Evaluating Limits
Limit Theorems
Examples.
Limit Theorems
If
Then,
and
Examples.
lim 3 x 1
x 2
lim 2 x
x1
3x 2
lim
x2/3 x 1
1
lim
x 0 x
Limit Theorems
If
Then
and n is a positive integer
Note: If n is even, L should be positive.
Examples.
x1
lim x 2 x x 4 e
3
lim 1 x
3
x9
lim
lim
x0
4 x
x2
x 4
x4
More Examples
x 9
lim
x3 x 3
2
Limit Evaluation
x2 7 2 x
lim
2
x 5
x1
lim
x0
1
lim
x 0 x
DEFINITION . INDERTERMINATE FORM 0/0
If f and g are two functions such that
lim f x 0 and lim g x 0, then the
x a
x a
function f / g has the indeterminate form
0/0 at a.
Technique: Simplify either by
rationalizing or factoring
Limit Evaluation
lim
h 1
h3 2
h 1
Limit Evaluation
h3 2
h3 2
h 1
h3 2
lim
h1
lim
h 1
h 1
lim
h 1
h 1
h3 2
1
h3 2
1
1
1 3 2
4
Quiz.
5x 1 2
2
1. lim 1
x
4
x 2
7
e
4
2
x 1
2. lim
x1 x 1 4 x 3
3
Time to Think
Does the following limit exists?
lim
x 4
x4
lim
x 4
x4
3.2 One-sided Limit
Consider the function defined by
The domain of f is
There is no open interval containing 0 where
f is defined.
Hence,
does not exist.
One-sided Limits
However, if we consider only values greater
than 0, we may evaluate
We call this the right-hand limit.
Definition
Let f be a function defined at every number
in some open interval (a,c).
The limit of f as x approaches a from the
right is L, written as
if for every
there exists
If
, no matter how small,
, such that
then
Definition
Let f be a function defined at every number
in some open interval (d,a).
The limit of f as x approaches a from the
left is L, written as
if for every
there exists
If
, no matter how small,
, such that
then
Remarks
1. If lim f x L lim f x
x a
x a
then lim f x L .
x a
2. If
lim f x lim f x
xa
x a
then lim f x does not exist.
x a
Note
The theorems used in evaluating limits also
apply for one-sided limits.
Example
0
does not exist
does not exist
Example
does not exist
does not exist
Example
since
Example
since
Example
does not exist
since
Time to think
x 2, x 3
Given f x
5a x, x 3
find the value of a such that lim f x exists.
x 3
Time to think
2 x 2 1, x 1
Given g x ax b, 1 x 1
3
x 1
x ,
find the values of a and b such that
lim g x and lim g x bothexist.
x 1
x 1
Exercise.
Find the indicated limit or state
that it does not exist.
1 1 4 x
x3 8
f x
x2
x2 1
lim f x
x2
, x 2
, 2 x 1
, x 1
lim f x
x1
INFINITE Limits
Consider the function defined by
As x approaches 0 from the right, the
function increases without bound.
As x approaches 0 from the left, the function
decreases without bound.
In both cases, the limit of the function does
not exist.
Definition
Let f be a function defined at every number
in some open interval containing a, except
possibly at a.
As x approaches a, f increases without
bound, written as
if for any
such that if
, there exists a
then
Definition
Let f be a function defined at every number
in some open interval containing a, except
possibly at a.
As x approaches a, f decreases without
bound, written as
if for any
such that if
, there exists a
then
Theorem
If r is a positive integer, then
Theorems
If
and
Then
if
and
values, then
through positive
Theorems
If
and
Then
if
and
values, then
through negative
Theorems
If
and
Then
if
and
values, then
through negative
Theorems
If
and
Then
if
and
values, then
through positive
Examples
Theorem
If
and
Then
,
;
If
if
Remark: if c=0, indeterminate form.
Theorem
If
and
Then
,
;
If
if
Remark: if c=0, indeterminate form.
Examples
Examples
Examples
Remember that this is an indeterminate form.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
3
0
x 3
2
lim
x0
x 1
3
0
Vertical Asymptote
The line
is a vertical asymptote of the
graph of f is one of the following is true.
Indeterminate Forms:
0
0
Technique:
Simplify either by
rationalizing or factoring
Simplify by
performing the operation
Exercise.
Find the indicated limit or state
that it does not exist.
lim
y 9
y 2 81
9 y
1
2
lim
2
4 x
x 4
x 4
1
3 x
lim 2
2
x 1 2x x 1
x1
Exercise.
Find the indicated limit or state
that it does not exist.
f x 5x x 2
1
g x
x 2
lim f x g x
x 2
lim f x g
x 2
Exercise.
Find the indicated limit or state
that it does not exist.
x 4
2
lim
x0
3x 2 x
lim
lim
x
1
2
1 4x
10 x 2
9x 2
x 2
4 x2
x 2 2 x 5
2
Quiz.
Evaluate.
lim
x1
5 x
9 4 x x 1
2
6
0
g x 3 2 x 3 2 x x 1
5
5
g 3 5 3 5 1 LHL
2
2
g 0 9
RHL
Limits at infinity
1
Consider the function defined by f x
x
Definition
Let f be a function defined at every number
in some interval
The limit of f, as x increases without bound,
is L written as
if for any
that
If
, there exists an
then
such
Definition
Let f be a function defined at every number
in some interval
The limit of f, as x increases without bound,
is L written as
if for any
such that
If
, there exists an
then
Theorem
If r is a positive integer, then
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES
since
Exercise.
Find the indicated limit or state
that it does not exist.
lim
4 x 2 3x 5
8 x3 2 x 9
lim
9 x2
9 x
lim
9 x2
9 x
5x 7
4
lim
lim
5 x3 x 4
8 x
x 4x 7
2
lim
x5 2 x3 8 x 1
x 1
2
Horizontal Asymptote
The line y a is a horizontal asymptote of
the graph of f is one of the following is true.
lim f x a
lim f x a
2x 1
lim
x x 3
2x 5
lim
x x 2
1 3x
lim
x x 1
