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The maximum value of (1x)x\left(\frac{1}{x}\right)^x for x>0x > 0 is

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 2

To find the maximum value of (1x)x\left(\frac{1}{x}\right)^x for x>0x > 0, rewrite the expression in a simpler form:

(1x)x=1xxx\left(\frac{1}{x}\right)^x = \frac{1^x}{x^x}

=1xx= \frac{1}{x^x}

=x−x= x^{-x}


Let f(x)=x−xf(x) = x^{-x}. To find the maximum, take the natural logarithm:

ln⁡(f(x))=ln⁡(x−x)\ln(f(x)) = \ln(x^{-x})

=−xln⁡(x)= -x \ln(x)

Let g(x)=−xln⁡(x)g(x) = -x \ln(x)

Since ln⁡\ln is an increasing function, the maximum of g(x)g(x) occurs at the same point as the maximum of f(x)f(x).


To find the maximum, take the derivative using the product rule:

g′(x)=−[ln⁡(x)+x⋅1x]g'(x) = -\left[\ln(x) + x \cdot \frac{1}{x}\right]

=−[ln⁡(x)+1]= -[\ln(x) + 1]

=−ln⁡(x)−1= -\ln(x) - 1


Setting the derivative equal to zero:

−ln⁡(x)−1=0-\ln(x) - 1 = 0

ln⁡(x)=−1\ln(x) = -1

x=e−1x = e^{-1}

x=1ex = \frac{1}{e}


Substituting x=1ex = \frac{1}{e} into the original expression:

f(1e)=(11e)1ef\left(\frac{1}{e}\right) = \left(\frac{1}{\frac{1}{e}}\right)^{\frac{1}{e}}

=e1e= e^{\frac{1}{e}}

Therefore, the maximum value is e1/ee^{1/e}.

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