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Looking at small values of functions. Motivating the existence of the Taylor expansion.
Taking Trigonometry Series-ly
Look at the advanced way of viewing sin and cos through their power series.
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
(1) We know $\cos x \leq 1$ for all $x$. By considering the derivative of the function $$f(x) = x - \sin x$$ prove that $\sin x \leq x$ for $x \geq 0$.
(2) By considering the derivative of the function $$f(x) = \cos x - \left(1 - {x^2\over 2}\right)$$ prove that $\cos x \geq 1 - {x^2\over 2}$ for $x \geq 0$.
(3) By considering the derivative of the function $$f(x) = \left(x - {x^3 \over 3!}\right) - \sin x $$ prove that $\sin x \geq (x - {x^3 \over 3!})$ for $x \geq 0$.
(4) By considering the derivative of the function $$f(x) = \cos x - \left(1 - {x^2 \over 2!} + {x^4\over 4!}\right) $$ prove that $\cos x \leq \left(1 - {x^2\over 2!} + {x^4 \over 4!}\right)$ for $x \geq 0$.
(5) What can you say about continuing this process?
(2) By considering the derivative of the function $$f(x) = \cos x - \left(1 - {x^2\over 2}\right)$$ prove that $\cos x \geq 1 - {x^2\over 2}$ for $x \geq 0$.
(3) By considering the derivative of the function $$f(x) = \left(x - {x^3 \over 3!}\right) - \sin x $$ prove that $\sin x \geq (x - {x^3 \over 3!})$ for $x \geq 0$.
(4) By considering the derivative of the function $$f(x) = \cos x - \left(1 - {x^2 \over 2!} + {x^4\over 4!}\right) $$ prove that $\cos x \leq \left(1 - {x^2\over 2!} + {x^4 \over 4!}\right)$ for $x \geq 0$.
(5) What can you say about continuing this process?
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NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.