Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2010/iii/paper-68/1/a/solution

For real , the function has derivative . It decreases from infinity to zero on the negative half-line, increases from zero to on , and then decreases to zero. Hence sufficiently small positive gives exactly three real roots: two near zero and one tending to positive infinity.
Set and write either small root as , with . Expanding gives . Matching its value to fixes . Thus the two asymptotic expansions are
For the large root, put . Taking logarithms gives , so . Writing then gives . Iteration yields
Its two asymptotic expansion terms are of different logarithmic orders; a regular power series in cannot describe it.
As an exact check, the real branches of Lambert W give , and . If complex roots are intended instead, there are infinitely many, given by . For each fixed nonprincipal branch their two logarithmic terms follow from , where and logarithms are continued on that branch. The three real roots are the ones selected above.

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