f(x) = sqrt(x^2 + 1) ; [(0, sqrt(8)]
Okay, so for the Mean Value Theorem, two things have to be true: f(x) has to be continuous on the interval [0, sqrt(8)] and f(x) has to be differentiable on the interval (0, sqrt(8)).
First find where sqrt(x^2 + 1) is continous on. We know that for square roots, the number has to be greater than or equal to zero (definitely no negative numbers). So set the inside greater than or equal to zero and solve for x. You'll get an imaginary number because when you move 1 to the other side, it'll be negative. So, this means that the number inside the square root will always be positive, which makes sense because the x is squared and you're adding 1 to it, not subtracting. There would be no way to get a negative number under the square root in this situation.
Therefore, since f(x) is continuos everywhere, (-infinity, infinity), then f(x) is continuous on [0, sqrt(8)].
Now you have to check if it is differentiable on that interval. To check this, you basically do the same but with the derivative of the function. f'(x) = (1/2)(x^2+1)^(-1/2)x2x which equals to f'(x) = x/sqrt(x^2+1). So for the derivative of f, you have a square root on the bottom, but notice that the denominator is exactly the same as the original function. Since we can't have the denominator equal to zero, we set the denominator equal to zero and solve to find the value of x that will make it equal to zero. However, just like in the first one, it will never reach zero because of the x^2 and +1. Now you know that f'(x) is continous everywhere so f(x) is differentiable everywhere.
Therefore, since f(x) is differentiable everywhere (-infinity, infinity), then it is differentiable on (0, sqrt(8)).
So the function satisfies the two hypotheses of the Mean Value Theorem.
You definitely wouldn't have to write this long for a test or homework; its probably one or two lines of explanation at most. But I hope this is understandable enough to apply to other similar questions!