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Would somebody be able to talk me through solving the following logarithmic inequality for $x$ using the Lambert W function?

$$x\ln(2) - 61\ln(x+2) > 200$$

I already know this: Wikipedia: Lambert W function.

I also know how inequalities are solved by solving equations.

And I know that equations of the form $a+bx+c\ln(x)=d$, wherein $a,b,c,d$ are constants, can be solved using the Lambert W function - but I don't know how this can be done in the general cases. And now we have additionally the both terms $x$ and $\ln(x+2)$.

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    $\begingroup$ Hello, the question has been closed for lack of context, which means that you have not provided an effort to solve your question or mention your background. Kindly add the following details : why you think this involves the Lambert $W$ function, some obvious steps you were able to make , and which inequality you were stuck at. Even if you think you were heading in a wrong direction, mention it so others can justify if it's actually wrong at all, and why it's wrong if it is. Adding these details can help open the question for further answers and discussion. Thank you. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 10, 2021 at 18:03
  • $\begingroup$ Consider $f(x)=x\ln(2) - 61\ln(x+2) -200$ for $x>-2$. It has one minimum at $x=-2+\tfrac{61}{\ln2}$, so in order to solve $f(x)>0$, you just need to find two zeros of $f(x)$ in terms of the Lambert W function. $\endgroup$
    – g.kov
    Commented Apr 25, 2021 at 16:50

2 Answers 2

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$x\ln 2 - 61 \ln (x+2) > 200$

$\frac {2^x}{(x+2)^{61}} > e^{200}$

$\frac 14 2^{x+2}(x+2)^{-61} > e^{200}$

$2^{x+2}(x+2)^{-61} > 4e^{200}$

$(\frac 1{2^{\frac 1{61}}})^{x+2}(x+2) < \frac 1{(4e^{200})^{\frac 1{61}}}$

$0> e^{(x+2)\ln (\frac 1{2^{\frac 1{61}}})}[(x+2)\ln (\frac 1{2^{\frac 1{61}}})]> \ln (\frac 1{2^{\frac 1{61}}})\frac 1{(4e^{200})^{\frac 1{61}}}$

To solve $-\frac 1e< -\frac 12 e^{-261} < e^{-x-2}(-x-2)< 0$ we use the decreasing $W_{-1}$ function and

$(x+2)\ln (\frac 1{2^{\frac 1{61}}}) < W_{-1}(\ln (\frac 1{2^{\frac 1{61}}})\frac 1{(4e^{200})^{\frac 1{61}}})$

$x > -2-\frac 1{61}\ln 2 W_1(-61\ln 24^{-\frac 1{61}}e^{-\frac {200}{61}})$

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$\require{begingroup} \begingroup$ $\def\e{\mathrm{e}}\def\W{\operatorname{W}}\def\Wp{\operatorname{W_0}}\def\Wm{\operatorname{W_{-1}}}\def\Catalan{\mathsf{Catalan}}$

Consider $f(x)=x\ln(2) - 61\ln(x+2) -200$ for $x>-2$. It has one minimum at $x=-2+\tfrac{61}{\ln2}$, so in order to solve $f(x)>0$, you just need to find two zeros of $f(x)$ in terms of the Lambert W function, which can be done as follows:

\begin{align} x\ln(2) - 61\ln(x+2) -200&=0 ,\\ (x+2)\ln2-2\ln2 - 61\ln(x+2)-200&=0 ,\\ (x+2)\ln2-61\ln(x+2)&=200+2\ln2 ,\\ -\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2)+\ln(x+2) &= -\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2 ,\\ \ln(\exp(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2)))+\ln(x+2) &=-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2 ,\\ \ln((x+2)\exp(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2))) &=-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2 ,\\ (x+2)\exp(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2)) &=\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2) ,\\ -\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2)\exp(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2)) &=-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2) ,\\ \W\left(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2)\exp(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2)) \right) &=\W\left(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2)\right) ,\\ -\tfrac{\ln2}{61}(x+2) &=\W\left(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2)\right) ,\\ x &=-2-\tfrac{61}{\ln2}\W\left(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2)\right) . \end{align}

Now, as we have the solution of $f(x)=0$ in terms of the Lambert W function, we need to check its argument \begin{align} z&=-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2) \approx -0.0004185. \end{align}

As we can see, $z\in (-\tfrac1\e,0)$, so indeed we have two solutions

\begin{align} x_0 &= -2-\tfrac{61}{\ln2}\Wp\left(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2)\right) \approx -1.963153548947 ,\\ \text{and }\quad x_1 &=-2-\tfrac{61}{\ln2}\Wm\left(-\tfrac{\ln2}{61}\exp(-\tfrac{200}{61}-\tfrac2{61}\ln2)\right) \approx 885.9981973778 . \end{align}

Thus, the answer is

\begin{align} f(x)&>0 \quad \text{for }\quad x\in (-2,x_0) \cup x\in(x_1,\infty) . \end{align}

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