Verify MVT hypotheses and find the guaranteed value of c
Consider the function on the closed interval .
The function is continuous on and differentiable on , so the Mean Value Theorem guarantees the existence of at least one number in such that
Find the exact value of guaranteed by the Mean Value Theorem for on .
Hint
Compute the average rate of change , then set equal to that value and solve for using logarithms.
Step-by-step solution
First compute the slope of the secant line: . Since is continuous everywhere and differentiable everywhere, both hypotheses of the MVT are satisfied on , so a valid in must exist.
Since , we need . Taking the natural logarithm of both sides gives . Numerically this is approximately , which indeed lies in as required.
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