Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity

Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity
Mathematics 21
Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman)
Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity Mathematics 21 1 / 43
For today
1 Infinite Limits
2 Limits at Infinity
Illustration
1
Consider f ( x ) = . What happens as x → 0?
x2
x f (x) x f (x)
1 1 −1 1
0.5 4 −0.5 4
0.1 100 −0.1 100
0.001 1000000 −0.001 1000000
0.00001 10000000000 −0.00001 10000000000
As x → 0+ , f ( x ) increases, and there is no bound to its growth.
Similarly, as x → 0− , f ( x ) increases indefinitely.
6
−4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
−1
Intuitive Definition
We say that the
limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a is positive infinity
[limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a is negative infinity]
if the value of f ( x ) increases [decreases] without bound whenever the values of x

get closer and closer to a.
Notation:
lim f ( x ) = +∞ [ lim f ( x ) = −∞]
x→a x→a
Remark: In the definition above, “ x → a” may be replaced by “ x → a− ” or

“ x → a+ ”.
Example
1
Let f ( x ) = .
x2
x f (x) x f (x)
1 1 −1 1
0.5 4 −0.5 4
0.1 100 −0.1 100
0.001 1000000 −0.001 1000000
0.00001 10000000000 −0.00001 10000000000
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
0+ +∞ 0− +∞
We now write:
1
lim = +∞
x →0 x2
Remark
Note that ∞ is NOT a number. So, lim f ( x ) = +∞ or −∞ does not mean that the
x→a
limit exists.
BUT... the symbol is IMPORTANT.
Vertical Asymptotes
The line with equation x = a is a vertical asymptote of the graph of f if at least

one of the following is true:
lim f ( x ) = +∞ lim f ( x ) = −∞ lim f ( x ) = +∞ lim f ( x ) = −∞

x → a− x → a− x → a+ x → a+
x=a x=a x=a x=a
10
3x
f (x) = 8
x−1
6

3x 3
lim = −∞ 4
x →1− x − 1 0−
2

3x 3
lim = +∞ −6 −4 −2 0 2 4 6 8
x →1+ x−1 0+ −2
In general:
Theorem
Suppose lim f ( x ) = c and lim g( x ) = 0.
x→a x→a
1 If c > 0
f (x)
1 and g( x ) → 0+ as x → a, then lim = +∞
g( x ) x→a
f (x)
2 and g( x ) → 0− as x → a, then lim = −∞
x→a g( x )
2 If c < 0
f (x)
1 and g( x ) → 0+ as x → a, then lim = −∞
g( x )
x→a
f (x)
2 and g( x ) → 0− as x → a, then lim = +∞
x→a g( x )
Example
5x 5x
lim lim
x →−2− 4 − x2 x →−2+ 4 − x2
5x 5x
= lim = lim
x →−2− (2 + x )(2 − x ) x →−2+ (2 + x )(2 − x )
−10 −10

= +∞ = −∞
(0− )(4) (0+ )(4)
Theorem
1 If lim f ( x ) exists and lim g( x ) = ±∞, then lim ( f ( x ) + g( x )) = ± ∞.
x→a x→a x→a
2 If lim f ( x ) exists and lim g( x ) = ±∞, then lim ( f ( x ) − g( x )) = ∓∞.
x→a x→a x→a
3 If lim f ( x ) = +∞ and lim g( x ) = +∞, then lim ( f ( x ) + g( x )) = +∞.
x→a x→a x→a
4 If lim f ( x ) = +∞ and lim g( x ) = −∞, then lim ( f ( x ) − g( x )) = +∞, and
x→a x→a x→a
lim ( g( x ) − f ( x )) = −∞.
x→a
lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) + g( x )] lim [ f ( x ) − g( x )]

x→a x→a x→a x→a
c +∞ +∞ −∞
c −∞ −∞ +∞
+∞ +∞ +∞ ?
+∞ −∞ ? +∞
Theorem
1 Let c ∈ R \ {0}. Suppose xlim
→a
f ( x ) = c and lim g( x ) = ±∞.
x→a
1 If c > 0, then lim f ( x ) g( x ) = ± ∞.
x→a
2 If c < 0, then lim f ( x ) g( x ) = ∓∞.
x→a
2 If lim f ( x ) = +∞ and lim g( x ) = +∞, then lim f ( x ) g( x ) = +∞.

