The maximum value of $y=x(\log x)^2$ is

The maximum value of $y=x(\log x)^2$ is
  1. $e^{-2}$
  2. $2 e^{-2}$
  3. $3 e^{-2}$
  4. $4 e^{-2}$

Solution

$y=x(\log x)^2$ For maximum value $ \begin{aligned} \frac{d y}{d x} & =x\left(2 \log x \cdot \frac{1}{x}\right)+(\log x)^2 \\ & =2 \log x+(\log x)^2 \end{aligned} $ Now, put $\frac{d y}{d x}=0$ $ \begin{aligned} & 2 \log x+(\log x)^2=0 \\ & (\log x)[\log x+2]=0 \\ & \log x=0 \mid \log x+2=0 \\ & x=1 \\ & \log x=-2 \\ & x=e^{-2} \\ & \end{aligned} $ Using second order derivative test. Again differentiating $y$ w.r.t. $x$ $ \begin{aligned} & \frac{d^2 y}{d x^2}=\frac{2}{x}+2 \log x \cdot \frac{1}{x} \\ &\left.\frac{d^2 y}{d x^2}\right|_{x=1}=2>0 \end{aligned} $ $\therefore x=1$ is point of minima $\begin{aligned}\left.\frac{d^2 y}{d x^2}\right|_{x=e^{-2}} & =\frac{2}{e^{-2}}+2 \cdot \log e^{-2} \cdot \frac{1}{e^{-2}} \\ & =\frac{1}{e^{-2}}(2-4)=-\frac{2}{e^{-2}} < 0 \\ \therefore \quad y_{\max } & =e^{-2}\left(\log e^{-2}\right)^2 \\ & =e^{-2}(-2)^2=4 e^{-2}\end{aligned}$

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2021 (24 Aug Shift 1)

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