TITLE: Showing $\frac{x}{1+x}<\log(1+x)<x$ for all $x>0$ using the mean value theorem
QUESTION [8 upvotes]: I want to show that $$\frac{x}{1+x}<\log(1+x)<x$$ for all $x>0$ using the mean value theorem. I tried to prove the two inequalities separately.
$$\frac{x}{1+x}<\log(1+x) \Leftrightarrow \frac{x}{1+x} -\log(1+x) <0$$
Let $$f(x) = \frac{x}{1+x} -\log(1+x).$$ Since $$f(0)=0$$ and $$f'(x)= \frac{1}{(1+x)^2}-\frac{1}{1+x}<0$$ for all $x > 0$,  $f(x)<0$ for all $x>0$.  Is this correct so far?
I go on with the second part:
Let $f(x) = \log(x+1)$. Choose $a=0$ and $x>0$ so that there is, according to the mean value theorem, an $x_0$ between $a$ and $x$ with 
$f'(x_0)=\frac{f(x)-f(a)}{x-a} \Leftrightarrow \frac{1}{x_0+1}=\frac{ \log(x+1)}{x}$.
Since $$x_0>0 \Rightarrow  \frac{1}{x_0+1}<1.$$ $$\Rightarrow 1 > \frac{1}{x_0+1}= \frac{ \log(x+1)}{x} \Rightarrow x> \log(x+1)$$

REPLY [3 votes]: By Definition of log(which already a kind of mean value theorem ) we have
For any $x>0$ We have 
$$\frac{x}{x+1} =\int_{0}^x\frac{dt}{x+1} \le \int_{0}^x\frac{dt}{t+1} =\color{red}{\ln(x+1 )}=\int_{0}^x\frac{dt}{t+1}  \le \int_{0}^x\frac{dt}{1}  = x $$
Thus,
$$\frac{x}{x+1} \le \ln(x+1 ) \le   x $$