Solve: Prove using Lagrange's Mean Value theorem. pi/3 - 1/(5sqrt(3)) > 3/5 > pi/3 - 1/8

Answer: π3−153>cos⁡−1(35)>π3−18\frac{\pi}{3} - \frac{1}{5\sqrt{3}} > \cos^{-1}\left(\frac{3}{5}\right) > \frac{\pi}{3} - \frac{1}{8}

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Define the function and interval

To relate π3=cos⁡−1(12)\frac{\pi}{3} = \cos^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right) with the angle whose cosine is 35\frac{3}{5}, we consider the function f(x)=cos⁡−1(x)f(x) = \cos^{-1}(x) on the closed interval [12,35]\left[\frac{1}{2}, \frac{3}{5}\right]. Notice that 12=0.5\frac{1}{2} = 0.5 and 35=0.6\frac{3}{5} = 0.6, so 12<35\frac{1}{2} < \frac{3}{5}.

Step 2: Apply Lagrange's Mean Value Theorem

Since f(x)=cos⁡−1(x)f(x) = \cos^{-1}(x) is continuous on [12,35]\left[\frac{1}{2}, \frac{3}{5}\right] and differentiable on (12,35)\left(\frac{1}{2}, \frac{3}{5}\right) with f′(x)=−11−x2f'(x) = -\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}, by Lagrange's Mean Value Theorem there exists some c∈(12,35)c \in \left(\frac{1}{2}, \frac{3}{5}\right) satisfying this equation.

Step 3: Simplify the Mean Value expression

Evaluating the denominator, we have 35−12=110\frac{3}{5} - \frac{1}{2} = \frac{1}{10}, and cos⁡−1(12)=π3\cos^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right) = \frac{\pi}{3}. Multiplying both sides by 110\frac{1}{10} gives cos⁡−1(35)−π3=−1101−c2\cos^{-1}\left(\frac{3}{5}\right) - \frac{\pi}{3} = -\frac{1}{10\sqrt{1-c^2}}.

Step 4: Bound the derivative term

Since 12<c<35\frac{1}{2} < c < \frac{3}{5}, squaring gives 14<c2<925\frac{1}{4} < c^2 < \frac{9}{25}. Subtracting from 1 gives 1−925<1−c2<1−141 - \frac{9}{25} < 1 - c^2 < 1 - \frac{1}{4}, so 1625<1−c2<34\frac{16}{25} < 1 - c^2 < \frac{3}{4}. Taking square roots yields 45<1−c2<32\frac{4}{5} < \sqrt{1-c^2} < \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}.

Step 5: Establish the final inequality

Taking reciprocals and multiplying by 110\frac{1}{10}, we obtain 110⋅32<1101−c2<110⋅45\frac{1}{10 \cdot \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}} < \frac{1}{10\sqrt{1-c^2}} < \frac{1}{10 \cdot \frac{4}{5}}, which simplifies to 153<1101−c2<18\frac{1}{5\sqrt{3}} < \frac{1}{10\sqrt{1-c^2}} < \frac{1}{8}. Negating and adding π3\frac{\pi}{3} completes the proof.

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