Homework 2 of Math 2000 due on 9–10/09/2019

Hand to TA in tutorial.

1. Find the limits with explanation:

4 − xy
(i) lim (ii) lim sin( ln(1 + x + y) )
(x,y)→(0,0) 4+ xy (x,y)→(0,0)

x3 − y 3
2. Define f (x, y) = .
x2 + y 2
√
(i) Prove that 0 ≤ |f (x, y)| ≤ 2 x2 + y 2 for all (x, y) ∈ Dom(f ).
(ii) Find the limit lim f (x, y) for all (a, b) ∈ R2 .
(x,y)→(a,b)

x3 +y 5
3. Determine, with reason if the limit lim 2 2 exists or not.
(x,y)→(0,0) +y
x

4. f (x, y) = x2 + y 2 . Note that

f (x + h, y) = (x + h)2 + y 2 = x2 + 2xh + h2 + y 2 = f (x, y) + 2xh + h2 , and
f (x, y + k) = x2 + (y + k)2 = x2 + y 2 + 2yk + k 2 = f (x, y) + 2yk + k 2 .
Evaluate the following: then
f (x + h, y) − f (x, y) 2xh + h2
(a) lim = lim = lim =
h→0 h h→0 h h→0
f (x, y + k) − f (x, y)
(b) lim = lim
k→0 k l→0 k
5. Define f (x, y) = xy 2 − 2. Evaluate the following limits:
f (x + h, y) − f (x, y)
(a) lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h
f (x, y + k) − f (x, y)
(b) lim = lim
k→0 k l→0 k
Review 3 on Definitions and Theorems. 5. Theorem. Sandwich (Squeeze) Theorem of Limit
Let f be a function defined on a domain Dom(f ) in the space Rn , and Suppose that f (v) and g(v) are scalar functions defined on the same domain D
in Rn , such that 0 ≤ |f (v)| ≤ g(v) for all v ∈ D(⊂ Rn ).
1. Definition. Let p ∈ Rn and D = Dom(f ). The point is called an accumulation
point of D, if every open ball centered at p with positive radius contains at least If lim g(v) = 0, then lim f (v) = 0.
v→p v→p
a point q different from p. Remark. Read Example 2(ii) and Example 3.
2. Remark. Whenever, we want to talk about the limit of f (q) when q approaches 6. Proposition. (Limit of composition of functions)
to p, the point p in question should be an accumulation point of Dom(f ). The Let f be a scalar function defined in some domain D in Rn with range R ⊂ R,
reason is that we always want to find a sequence (qn )n≥0 of points in Dom(f ) in and lim f (v) = ℓ. Suppose that g : R → R is continuous scalar function defined
which the distance ∥qn − p∥ < n1 is getting smaller as n gets larger. From now v→p
on R. Then we have
on, we may assume that the point p in question will be an accumulation point,
whenever one want to discuss the limit of a function. (i) the composite function g ◦ f is defined on D;
3. Definition. The limit of f is ℓ as q in Dom(f ) approaches to p, denoted by f g
(x, y) −→ f (x, y) −→ g(f (x, y)) = g ◦ f (x, y).
ℓ = lim f (q)
q→p (ii) lim g ◦ f (v) = g(ℓ).
v→p
if the following holds: Remark. Read Example 1 (i).

For any given ε > 0, one can find δ > 0, such that the following holds:
If for any q ∈ Dom(f ), q ̸= p and ∥p − q∥ < δ, then
|f (q) − f (p)| < ε.
4. Theorem. Laws of Limit Let c be a constant, and suppose that f (v) and g(v)
are two functions defined on the same domain D such that lim f (v) = A and
v→p
lim g(v) = B exist and both are finite, then we have
v→p
7. Proposition. (Directional limit of f along a curve)
Suppose that the limit lim f (x, y) = ℓ as (x, y) approaches to (a, b), and let
(x,y)→(a,b)
C : r(t) = ( x(t), y(t) ) be a continuous curve in Dom(f ) whenever t ̸= 0, and
passing through (a, b) at t = 0.
Then ℓ is the directional limit g(t) = f ◦ r(t) = f (x(t), y(t)) of the function f
along the curve C at t = 0, i.e. lim g(t) = ℓ.
t→0
Remarks. (i) This proposition is often used to prove that the following limit

