Professional Documents
Culture Documents
QQM1023
Perhaps you have heard about speed limit. What does the word “limit”
means to you??
1
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
lim f x lim 2 x 1
x 1 x 1
i)
Left : denoted by x 2 , means x can take values that are
less than and close to 2 (1.9, 1.99, 1.999, 1.9999….etc)
ii) Right: denoted by x 2 , means that x can take values that
are greater and closer to 2 (2.1, 2.01, 2.001, 2.0001…)
There are three ways for us to obtain the limits of a function:
From the table
From the graph
Using Algebra
and we would like to examine what is the value (limit) of this function
2
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
Closest to 4
Closer to 4
Closer to 4
Less than
4
f x 3x 2 1
When x 3.9
f 3.9 3 3.9 1 44.63
2
f x 3x 2 1
When x 3.99
f 3.99 3 3.99 1 46.7603
2
You can also examine the limit for the function through table:
x 3.9 3.99 3.999 3.9999
f x
Table: x 4
From the table, we can see that, as x approach 4 from the left,
f x is getting closer (approach) to the value of 47 or
had f x had 3x 2 1 47
x 4 x 4
Step 2:
3
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
From the table, we can see that, as x approach 4 from the right,
f x is getting closer (approach) to the value of 47 or
had f x had 3 x 2 1 47
x4 x 4
Step 3: EQUAL
As had f x had f x 47
x 4 x 4
DEFINITION 5.1.1(a):
The limit of a function exist, if and only if the limit of the function
from both side (left/right) are equal.
If
NOTES: ,
therefore
DO NOT EXIST
any value
4
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
Example
1: x3 1
Given f x , find the limit for f x as x approach 1.
x 1
Solution
:
Step 1:
Build the table for x approaching 1 from the left : x 1
Step 2:
x3 1
lim f x lim 3
x 1 x 1
x 1
Step 3: EQUAL
As lim f x lim f x 3
x1 x 1
5
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
x3 1
Therefore, lim f x lim 3
x 1 x 1
x 1
Example
1
2:
Determine whether lim
x 3 x 3 exist or not?
Solution
:
Step 1:
Step 2:
6
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
1
lim f x lim 10000
x 3 x 3 x 3
(where f x is getting bigger as x approach 3 from right)
Step 3:
As xlim f x lim f x
3 x 3
1
Therefore lim f x lim DOES NOT EXIST
x 3 x 3 x 3
7
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
Example
3:
Based on the graph for the function f x , we can examine the
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 x
x 1 1 x
a) Find
iii) lim f x
x 1
Example
4: y
8
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 x
x 2 2 x
b) Find
iii) lim f x
x 2
Example
5:
y
9
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 x
x 1 1 x
c) Find
PROPERTY 1
Example
6: a) lim 7
x2
b) lim e
x 5
10
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
PROPERTY 2
ii) lim xn an
xa
Example
7: x2
a) lim
x 3
b) lim x1 / 3
x 27
Let say:
iii) lim
xa
f x g x lim
xa
f x lim g x
xa
= L ± M
PROPERTY 4
iv) lim
x a
f x .g x lim
x a
f x . lim g x
x a
=LxM
11
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
PROPERTY 5
v) lim
xa
c. f x c. lim
x a
f x
=cL
PROPERTY 6
n f x n lim f x
vi) lim
x a x a
= n
L
Example
8:
Given f ( x) 2 x 3 and g ( x) x 2 1 . Find
a) lim(2 x 3)
x 2
b) lim( x 2 1)
x2
c)
lim (2 x 3) ( x 2 1)
x2
d) lim(2 x 3)( x 2 1)
x 2
12
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
e) lim e( x 2 1)
x2
f) lim (2 x 3)
x2
If:
lim f x L and lim g x M
xa x a
f x L
lim h( x) lim
xa xa g x M
However, there are 4 possibilities for the values of L and M that will
define the limits for this function:
POSSIBILITY 1 L ≠0 and M ≠ 0
Therefore;
f x L
had 0
xa g x M
Example
Given:
9:
f ( x) 5 x 4 and g ( x) 3 x 7
Find:
a) lim(5 x 4)
x 3
13
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
b) lim (3 x 7)
x 3
(5 x 4)
c) lim
x 3 (3 x 7)
Example
Find:
10: x 2
a) lim
x3 x 8
x2 5
b) lim
x 2 1 x
POSSIBILITY 2 L =0 and M ≠ 0
Therefore;
f x 0
lim 0
xa g x M
x4
a)Example
lim =
x 4 x2
11:
2x 4
b) lim
x 2 3
POSSIBILITY 3 L ≠0 and M = 0
Therefore;
f x L
lim
xa g x 0 DO NOT EXIST
14
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
Example
12:
x
a) lim =
x 3 x 3
4x
b) lim
x3 2x 6
POSSIBILITY 3 L =0 and M = 0
f x 0
lim LIMIT MIGHT/MIGHT NOT EXIST
x a g x 0
Example
13: x2
a) lim
x 2 x2 4
3x 2 7 x 2
b) lim
x 2 x4
i) a+∞=∞
ii) ∞+a=∞
iii) a - ∞ = -∞
iv) ∞-a=∞
15
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
v) a.∞ = ∞
vi) a(-∞) = - ∞
vii) a=0
∞
viii) ∞=∞
a
ix) ∞n = ∞; for n>0
x) ∞n = 0; for n<0
xi) ∞n = 1; for n=0
xii) n
=∞
* a is constant
Example
14:
Find:
a) lim
x
b) xlim 2.718
Example
Find;
15:
a) lim (3 x 2 1)
x
16
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
b) lim (2 x 5 x 4 1000)
x
f ( x ) numerator
iii) Limit at infinity for rational function: h( x)
g ( x) deno min ator
Steps to obtain limit at infinity for rational function;
i. Exclude all terms except the one with the greatest power for
numerator and denominator.
ii. Simplify
iii. Substitutes x with ∞ or -
iv. Find the limit for the function.
Example
16: 2x4 x2 3
a) lim
x x 3 x 2
2 x3 x 2 3
b) lim
x x 3 x 2
17
Managerial Mathematics:
QQM1023
x 1
c) lim
x 2 x 2 5 x
18