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I've solved part a. And for part b, I solved $g'\left(x\right)^2$ and when c=0 or $x=-b/c$, we have the minimum, but according to the problem, we can't reach it. So the minimum occurs when $x^2=2|c|$ and $b^2=9/2|c|$. To finish the proof, I need to find the relation between x and b. And use b to represent x, can I combine these two equations: $x^2=2|c|$ and $b^2=9/2|c|$ and say that $x=2b/3$? And still I don't know how to approach part c, any hints? Thanks a lot!

J.doe
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1 Answers1

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$$g^2(x)=b^2+\frac{2bc}{x}+\frac{c^2}{x^2}$$

Let $y=\frac{1}{x}$. Then $$g^2(x)=b^2+2bcy+c^2y^2$$ We can check easily that this is a parabola that opens upward and touches the $x$-axis at only one point $y=-\frac{b}{c}$.

Now we want to show that $g^2(x)\geq 2|c|$ if $x^2\geq 2|c|$, i.e., $$-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2|c|}}\leq y \leq \frac{1}{\sqrt{2|c|}}$$ for some region of $b$.

There are two cases:

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You can see from the picture, both cases should work. We need to find the intersection of the line $y=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2|c|}}$ and the parabola. That point is where $g^2(x)=2|c|$. When $-\frac{b}{c}>0$, it must also satisfy $-\frac{b}{c}>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2||c}}$. When $-\frac{b}{c}<0$, it must also satisfy $-\frac{b}{c}<-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2||c}}$.

Now there are four cases to discuss:

  1. $c>0, b<0$; the result from the quadratic formula in $b$ tells you that $b=-\frac{3}{2}\sqrt{2c}$. In this case, $-\frac{b}{c}>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2||c}}$.
  2. $c<0,b>0$; you will see that this case does not work.
  3. $c>0, b>0$; this case does not work.
  4. $c<0,b<0$; this case works, it satisfies $-\frac{b}{c}<-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2||c}}$.

In both working cases, when $b^2\geq \frac{9}{2}|c|$, they still satisfy the criteria for $y$.

For part (c), you just need to draw the curve $b^2=\frac{9}{2}|c|$, shade the region where $b^2\geq\frac{9}{2}|c|$ on the $bc$-plane. It should be a parabola passing through the origin. The convergence comes from part (a) and (b). We see that whenever $x_0^2\geq 2|c|$, by part (b), all the following points $x_n^2\geq 2|c|$. This guarantees that $|g'(x)|\leq \frac{1}{2}$. This also gives the convergence rate.

KittyL
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  • So I plug in $y=1/{\sqrt 2|c|}$ into the equation of $g(x)$. Since we know that y needs to be positive and $y=-b/c$, then b and c must have different signs. Then $b^2\ge 9|c|/2$. There are two cases, which are b is positive and c is negative or b is negative and c is positive. How can we rule one situation out or both of them work? – J.doe Feb 03 '16 at 05:25
  • Plus I have problem calculating $2bc/\sqrt 2|c|$. If b is positive and c is negative. Then we have $2bc/\sqrt 2|c|$ = ${-3\sqrt2c^2}/\sqrt {2|c|}$. Then $g^2(x)= 5|c|-3c\sqrt |c|$. Then from there how can we get to the conclusion that $g^2(x)\ge 2|c|$? – J.doe Feb 03 '16 at 05:30
  • @J.doe: I found a mistake I made. The two cases should both work. For your question, you will need some more analysis on the parabola. I will edit. – KittyL Feb 03 '16 at 10:06
  • Got it! thanks! – J.doe Feb 04 '16 at 07:17