(a) Sum and Difference Rules: lim ( f (v) + g(v) ) = A + B, and lim f (x, y)
v→p (x,y)→(a,b)
lim ( f (v) − g(v) ) = A − B;
v→p does not exist.
(b) Product Rule: lim ( f (v) · g(v) ) = A · B; (ii) Read the examples at page 36 and 37 in lecture notes 2019-lecture-03.pdf
v→p

(c) Scalar Multiplication Rule: lim ( c · f (v) ) = c · A;

v→p
f (v)
(d) Quotient Rule: lim ( g(v) )= A
B, provided that B ̸= 0.
v→p
 x2 +2xy+y 2
Worked Example Sheet 3 for Math 2002 in 2019 (ii) Let g(x, y) = x+y ,
then its domain is given by
Read the lecture notes 2019-lecture-003.pdf. {  }

Dom(g) = Dom(x2 + 2xy + y 2 ) ∩ (x, y) ∈ Dom(x + y)  x + y ̸= 0
1. Example. Determine, with explanation, the following limits: {  }

= R2 ∩ (x, y) ∈ R2  x + y ̸= 0
ex · ey x2 + 2xy + y 2 {  }
(i) lim ; (ii) lim . 
(x,y)→(0,0) x + y + 2 (x,y)→(0,0) x+y = R2 \ (x, y) ∈ R2  x + y = 0 .

Solution. (i) Note that ex · ey = ex+y for all (x, y) ∈ R2 , with For any (x, y) ∈ Dom(g), we have x + y ̸= 0, so
{ }
Dom(ex+y ) = (x, y) ∈ R2 | x + y ∈ Dom(e(−) ) = R = R2 . x2 + 2xy + y 2 (x + y)2
g(x, y) = = =x+y on Dom(g).
x+y x+y
ex+y
Define f (x, y) = x+y+2 , then the domain of f is given by This means that the function g coincides with the polynomial function x + y on
( ) its domain Dom(g). Consequently, it follows from law of limit for addition that
ex+y
Dom(f ) = Dom lim g(x, y) = lim (x + y) = 0 + 0 = 0.
x+y+2 (x,y)→(0,0) (x,y)→(0,0)
{ }
= Dom(ex+y ) ∩ (x, y) ∈ Dom(x + y + 2) | x + y + 2 ̸= 0
x4 − y 4
{ } 2. Example. Determine the limit lim f (x, y) where f (x, y) =
.
= R2 \ (x, y) ∈ R2 | x + y + 2 = 0 . (x,y)→(a,b) x2 + y 2
Solution. Recall that both numerator x − y and denominator x + y 2 are
4 4 2

Hence, we can evaluate the value of function f (x, y) via the following two steps: polynomials in x and y, so
lim (x4 − y 4 ) = a4 − b4 , and lim (x2 + y 2 ) = a2 + b2 .
h g ex+y (x,y)→(a,b) (x,y)→(a,b)
(x, y) −→ x+y −→ ,
x+y+2 We divide our discussion according to the following 2 cases:
where h(x, y) = x + y and g is a function g of one variable defined by (i) As (a, b) ̸= (0, 0), we know that a2 + b2 ̸= 0. It follows from the law of limit
for quotient that
et x4 − y 4 a4 − b4
g(t) = , with Dom(g) = R \ {−2}. lim = .
t+2 (x,y)→(a,b) x2 + y 2 a2 + b2
et (t + 1) (ii) Now (a, b) = (0, 0), then a2 + b2 = 0, so the law of limit for √
quotient in (i)
We can use the quotient rule to find out that g ′ (t) = for any point t of
(t + 2)2 fails. For any (x, y) ∈ Dom(g) = R2 \ {(0, 0)}, we have r = x2 + y 2 > 0,
Dom(g), and hence g is continuous on Dom(g). In particular, we have and rewrite (x, y) in terms of polar coordinates,

e0 1 (x, y) = (r cos θ, r sin θ).