x→a x→a x→a
3 If lim f ( x ) = +∞ and lim g( x ) = −∞, then lim f ( x ) g( x ) = −∞.
x→a x→a x→a
lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) g( x )]

x→a x→a x→a
c>0 ±∞ ±∞
c<0 ±∞ ∓∞
+∞ +∞ +∞
+∞ −∞ −∞
0 ±∞ ?
Example

2
Evaluate lim x2 − .
x →1− x−1
lim x2 = 1
x →1−

2 2
lim = −∞
x →1− x − 1 0−

2 2
lim x − = +∞
x →1− x−1
Example

1 2x
Evaluate lim + .
x →−3− x2 − 9 x + 3

1 2x
lim +
x →−3− x2 − 9 x+3
−6

1 2x 1
= lim + +
x →−3− ( x + 3)( x − 3) x+3 (0− )(−6) 0−
= +∞
Recall
lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) + g( x )] lim [ f ( x ) − g( x )]

x→a x→a x→a x→a
+∞ +∞ +∞ ?
+∞ −∞ ? +∞
lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) g( x )]

x→a x→a x→a
0 ±∞ ?
Other Indeterminate Forms
Definition
1 Suppose lim f ( x ) = +∞ and lim g( x ) = +∞. Then
x→a x→a
lim ( f ( x ) − g( x ))
x→a
is called an indeterminate form of type ∞ − ∞.
2 Suppose lim f ( x ) = 0 and lim g( x ) = ±∞.Then

x→a x→a
lim f ( x ) g( x )
x→a
is called an indeterminate form of type 0 · ∞.
Example

3 2x
lim − 2
x →2+ x − 2 x −4

3 2x 3 4
= lim − − + (∞ − ∞)
x →2+ x − 2 ( x − 2)( x + 2) 0+ (0 )(4)
3x + 6 − 2x
= lim
x →2 + ( x − 2)( x + 2)

x+6 8
= lim
x →2+ ( x − 2)( x + 2) (0+ )(4)
= +∞
Example

1 t 8 1 4 8
lim − − (−∞ · 0)
t →4+ 4−tt−1 t+2 0− 3 6
t ( t + 2) − 8( t − 1)

1
= lim
t →4+ 4 − t (t − 1)(t + 2)
2
t − 6t + 8

0
= lim
t→4 (4 − t )( t − 1)( t + 2)
+ 0
(t − 2)(t − 4)
= lim
(4 − t)(t − 1)(t + 2)
t →4+
−(t − 2)
= lim
t→4+ ( t − 1)( t + 2)
2 1
=− =−
(3)(6) 9
Illustration
1
Consider: f ( x ) = . What happens as x increases or decreases without bound?
x
x f (x) x f (x)
1 1 −1 −1
10 0.1 −100 −0.01
1000 0.001 −10000 −0.0001
1000000 0.000001 −10000000 −0.0000001
1000000000 0.000000001 −1000000000 −0.000000001
As x → +∞, f ( x ) → 0.
As x → −∞, f ( x ) → 0.
Illustration
1
f (x) =
x 2
−4 −2 0 2 4
−2
We say that the limit of f ( x ) as x approaches positive infinity is L if the values
of f ( x ) get closer and closer to L as the values of x increase without bound.
Notation:
lim f ( x ) = L
x →+∞
We say that the limit of f ( x ) as x approaches negative infinity is L if the values
of f ( x ) get closer and closer to L as the values of x decrease without bound.
Notation:
lim f ( x ) = L
x →−∞
Example
1
Let f ( x ) =
x
x f (x) x f (x)
1 1 −1 −1
10 0.1 −100 −0.01
1000 0.001 −10000 −0.0001
1000000 0.000001 −10000000 −0.0000001
1000000000 0.000000001 −1000000000 −0.000000001
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
∞ 0 −∞ 0
We write:
1 1
lim = 0 and lim =0
x →+∞ x x →−∞ x
Horizontal Asymptotes
Definition
The line y = L is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of y = f ( x ) if
lim f ( x ) = L or lim f ( x ) = L
x →−∞ x →+∞
y=L y=L
y=L y=L
Example
1 1
lim = 0 and lim =0
x →+∞ x x →−∞ x
1
f (x) =
x 2
y=0
−4 −2 0 2 4
−2
Limit Theorems
Theorem
Suppose lim f ( x ) = L1 and lim g( x ) = L2 .
x →±∞ x →±∞
lim [ f ( x ) ± g( x )] = lim f ( x ) ± lim g( x ) = L1 ± L2

