Math 120 Answers for Homework 4

1. Questions about limits

(a) Yes it is possible that lim f (x) and lim g(x) don’t exist but the limits lim (f (x) +
x→a x→a x→a
g(x)) and lim f (x)g(x) exist. We saw an example in class. If we pick
x→a
 
1 if x is rational 0 if x is rational
f (x) = and g(x) =
0 if x is irrational 1 if x is irrational

then no matter what a is, neither the limits lim f (x) nor lim g(x) exist, but since
x→a x→a
f (x) + g(x) = 1 and f (x)g(x) = 0, the limits of the sum and product certainly do
exist.

(b) If lim f (x) and lim (f (x) + g(x)) exist, then lim g(x) must also exist.
x→a x→a x→a

Proof: If lim f (x) = L1 , and lim (f (x) + g(x)) = L2 , then since g(x) = (f (x) +
x→a x→a
g(x)) − f (x), by the theorem on limits of sums we have



lim g(x) = lim (f (x) + g(x) − f (x) = lim (f (x) + g(x)) − lim f (x) = L2 − L1 .
x→a x→a x→a x→a

I.e., the limit lim g(x) exists and is equal to L2 − L1 . 

x→a

(c) If lim f (x) exists, and lim g(x) does not exist, then lim (f (x) + g(x)) cannot exist
x→a x→a x→a
either.

This is really the same logical statement as part (b), just worded differently.

Here is the reason that the limit lim (f (x) + g(x)) cannot exist in such a case. If it
x→a
did exist, we would have found an example where lim f (x) exists and lim (f (x) +
x→a x→a
g(x)) exists, so by part (b) lim g(x) would exist as well. So, if lim f (x) exists,
x→a x→a
lim g(x) doesn’t exist then lim (f (x) + g(x)) can’t exist either.
x→a x→a

(d) It is possible that lim f (x) exists, lim f (x)g(x) exists, and lim g(x) does not exist.
x→a x→a x→a

An easy example is f (x) = x2 and g(x) = sin( x1 ). In class we’ve checked that
lim sin( x1 ) doesn’t exist, but lim x2 sin( x1 ) does exist.
x→0 x→0

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 On the other hand, we can also be a bit more precise at this point: If lim f (x)
x→a
exists and is not equal to zero, and if lim f (x)g(x) exists, then lim g(x) exists too.
x→a x→a

We just copy the argument from part (b) above (or from Homework 1, question
1(b)) using division instead of subtraction.

Proof: If lim f (x) exists and is equal to L1 , L1 6= 0, and if lim f (x)g(x) exists and
x→a x→a
is equal to L2 , then by the limit laws,

f (x)g(x) lim f (x)g(x) L2

lim g(x) = lim = x→a = .
x→a x→a f (x) lim f (x) L1
x→a

2. Squeeze!

(a) Since −1 ≤ sin(1/x) ≤ 1 if we multiply by x4 + x2 (which is positive when x 6= 0)

we have −(x4 + x2 ) ≤ (x4 + x2 ) sin(1/x) ≤ (x4 + x2 ) for all x 6= 0.

Since lim −(x4 + x2 ) = −(04 + 02 ) = 0 = lim x4 + x2 , the squeeze theorem tells us

x→0 x→0
that lim (x4 + x2 ) sin(1/x) exists and is equal to 0.
x→0

(b) Since sin(1/x) is always between −1 and 1, and since cos(x) is always between −1
and 1, their product is also always between −1 and 1, in other words we always
have
−1 ≤ cos(x) sin(1/x) ≤ 1.

Multiplying these inequalities by the positive number x2 we get

−x2 ≤ x2 cos(x) sin(1/x) ≤ x2 ,

and adding 8 gives

8 − x2 ≤ 8 + x2 cos(x) sin(1/x) ≤ 8 + x2 .

