}$, so L'Hôpital's rule can be applied. L'Hôpital's rule used to be part of the high school program, I hope it still is.

rtybase
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Set $1/x=h\implies h\to0$

$$\lim_h\dfrac{(1+h)\ln(1+h)-h}{h^2}=\lim_h\dfrac{\ln(1+h)-h}h+\lim_h\dfrac{\ln(1+h)}h$$

For the first limit, use Are all limits solvable without L'Hôpital Rule or Series Expansion

What about the second one?