Question Statement:
The value of the following limit is _________ (round off to 2 decimal places):
$\lim_{\theta \to 0} \frac{\theta - \sin\theta}{\theta^3}$
Official Answer Key:
0.17
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
### **Detailed Step-by-Step Solution (GATE AE 2019 Q.25 / AE Q.15)**
**1. Intuitive Physical Setup & Given Parameters**:
- Evaluate the indeterminate form $\frac{0}{0}$ of $\lim_{\theta \to 0} \frac{\theta - \sin\theta}{\theta^3}$.
**2. Step-by-Step Mathematical Derivation**:
1. **Taylor Series Expansion of $\sin\theta$**:
Around $\theta = 0$:
$\sin\theta = \theta - \frac{\theta^3}{3!} + \frac{\theta^5}{5!} - \dots = \theta - \frac{\theta^3}{6} + \mathcal{O}(\theta^5)$
2. **Substituting into Numerator**:
$\theta - \sin\theta = \theta - \left(\theta - \frac{\theta^3}{6} + \dots\right) = \frac{\theta^3}{6} - \mathcal{O}(\theta^5)$
3. **Evaluating the Limit**:
$\lim_{\theta \to 0} \frac{\theta - \sin\theta}{\theta^3} = \lim_{\theta \to 0} \frac{\frac{\theta^3}{6}}{\theta^3} = \frac{1}{6} \approx 0.16667$
4. Rounding to 2 decimal places:
$L \approx 0.17$
Official acceptable range is **[0.16, 0.17]**.
**3. Comprehensive Options & Distractor Analysis**:
- **Question Type**: Numerical Answer Type (NAT).
- **Official Range**: **0.16 to 0.17**.
**4. Official Master Key & Exam Takeaway**:
- **Official Answer**: **0.17** (Range: **0.16 to 0.17**)
- **Exam Rule**: Series expansion $\sin\theta \approx \theta - \theta^3/6$ evaluates limits 10x faster than 3 successive L'Hôpital differentiations.
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