Special Limits

definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+
Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x
Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x 2.5937
Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x 2.5937 2.70481
Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x 2.5937 2.70481 2.71692
Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x 2.5937 2.70481 2.71692 2.71814
Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x 2.5937 2.70481 2.71692 2.71814 2.71826
Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x 2.5937 2.70481 2.71692 2.71814 2.71826 e

Where e = 2.7 1828 1828

Special Limits
definition of e

The number e is defined as a limit. Here is one definition:

1
e = lim (1 + x) x
x0+

A good way to evaluate this limit is make a table of numbers.

x .1 .01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001 0
1
(1 + x) x 2.5937 2.70481 2.71692 2.71814 2.71826 e

Where e = 2.7 1828 1828

This limit will give the same result:
 x
1
e = lim 1+
x x
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x 2.70481
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x 2.70481 2.71692
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x 2.70481 2.71692 2.71815
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x 2.70481 2.71692 2.71815 2.71827
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x 2.70481 2.71692 2.71815 2.71827 e
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x 2.70481 2.71692 2.71815 2.71827 e

Note that
lim f(x)
x0

is the same as
Special Limits
alternate definition of e

Here is an equivalient definition for e:

1 x
 
e = lim 1 +
x x

x 100 1000 10000 1000000

1
(1 + x) x 2.70481 2.71692 2.71815 2.71827 e

Note that
lim f(x)
x0

is the same as  
1
lim f
x x
Special Limits
e the natural base

I the number e is the natural base in calculus. Many

expressions in calculus are simpler in base e than in other
bases like base 2 or base 10
Special Limits
e the natural base

I the number e is the natural base in calculus. Many

expressions in calculus are simpler in base e than in other
bases like base 2 or base 10
I e = 2.71828182845904509080
Special Limits
e the natural base

I the number e is the natural base in calculus. Many

expressions in calculus are simpler in base e than in other
bases like base 2 or base 10
I e = 2.71828182845904509080
I e is a number between 2 and 3. A little closer to 3.
Special Limits
e the natural base

I the number e is the natural base in calculus. Many

expressions in calculus are simpler in base e than in other
bases like base 2 or base 10
I e = 2.71828182845904509080
I e is a number between 2 and 3. A little closer to 3.
I e is easy to remember to 9 decimal places because 1828
repeats twice: e = 2.718281828. For this reason, do not use
2.7 to extimate e.
Special Limits
e the natural base

I the number e is the natural base in calculus. Many

expressions in calculus are simpler in base e than in other
bases like base 2 or base 10
I e = 2.71828182845904509080
I e is a number between 2 and 3. A little closer to 3.
I e is easy to remember to 9 decimal places because 1828
repeats twice: e = 2.718281828. For this reason, do not use
2.7 to extimate e.
I use the ex button on your calculator to find e. Use 1 for x.
Special Limits
e the natural base

I the number e is the natural base in calculus. Many

expressions in calculus are simpler in base e than in other
bases like base 2 or base 10
I e = 2.71828182845904509080
I e is a number between 2 and 3. A little closer to 3.
I e is easy to remember to 9 decimal places because 1828
repeats twice: e = 2.718281828. For this reason, do not use
2.7 to extimate e.
I use the ex button on your calculator to find e. Use 1 for x.
I example: F = Pert is often used for calculating compound
interest in business applications.
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
Here are four useful limits:
I
1
lim 0+ = 0
x+ x
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
Here are four useful limits:
I
1
lim 0+ = 0
x+ x
I
1
lim 0 = 0
x x
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
Here are four useful limits:
I
1
lim 0+ = 0
x+ x
I
1
lim 0 = 0
x x
I
1
lim +
x0+ x
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
Here are four useful limits:
I
1
lim 0+ = 0
x+ x
I
1
lim 0 = 0
x x
I
1
lim +
x0+ x
I
1
lim
x0 x
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
cont.
The general idea is this:
I
1
+small
+BIG
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
cont.
The general idea is this:
I
1
+small
+BIG
I
1
small
BIG
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
cont.
The general idea is this:
I
1
+small
+BIG
I
1
small
BIG
I
1
+BIG
+small
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x
cont.
The general idea is this:
I
1
+small
+BIG
I
1
small
BIG
I
1
+BIG
+small
I
1
BIG
small
Special Limits
1
f(x) = x

+9.0

+8.0

+7.0

+6.0

+5.0

+4.0

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

x
8.5 7.0 5.5 4.0 2.5 1.0 +1.0 +2.5 +4.0 +5.5 +7.0 +8.5
1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0
Special Limits
1 1
BIG
= small, small
= BIG

Look at 1x using some numbers:

x 10 100 1000 10000 100000 +
f(x) = 1x .1 .01 .001 .0001 .00001 0+

x -10 -100 -1000 -10000 -100000

1
f(x) = x
-.1 -.01 -.001 -.0001 -.00001 0+

x .1 .01 .001 .0001 .00001 +0

1
f(x) = x
10 100 1000 10000 100000 +

x -.1 -.01 -.001 -.0001 -.00001 0

1
f(x) = x
-10 -100 -1000 -10000 -100000
Special Limits
x for Polynomials

I when taking limits of polynomials to drop the lower

degree terms and only keep the higest degree term of of the
polymomial.
Special Limits
x for Polynomials

I when taking limits of polynomials to drop the lower

degree terms and only keep the higest degree term of of the
polymomial.
I this is an intermediate step in taking the limit. Use algebra to
simplify the expression at this step then continue to work on
finding the limit to infinity.
Special Limits
x for Polynomials

I when taking limits of polynomials to drop the lower

degree terms and only keep the higest degree term of of the
polymomial.
I this is an intermediate step in taking the limit. Use algebra to
simplify the expression at this step then continue to work on
finding the limit to infinity.
I this works because for large values of x the highest power
term of the polynomial is so much larger that all of the
smaller degree terms that the smaller degree terms have no
effect in the limit to infinity.
Special Limits
examples of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000
I limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
Special Limits
examples of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000
I limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
Special Limits
examples of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3

I limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3
Special Limits
examples of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3 2

I limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3
= limx+ 4
Special Limits
examples of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3 2

I limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3
= limx+ 4
=
1
limx+ 2
Special Limits
examples of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3 2

I limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3
= limx+ 4
=
limx+ 2 = 12
1
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000
limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3

2
= limx+ 4
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3

2
= limx+ 4

1
= limx+ 2
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x3 +99x+1000 2x3

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx+ 4x3

2
= limx+ 4

1
= limx+ 2

1
= 2
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000
limx 1+2x2 +4x3
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx 4x3
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx 4x3

= limx 42 x
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx 4x3

= limx 42 x

= limx 21 x
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx 4x3

= limx 42 x

= limx 21 x

1
= 2
limx x
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx 4x3

= limx 42 x

= limx 21 x

1
= 2
limx x

1
= 2

Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx 1+2x2 +4x3
= limx 4x3

= limx 42 x

= limx 21 x

1
= 2
limx x

1
= 2

=
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000
limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+

1
= 2
0+ = 0+ = 0
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+

1
= 2
0+ = 0+ = 0
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+

1
= 2
0+ = 0+ = 0
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+

1
= 2
0+ = 0+ = 0
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+

1
= 2
0+ = 0+ = 0
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+

1
= 2
0+ = 0+ = 0
Special Limits
example of x for Polynomials

2x4 +99x+1000 2x4

limx+ 1+2x2 +4x6
= limx+ 4x6

2
= limx+ 4x2

1
= limx+ 2x2

1 1
= 2
limx+ x2

1 1
= 2
+

1
= 2
0+ = 0+ = 0