Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Growth Rates of Functions
The growth rate of a function describes how quickly the function's value increases as the input variable grows. In calculus, we often compare growth rates using limits, derivatives, or asymptotic analysis to determine which function increases faster as x approaches infinity.
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Limits and Asymptotic Behavior
Limits are fundamental in calculus for analyzing the behavior of functions as they approach a certain point or infinity. Asymptotic behavior refers to the trend of a function as the input becomes very large, allowing us to compare functions by examining their limits at infinity to see which dominates.
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Cases Where Limits Do Not Exist
Power Functions
Power functions are expressions of the form f(x) = x^n, where n is a real number. The growth rate of power functions is determined by the exponent n; specifically, for large values of x, a function with a higher exponent will grow faster than one with a lower exponent, which is crucial for comparing x^(1/2) and x^(1/3).
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