Math131 Calculus I The Limit Laws Notes 2.

I. The Limit Laws

Assumptions: c is a constant and lim f ( x ) and lim g ( x ) exist
x→ a x→ a

Limit Law in symbols Limit Law in words

lim[ f ( x ) + g ( x )] = lim f ( x ) + lim g ( x) The limit of a sum is equal to
1 x→a x→a x→a the sum of the limits.

lim[ f ( x ) − g ( x )] = lim f ( x ) − lim g ( x ) The limit of a difference is equal to

2 x→a x→a x→a the difference of the limits.

lim cf ( x) = c lim f ( x) The limit of a constant times a function is equal

3 x→a x→a to the constant times the limit of the function.

lim[ f ( x ) g ( x )] = lim f ( x ) ⋅ lim g ( x)] The limit of a product is equal to

4 x→a x→a x→a the product of the limits.

f ( x ) lim f ( x)
The limit of a quotient is equal to
5 lim
x→a
= x→a
g ( x ) lim g ( x)
(if lim g ( x) ≠ 0)
x→a the quotient of the limits.
x→a

6 lim[ f ( x)] n = [lim f ( x )] n where n is a positive integer

x→a x→a

lim c = c The limit of a constant function is equal

7 x→a to the constant.

lim x = a The limit of a linear function is equal

8 x→a to the number x is approaching.

9 lim x n = a n where n is a positive integer

x→a

lim n x = n a where n is a positive integer & if n is even,

10 x→a we assume that a > 0
where n is a positive integer & if n is even,
11 lim n f ( x ) = n lim f ( x ) we assume that lim f ( x ) > 0
x→a x→a
x→ a

Direct Substitution Property: If f is a polynomial or rational function and a is in the domain of f,

then lim f ( x ) =
x→a

“Simpler Function Property”: If f ( x) = g ( x) when x ≠ a then lim f ( x ) = lim g ( x ) , as long as the

x→a x→a
limit exists.
Math131 Calculus I Notes 2.3 page 2

ex#1 Given lim f ( x) = 2 , lim g ( x) = −1 , lim h( x) = 3 use the Limit Laws find lim f ( x )h( x ) − x 2 g ( x)
x →3 x →3 x →3 x →3

2
ex#2 Evaluate lim 22 x + 1 , if it exists, by using the Limit Laws.
x→2 x + 6x − 4

ex#3 Evaluate: lim 2 x 2 + 3 x − 5

x →1

1 − (1 − x) 2
ex#4 Evaluate: lim
x→0 x

h+4 −2
ex#5 Evaluate: lim
h →0 h
Math131 Calculus I Notes 2.3 page 3

Two Interesting Functions

1. Absolute Value Function

Definition: x =  x if x ≥ 0
− x if x < 0

Geometrically: The absolute value of a number indicates its distance from another number.

x − c = a means the number x is exactly _____ units away from the number _____.

x − c < a means: The number x is within _____ units of the number _____.

How to solve equations and inequalities involving absolute value:

Solve: |3x + 2| = 7 Solve: |x - 5| < 2

What does |x - 5| < 2 mean geometrically?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. The Greatest Integer Function
Definition: [[x]] = the largest integer that is
less than or equal to x.

ex 6 [[ 5 ]] =
ex 7 [[ 5.999 ]] =
ex 8 [[ 3 ]] =
ex 9 [[ -2.6 ]] =

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theorem 1: lim f ( x) = L if and only if lim− f ( x) = L = lim f ( x)

x →a x→a x→a +
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
x
ex#10 Prove that the lim does not exist.
x→0 x
Math131 Calculus I Notes 2.3 page 4

ex#11 What is lim [[ x ]] ?

x→3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Theorem 2: If f ( x) ≤ g ( x) when x is near a (except possibly at a) and the limits of f and g both
exist as x approaches a then lim f ( x ) ≤ lim g ( x ) .
x→a x→ a

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1
ex12 Find lim x 2 sin . To find this limit, let’s start by graphing it. Use your graphing calculator.
x →0 x

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Squeeze Theorem: If f ( x) ≤ g ( x) ≤ h( x) when x is near a (except possibly at a) and
lim f ( x) = lim h( x) = L then lim g ( x) = L
x→a x →a x→a
Math131 Calculus I Limits at Infinity & Horizontal Asymptotes Notes 2.6

Definitions of Limits at Large Numbers

Definition in Words Precise Mathematical Definition

Let f be a function defined on some interval (a, ∞). Let f be a function defined on some interval (a, ∞).
POSITIVE

Then lim f ( x ) = L if for every ε > 0 there is a

numbers

Then lim f ( x ) = L means that the values of f(x) can

Large

x→∞
x→∞
be made arbitrarily close to L by taking x sufficiently corresponding number N such that if x > N then
large in a positive direction. f ( x) − L < ε
Let f be a function defined on some interval Let f be a function defined on some interval
NEGATIVE

(-∞,a). Then lim f ( x) = L if for every ε > 0 there

numbers

(-∞,a). ∞). Then lim f ( x) = L means that the

Large

x → −∞
x → −∞
values of f(x) can be made arbitrarily close to L by is a corresponding number N such that if x < N then
taking x sufficiently large in a negative direction. f ( x) − L < ε

Definition What this can look like…

Horizontal Asymptote

The line y = L is a
horizontal asymptote
of the curve y = f(x) if
either is true:
1. lim f ( x) = L
x→∞
or
2. lim f ( x) = L
x → −∞

The line x = a is a
vertical asymptote
of the curve y = f(x)
if at least one of the
Vertical Asymptote

following is true:
1. lim f ( x) = ∞
x→a

2. lim− f ( x) = ∞
x→ a

3. lim+ f ( x) = ∞
x→ a

4. lim f ( x) = −∞
x→a

5. lim− f ( x) = −∞
x→ a

6. lim+ f ( x) = −∞
x→ a

Theorem
1
• If r > 0 is a rational number then lim =0
x→∞ x r

1
• If r > 0 is a rational number such that x r is defined for all x then lim =0
x → −∞ x r
Math131 Calculus I Notes 2.6 page 2

3
ex#1 Find the limit: lim
x→∞ x 5

x3 + 2x
ex#2 Find the limit: lim
x→ ∞ 5 x 3 − x 2 + 4

ex#3 Find the limit: lim 9 x 2 + x − 3x

x→ ∞

ex#4 Find the limit: lim cos x

x →∞
Math131 Calculus I Notes 2.6 page 3

2x 2 + 1
ex#5 Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes of the graph of the function: f ( x) =
3x − 5
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