LIMITS

Consider the function defined by the equation:

f(x) = 3x + 1

and assign some values to x near but not equal, to a specific number, say 2. We construct a tables of
values as shown below:

X 1.500 1.890 1.909 2 X 2.300 2.160 2.009 2

f(x) 5.500 6.670 6.997 7 f(x) 7.900 7.480 7.027 7

The tables show that when x is near 2, whether a little less 2, or a little greater than 2, f(x) =
3x+1 is nearer 7. In other words, “3x+1 approaches the number 7 as a limit when x approaches 2” The
abbreviated symbolic form for this statement is

3x + 1  7 as x  2

We may say also that “the limit of 3x+1 as x approaches 2 is 7.” In symbol we write this as

lim (3𝑥 + 1) = 7
𝑥→2

From our intuitive discussion above, we may formulate the following definition of the limit of a
function.

DEFINITION: Let f(x) be any function and let a and L be numbers. If we can make f(x) as close to L as we
desire by choosing x sufficiently close to a, then we say that the limit of f(x) as x approaches a is L.

SYMBOLICALLY: 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳

𝒙→𝒂

Try this!

1. lim (𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 4) Ans. 14
𝑋→2

2. lim (𝑥 + 4)√2𝑥 + 5 Ans. 18

𝑋→2

3. lim (3𝑥 + 4)2 Ans. 169

𝑋→3

2𝑡 2 +1
4. lim 𝑡 2 +3𝑡−4 Ans. -1/4
𝑋→0

𝑐𝑜𝑠2𝜃
5. lim𝜋 Ans. 0
𝜃→ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃
2
INDETERMINATE FORM

Consider the function defined by

𝑁(𝑥)
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐷(𝑥) 𝐷(𝑥) ≠ 0

Suppose at x = a, N(a) = D(a) = 0

𝑁(𝑥) 0
𝑓(𝑥) = =
𝐷(𝑥) 0

Which is undefined. This limit is usually found into a form to which the theorems on limits can be used.

Try this!
𝑥 2 −4
1. lim = lim 𝑥 + 2 Ans. 4
𝑋→2 𝑥−2 𝑋→2

(𝑥+3)2 −9 𝑥+6
2. lim 2𝑥
= lim Ans. 3
𝑋→0 𝑋→0 2
1−𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑥 1
3. lim = lim 1+𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑥 Ans. ½
𝑋→0 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝑥 𝑋→0

INFINITY

Let f(x) be a function If we can make f(x) as large as we desire by making x close enough, but not
equal, to a real number a, then we describe this situation by writing

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = ∞
𝒙→𝒂

In particular consider the function f(x) = 1/x. The table shows that as x takes on values
successively approaching the number 0, the value of 1/x grows larger and larger. We say that 1/x
becomes infinite as x approaches 0 and indicate this by writing
𝟏
𝐥𝐢𝐦 =∞
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙

x 0.1000 0.0100 0.0010 0.0001 0

f(x) 10 100 1,000 10,000  infinity

LIMIT AT INFINITY

A function f(x) may have a finite limit even when the independent variable x becomes infinite.
This statement “x becomes infinite is customarily expressed in symbolism by “x  ∞”.

Consider again the function f(x) = 1/x. It can be shown that 1/x approaches a finite limit (the
number zero as x increases without bound. That is,
 1/x 0 as x∞

We shall consider this fact as an additional theorem on limits and in symbol we write,
𝟏
𝐥𝐢𝐦 =𝟎
𝒙→∞ 𝒙

We can also say that

𝟏
𝐥𝐢𝐦 =𝟎
𝒙→∞ 𝒙𝒏

𝑁(𝑥) ∞
A function 𝑓(𝑥) = = may assume indeterminate form. However, the limit of f(x) as x becomes
𝐷(𝑥) ∞
infinite may be definite. To find this limit we first divide N(x) and D(X) by the highest power of x. Then
1
we evaluate limit by use of lim = 0.
𝑥→∞ 𝑥

EXAMPLE:
4𝑥 3 +3𝑥 2 −6
Evaluate lim
𝑋→∞ 2𝑥 3 +5𝑥+3

Solution: Divide the numerator and denominator by the highest power of x, 𝑥 3 , we get
3 6
4𝑥 3 +3𝑥 2 −6 4+ − 3
𝑥 𝑥
lim 3 = lim 5 3
𝑋→∞ 2𝑥 +5𝑥+3 𝑋→∞ 2+ 2 − 3
𝑥 𝑥

4+0−0
=2+0+0

=2
 DERIVATIVES

To find the derivative of a function y = f(x) we use the slope formula:

Slope = Change in Y/Change in X = Δy/Δx

And (from the diagram) we see that:

x changes from x to x+Δx

y changes from f(x) to f(x+Δx)

Now follow these steps:

𝛥𝑦 𝑓(𝑥+𝛥𝑥) − 𝑓(𝑥)
 Fill in this slope formula:
𝚫𝐱
=
𝚫𝐱

 Simplify it as best we can

 Then make Δx shrink towards zero.