lim g(t) = g(0) = = .
t→0 0+2 2 Then |f (x, y)| ≤ 2(x2 + y 2 ) for all (x, y) ∈ Dom(g) = R2 \ {(0, 0)}. In fact,
Note that h(x, y) = x+y is a polynomial function, we have lim h = h(0, 0) = r4 | cos4 θ − sin4 θ |
(x,y)→(0,0) |f (x, y) − 0| = |f (r cos θ, r sin θ)| =
0 + 0 = 0. As g is continuous on R \ {0}, it follows from the limit of composition r2
of functions that = r | cos θ − sin θ| ≤ r ( | cos θ| + | sin θ| ) ≤ 2r2 = 2(x2 + y 2 ).
2 4 4 2 4 4

( )
1 It follows from lim 2(x2 + y 2 ) = 2(02 + 02 ) = 0, and sandwich theorem
lim f (x, y) = lim g(h(x, y)) = g lim h(x, y) = g(0) = . (x,y)→(0,0)
(x,y)→(0,0) (x,y)→(0,0) (x,y)→(0,0) 2 that
lim f (x, y) = 0.
(x,y)→(0,0)
 xy(x2 −y 2 )
3. Example. Prove that lim 2 2 = 0.
(x,y)→(0,0) x +y
2
−y )
2
Proof. Let f (x, y) = xy(xx2 +y 2 , in which both xy(x2 − y 2 ) and x2 + y 2 are
polynomial, so its domain is given by
{  }

Dom(f ) = Dom( xy(x2 − y 2 ) ) ∩ (x, y) ∈ R2  x2 + y 2 ̸= 0
{  }

= R2 ∩ (x, y) ∈ R2  x2 + y 2 ̸= 0
= R2 \ { (0, 0) }.

For any (x, y) ∈ Dom(f ), rewrite (x, y) in terms of polar coordinates

(x, y) = (r cos θ, r sin θ), we have

r4 | sin θ cos θ(cos2 θ − sin2 θ) |

|f (x, y)| = |f (r cos θ, r sin θ)| = ≤ r2 | cos 2θ|
r2
≤ r2 = x2 + y 2 .

It follows from lim (x2 + y 2 ) = 02 + 02 = 0, and sandwich theorem that

(x,y)→(0,0)

lim f (x, y) = 0.
(x,y)→(0,0)

) (
1
4. Example. Determine with reasons if the limit lim exp −
exists.
(x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 2
Solution. The limit is 0. Recall the notation of exponential function exp(t) = et .
We proceeds in the following steps:
(a) First define g(t) = et − t on I = [0, +∞), one can easily check that derivative
g ′ (t) = et − 1 ≥ 0 on I, It follows from intermediate value theorem that
g(t) ≥ g(0) = 1 on I, i.e. t < 1 + t ≤ et on I.
1
√ 1
(b) Let r = t
> 0 for all t > 0, then one has t = r2 , and it follows from (a)
that
1 1
2
< exp( 2 ) for any r > 0.
r r
1
Then we have 0 < exp(− 2 ) < (x2 + y 2 ) if r2 = x2 + y 2 .
x + y2
(c) Then it follows It follows from lim (x2 + y 2 ) = 02 + 02 = 0, and
(x,y)→(0,0)
sandwich theorem
( )
1
lim exp − = 0.
(x,y)→(0,0) x + y2
2

Remark. The continuity method won’t work, as lim 1/(x2 + y 2 ) = +∞.

(x,y)→(0,0)