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
xa
x a
x a
xa
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 )
xa
x a
2. lim f ( x ) g ( x ) = lim f ( x ) lim g ( x )
xa
x a
x a
3. lim f ( x ) g ( x ) = lim f ( x ) lim g ( x )
xa
x a
x a
f ( x)
f ( x ) lim
x a
provided lim g ( x ) 0
4. lim
=
x a
x a
g ( x)
g ( x ) lim
x a
n
n
5. lim f ( x ) = lim f ( x )
xa
x a
6. lim n f ( x ) = n lim f ( x )
xa
x a
2. lim ln ( x ) =
x
lim e x = 0
x -
&
lim+ ln ( x ) = -
x0
b
3. If r > 0 then lim r = 0
x x
4. If r > 0 and x r is real for negative x
b
then lim r = 0
x - x
5. n even : lim x n =
x
x-
Evaluation Techniques
Continuous Functions
LHospitals Rule
f ( x)
f ( x) 0
If f ( x ) is continuous at a then lim f ( x ) = f ( a )
x a
=
then,
If lim
= or lim
x a g ( x )
x a g ( x )
0
Continuous Functions and Composition
f ( x)
f ( x )
lim
= lim
a is a number, or -
f ( x ) is continuous at b and lim g ( x ) = b then
x a g ( x )
xa g( x )
x a
lim f ( g ( x ) ) = f lim g ( x ) = f ( b )
xa
x a
Polynomials at Infinity
p ( x ) and q ( x ) are polynomials. To compute
2
x - 2x
x ( x - 2)
lim
x+6 8
= =4
x 2
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 2
= lim
x9
( x - 81) 3 + x x 9 ( x + 9 ) 3 + x
-1
(18)( 6 )
x 2 3 - 42
3 - 42
3x 2 - 4
3
x
x
=
=
=lim
lim
5
x - 5x - 2 x2
x -
2
x 2 ( 5x - 2 ) x - x - 2
lim
Piecewise Function
1
108
Combine Rational Expressions
1 1
1
1 x - ( x + h)
lim
- = lim
h 0 h
h 0 h x x + h
x
h
x
+
)
(
=
= lim
p ( x)
q ( x)
=-
1 -h
1
-1
= lim
=- 2
= lim
h0 h
h0 x ( x + h )
+
x
x
h
x
(
)
x 2 + 5 if x < -2
lim g ( x ) where g ( x ) =
1 - 3 x if x -2
Compute two one sided limits,
lim- g ( x ) = lim- x 2 + 5 = 9
x -2
x -2
x -2
x -2
x -2
lim+ g ( x ) = lim+ 1 - 3 x = 7
x -