Since lim 8 − x2 = 8 = lim 8 + x2 the squeeze theorem tells us that

x→0 x→0

lim 8 + x2 cos(x) sin(1/x)

x→0

exists and is equal to 8.

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3. Some limits with infinity
Let’s use the limit theorems to try and understand what these limits are.

(a) Since lim x1 = 0 (we saw this in class), and since cos(x) is a continuous function,
x→∞
we have  
1
lim cos = cos(0) = 1
x→∞ x

by the theorem on limits and compositions.

(b) Since sin(x) is also a continuous function, the theorem on limits and compositions
also gives us lim sin( x1 ) = sin(0) = 0.
x→∞

Using the limit theorems, this means that

     
3 1 1
lim − cos 1 + sin = (0 − 1)(1 + 0) = −1.
x→∞ x2 x x

The first equals sign above follows

from the theorem


on limits and products. Since
the limits lim x32 − cos x1 and lim 1 + sin x1 exist, the limit of their prod-
x→∞ x→∞
uct is the product of the limits.

(c) First, it’s good to know that lim arctan(x) = π2 . To see this we just need to know
x→∞
that arctan is the function that takes in a slope, and returns the angle the line
with that slope makes with the x-axis.

If we look at a sequence of lines of greater and greater slope, we see that they
approach a vertical line, and hence that the angle they make with the x-axis
approaches π2 .

But then

arctan(x) · x2 − 2 arctan(x) − x22 π

2
−0
lim 1 2 = lim 1 1 = = π.
x→∞
2
x +x+1 x→∞
2
+ x + x12 1
2
+0+0

4. The only possible value of c which makes the function f continuous is c = 6.

Proof:
If f (x) is continuous at x = 2, then by the definition of continuity we must have
lim f (x) = f (2), or, using the definition of f , that
x→2

3
 x2 + cx − 16
lim = 5.
x→2 2x − 4
First we’ll see that the assumption that the limit exists implies that c = 6, and then
check that if c = 6 then the limit does exist and is equal to 5.
If we assume that the limit above exists, this means that

x2 + cx − 16 x2 + cx − 16
   
2
lim (x + cx − 16) = lim · (2x − 4) = lim · lim 2x − 4
x→2 x→2 2x − 4 x→2 2x − 4 x→2

= 5 · 0 = 0,

by the theorem on limits and products. But x2 + cx − 16 is a polynomial, and therefore

continuous, and so

lim (x2 + cx − 16) = 22 + c · 2 − 16 = 2c − 12.

x→2

But 2c − 12 = 0 is only possible when c = 6. This shows us that c = 6 is the only

possible number for which the limit could exist. Now the question is, if c = 6, does the
limit exist, and is it equal to 5?
If c = 6, then

x2 + 6x − 16 (x − 2)(x + 8) (x + 8) (2 + 8)
lim = lim = lim = = 5.
x→2 2x − 4 x→2 2(x − 2) x→2 2 2

Therefore, when c = 6 the limit lim f (x) exists and is equal to f (2), and so by the
x→2
definition of continuous function, f is continuous at x = 2.

5.

(a) g(0) = |0| = 0. To show that g(x) is continuous at x = 0 we just need to show
that lim |x| = 0.
x→0

Initial Investigation: Using the ǫ-δ definition of the limit we need to show that
given ǫ > 0 we can find δ > 0 so that if 0 < |x − 0| < δ then ||x| − 0| < ǫ.
Since ||x| − 0| = ||x|| = |x| we’re supposed to show that given ǫ > 0 we can find δ > 0
so that if 0 < |x| < δ, then |x| < ǫ.
Obviously δ = ǫ (or any δ < ǫ) will work, so now we just have to write it out.

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Solution:
Claim: lim |x| = 0.
x→0

Proof: Suppose that we’re given ǫ > 0. Pick δ < ǫ. Then if |x − 0| < δ,

|x − 0| = |x| < δ < ǫ.

