Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Limits
Definitions
Precise Definition : We say lim f ( x ) = L if
Limit at Infinity : We say lim f ( x ) = L if we
x a
x a
x -
x a
x a
x a
x a
x a
x a +
x a
x a
Properties
Assume lim f ( x ) and lim g ( x ) both exist and c is any number then,
x a
x a
1. lim cf ( x ) = c lim f ( x )
x a
x a
2. lim f ( x ) g ( x ) = lim f ( x ) lim g ( x )
x a
xa
x a
3. lim f ( x ) g ( x ) = lim f ( x ) lim g ( x )
x a
x a
x a
f ( x)
f ( x ) lim
4. lim
= x a
provided lim g ( x ) 0
x a
x a g ( x )
g ( x)
lim
x a
n
n
5. lim f ( x ) = lim f ( x )
x a
x a
6. lim n f ( x ) = n lim f ( x )
x a
xa
2. lim ln ( x ) =
x
lim e x = 0
x-
&
lim ln ( x ) = -
x 0 +
b
=0
xr
4. If r > 0 and x r is real for negative x
b
then lim r = 0
x - x
3. If r > 0 then lim
5. n even : lim x n =
x
x -
x -
Evaluation Techniques
Continuous Functions
LHospitals Rule
f ( x) 0
f ( x)
If f ( x ) is continuous at a then lim f ( x ) = f ( a )
x a
If lim
= or lim
=
then,
x a g ( x )
x a g ( x )
0
x a
lim f ( g ( x ) ) = f lim g ( x ) = f ( b )
x a
x a
Polynomials at Infinity
p ( x ) and q ( x ) are polynomials. To compute
p ( x)
factor largest power of x in q ( x ) out
x q ( x )
lim
x+6 8
= lim
= =4
x2
x
2
Rationalize Numerator/Denominator
3- x
3- x 3+ x
lim 2
= lim 2
x 9 x - 81
x 9 x - 81 3 +
x
9- x
-1
= lim
= lim
2
x 9
( x - 81) 3 + x x9 ( x + 9 ) 3 + x
Piecewise Function
-1
1
=(18)( 6 ) 108
Combine Rational Expressions
1 1
1
1 x - ( x + h)
lim
- = lim
h 0 h x + h
x h0 h x ( x + h )
1 -h
1
-1
= lim
=
lim
=
h 0 h x ( x + h )
h0 x ( x + h )
x2
x 2 3 - 42
3 - 42
3x 2 - 4
3
x
lim
= lim 2 5
= lim 5 x =
x - 5 x - 2 x 2
x - x
x
2
x -2
x -2
x 2 + 5 if x < -2
lim g ( x ) where g ( x ) =
x -2
1 - 3x if x -2
Compute two one sided limits,
lim- g ( x ) = lim- x 2 + 5 = 9
x -2
x -2
x -2+
x -2
lim g ( x ) = lim+ 1 - 3 x = 7