 RULES FOR DIFFERENTIATION

𝒅
D1. (𝒄) = 𝟎 Constant Rule
𝒅𝒙

𝒅
D2. (𝒙) = 𝟏 Identity Function Rule
𝒅𝒙

𝒅 𝒅𝒖
D3. (𝒄𝒖) = 𝒄
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒅 𝒅𝒖
D4. (𝒖𝒏 ) = 𝒏𝒖𝒏−𝟏 Power Rule
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒅 𝒅𝒖 𝒅𝒗
D5. (𝒖 + 𝒗) = + 𝒅𝒙 Sum Rule
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒅 𝒅𝒗 𝒅𝒖
D6. (𝒖𝒗) = 𝒖 + 𝒗 𝒅𝒙 Product Rule
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒅𝒖 𝒅𝒗
𝒅 𝒖 𝒗 −𝒖
D7. ( )= 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙
Quotient Rule
𝒅𝒙 𝒗 𝒗𝟐

𝒅𝒖
𝒅 𝒅𝒙
D8. (√𝒙) =
𝒅𝒙 𝟐√𝒖

𝒅 𝟏 −𝒏 𝒅𝒖
D9. ( ) = 𝒖𝒏+𝟏 𝒅𝒙
𝒅𝒙 𝒖𝒏
Try this!

1. Find dy/dx if y=2𝑥 2 Ans. 4x

2. Find dy/dx if y= 𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 5 Ans. 3𝑥 2 − 8𝑥

3. Find y’ if y=(𝑥 2 − 10)2 Ans. 4𝑥 3 − 40𝑥

4 1 1 4
4. Find y’ if y= √𝑥 + 𝑥 + √𝑥 Ans.
3
+ 2 − 𝑥2
2√𝑥 3𝑥 ⁄3

3
5. Find y’ if y=√3𝑥 + 2 Ans. 2√3𝑥+2

2
6. Find y’ if y=√2𝑥 − 7 Ans.
3
2
3(2𝑥−7)3

7. Find y’ if y=(3𝑥 + 4√𝑥)2 Ans. 18𝑥 + 36√𝑥 + 16

8. Find y’ if y=3(𝑥 2 + 3)2 Ans. 12𝑥 3 − 36

9. Find y’ if y=12(4𝑥 − 9)3 Ans. 2304𝑥 2 − 10368𝑥 + 11664

3 12𝑥 2 −24𝑥+9
10. Find y’ if y=2𝑥(𝑥 − )2 Ans.
2 2

11. Find y’ if y=(4𝑥 2 − 3)(7𝑥 + 5) Ans. 84𝑥 2 + 40𝑥 − 21

12. Find y’ if y=(𝑥 3 − 10)(4𝑥 + 5)2 Ans. 5(4x + 5)(4𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 − 16)

𝑥 −1
13. Find y’ if y= Ans.
𝑥−1 (𝑥−1)2

𝑥 2 +1 −4𝑥
14. Find y’ if y=𝑥 2 −1 Ans. (𝑥 2 −1)2

𝑥+2 −5
15. Find y’ if y=𝑥−3 Ans. (𝑥−3)2
Chain Rule

Try this!

1. Find y’ if y=7(2𝑥 − 3)2 Ans. 28(x-3)

2. Find y’ if y=(3𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 1)5 Ans. 10(3𝑥 − 2)(3𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 1)4

3. Find y’ if y=(4𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2)−2 Ans. −2(8𝑥 − 3)(8𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2)−3

4. Find y’ if y=𝑥 2 (2𝑥 − 1)3 Ans. 2𝑥(2𝑥 + 1)2 (5𝑥 + 1)

5. Find y’ if y=7𝑥(𝑥 3 − 3)5 Ans. 7(𝑥 3 − 3)5 + 105𝑥 3 (𝑥 3 − 3)4

3
6. Find y’ if y=√7 + √3𝑥 + 1 Ans.
4√3𝑥+1√7+√3𝑥+1

2
8
7. Find y’ if y=√1 − 8𝑥 Ans.− 3 (1 − 8𝑧)−3
3

𝑥 2 +1 2 −8𝑥(𝑥 2 +1)
8. Find y’ if y=( ) Ans.
𝑥 2 −1 (𝑥 2 −1)3