Since this works for any ǫ, lim |x| = 0 by the definition of limit. 
x→0

Note: The inequalities −x ≤ |x| ≤ x are true when x is positive, but false (and
backwards!) when x is negative, so any argument that tries to use the squeeze theorem
based on these “inequalities” is incorrect.

(b) If we plug x = 0 into the inequality |f (x)| ≤ |x| we get |f (0)| ≤ 0. Since it’s
always true that 0 ≤ |f (0)| this means that |f (0)| = 0 and so f (0) = 0.

(c) Here are two solutions to part (c).

Solution 1 (repeat of ǫ-δ argument):

By part (b), f (0) = 0, so to show that f (x) is continuous at x = 0 we therefore have to
show that lim f (x) = 0.
x→0

Initial Investigation:
By the ǫ-δ definition of limit, this means that given ǫ > 0 we need to be able to find
δ > 0 so that if 0 < |x − 0| < δ (i.e., |x| < δ) then |f (x) − 0| = |f (x)| < ǫ. Since we
already know that |f (x)| ≤ |x|, and since we know how to pick a δ so that |x| < ǫ by
part (a), we can use the same δ here.
Solution:
Claim: lim f (x) = 0.
x→0

Proof: Suppose that we’re given ǫ > 0. Pick δ < ǫ. Then if 0 < |x − 0| < δ, we have

|f (x) − 0| = |f (x)| ≤ |x| < δ < ǫ

since this works for any ǫ > 0, lim f (x) = 0 by the definition of limit. 
x→0

Solution 2 (using the squeeze theorem):

By part (b), f (0) = 0, so to show that f (x) is continuous at x = 0 we therefore have to
show that lim f (x) = 0.
x→0

Since |f (x)| ≤ |x|, this means that −|x| ≤ f (x) ≤ |x|. (If this is not clear, use problem
2(a) from homework 2: the inequality |f (x)| ≤ |x| is the same as f (x) ≤ |x| and

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−f (x) ≤ |x|. Multiplying the last inequality by −1 gives −|x| ≤ f (x), so we get both
inequalities above).
Using part (a), and the limit rules, we have

lim −|x| = 0 = lim |x|

x→0 x→0

so by the squeeze theorem we get lim f (x) = 0, so f (x) is continuous at x = 0.

x→0

(d) Just like part (b), since g(0) = 0, the inequality |f (x)| ≤ |g(x)| means that f (0) =
0, so to show that f is continuous at x = 0 we need to show that lim f (x) = 0.
x→0

Here are two solutions to part (d):

Solution 1 (ǫ-δ again):
Initial Investigation:
Suppose that we’re given an ǫ > 0. We want to find δ so that if 0 < |x| < δ then
|f (x) − 0| = |f (x)| < ǫ. However, we know that |f (x)| ≤ |g(x)|, and since g(x) is
continuous at zero, we must be able (by the definition of continuity of g(x)) to find δ so
that if 0 < |x| < δ then |g(x)| < ǫ. By the inequality |f (x)| ≤ |g(x)|, this means that
|f (x)| < ǫ too.
Solution:
Claim: lim f (x) = 0.
x→0

Proof: Suppose we’re given ǫ > 0. Since g(x) is continuous at x = 0, and since g(0) = 0,
there is a δ > 0 so that if 0 < |x − 0| < δ then |g(x)| < ǫ. But that means that if
0 < |x − 0| < δ, then

|f (x) − 0| = |f (x)| ≤ |g(x)| < ǫ.

Since this argument works for any ǫ > 0, lim f (x) = 0 by the definition of limit. 
x→0

Solution 2 (squeeze theorem again):

Since |f (x)| ≤ |g(x)|, this means that we have the inequalities −|g(x)| ≤ f (x) ≤ |g(x)|
(just like solution 2 in part (b)). But by assumption we have

lim −|g(x)| = 0 = lim |g(x)|,

x→0 x→0

so by the squeeze theorem we get lim f (x) = 0, so f (x) is continuous at x = 0.

x→0