ONE-SIDED LIMITS LIMIT THEOREMS

The limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the left If f is a polynomial function, then
is L if the values of f(x) get closer and closer to
L as the values of x get closer and closer to a,
but are less than a. The notation is:

The limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the right

is L if the values of f(x) get closer and closer to
L as the values of x get closer and closer to a,
but are greater than a. The notation is:
ROADS
TO
If f is a rational function and f(a) is defined, then

For the right-handed limit we now have (note

the “+”) which means that we know will only Other Theorems:
look at x>a. Likewise for the left-handed limit
we have (note the “-”) which means that we

LIMITS
will only be looking at x<a.

Also, note that as with the “normal” limit, the

function should settle down to a single number,
in order for the limit to exist, on either the right
side of or the left side of depending on the
one-sided limit.
Submitted by:
Aime Lamoste
Shaina Sardanas
Nikko Salomon
Mark Pagalan
 both sides of 2 to assure that any trends that we For x=2 we find:
might be seeing are in fact correct. The table of
WHAT IS A LIMIT? values are shown:
x f(x) x f(x) g(2) is indeterminate. It is not defined when x=2
A limit is said to be the quantity a function 1 2.0 3 8 but that does not mean that its limit as it
“approaches” as the input come close to 1.5 2.75 2.5 5.75 approaches x=2 is indeterminate. The definition
some value. Suppose that a function f(x) is 1.9 3.71 2.1 4.31 of states that we take into account the values
defined when the values of x are close to 1.99 3.9701 2.01 4.0301 close to a but not equal to a. The table of values
some real number a, then we can write: 1.999 3.997001 2.001 4.003001 below show that the limit of g(x) as x approaches
1.9999 3.99970001 2.0001 4.00030001 2 is equal to 4.
x f(x) x f(x)
This equation is said as: “The limit of f(x), as From this table it appears that the as the values of x 1.5 5.0 2.5 3.4
x approaches a, equals L” get closer and closer to 2, the values of f(x) get closer 1.9 4.15789 2.1 3.85714
and closer to 4. We can state this as “the limit of the
1.99 4.01507 2.01 3.98507
This tells us that the values of f(x) gets closer function as x approaches 2 is equal to 4 and written
as: 1.999 4.00150 2.001 3.99850
and closer to the value of L as x approaches
the value of a but not equal to a. 1.9999 4.00015 2.0001 3.99985
It can be confusing for some time but limits 1.99999 4.00001 2.00001 3.99998
are very important in dealing with derivatives
Graphical representation
and integrals in calculus.
In finding limits, we only consider the values is shown on the left.
of x very close to a on both sides but not Coincidentally, the limit
exactly a. Let us investigate and consider the of f(x) is equal to
function and we want to find the limit as x Graphical representation
approaches 2. We write: is shown on the left.
However this is not the
case for all functions.

Solution: Consider the function

We will choose quantities of x that get closer
and closer to 2 and plug these values into the
function. Take note to pick values of x on