x →±∞ x →±∞ x →±∞

lim [ f ( x ) g( x )] = lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) = L1 L2
x →±∞ x →±∞ x →±∞
lim [c f ( x )] = c lim f ( x ) = cL1
x →±∞ x →±∞
lim f ( x )
f (x) x →±∞ L
lim = = 1 , provided L2 6= 0
x →±∞ g( x ) lim g( x ) L2
x →±∞
Limit Theorems
Theorem
Suppose lim f ( x ) = L and n ∈
x →±∞
N, n > 1.
n
n
lim ( f ( x )) = lim f ( x ) = Ln
x →±∞ x →±∞
q q √
n
lim n f ( x ) = n lim f ( x ) = L, provided that L > 0 when n is even.
x →±∞ x →±∞
Examples
1 lim x = +∞ 5 lim 6 = 6
x →+∞ x →+∞
2 lim x = −∞ 6 lim π = π
x →−∞ x →−∞
3 lim x2 = +∞ 1
x →+∞
7 lim =0
x →+∞ x
4 lim x2 = +∞ 1
x →−∞ 8 lim =0
x →−∞ x
Theorem
1 If c ∈ R, then x→±
lim c = c.
∞
2 If n is even, then lim x n = + ∞.
x →±∞
3 If n is odd, then
1 lim x n = +∞
x →+∞
2 lim x n = −∞
x →−∞
1
4 lim =0
x →±∞ xn
5 R
Let c ∈ . Suppose lim f ( x ) = c and lim g( x ) = ±∞. Then
x →+∞ x →+∞
f (x)
lim = 0.
x →+∞ g( x )
In item (5), “ x → +∞” may be replaced by “ x → a”, “ x → a− ”, “ x → a+ ”, and

“ x → −∞”.
Example
lim ( x4 − 2x3 ) (∞ − ∞)
x →+∞

2
= lim x4 1 − (+∞)(1 − 0)
x →+∞ x
= +∞
Example
lim (3x5 − x4 + 2x − 4)
x →−∞

5 1 2 4
= lim x 3 − + 4 − 5 (−∞)(3 − 0 + 0 − 0)
x →−∞ x x x
= −∞
In general, if f ( x ) is a polynomial function, then lim f ( x ) depends only on the

x →±∞
leading term.
Examples

1 1
lim
x →+∞ x3 − 4x +∞
1
lim =0
x →+∞ x3 − 4x

5
lim 3x2 − 2x −
x →−∞ x2

2 5
lim (3x − 2x ) − 2 (+∞ − 0)
x →−∞ x
= +∞
Illustration
x−1 x x −1
Evaluate: lim 3x +1
x →+∞ 3x + 1
1 0
10 ≈ 0.290323
Note:
103 ≈ 0.332889
105 ≈ 0.3333292
lim ( x − 1) = +∞
x →+∞ 107 ≈ 0.333333
↓ ↓
lim (3x + 1) = +∞ +∞ ?
x →+∞
It seems that
1
f (x) → as x → +∞
3
Another Indeterminate Form
Definition
Suppose f ( x ) −→ ∞ and g( x ) −→ ∞ as x → a. Then
f (x)
lim
x→a g( x )
∞
is an indeterminate form of type .
∞
The expression “ x → a” may be replaced by “ x → a+ ”, “ x → a− ”, “ x → +∞”, and

“ x → −∞”.
Technique: Multiply the numerator and denominator by x1n , where n is the

“degree” of the denominator.
Example
x3 − 2x2 + 3
Evaluate: lim
x →+∞ 4x4 − x2 + x + 1
Solution:
x3 − 2x2 + 3 ∞
lim
x →+∞ 4x4 − x2 + x + 1 ∞
1
x3 − 2x2
+3 x4
= lim ·
x →+∞ 4x4 − x2 + x + 1 1
x4
1 2 3
x − x2
+ x4
= lim 1 1 1
x →+∞ 4− + +
x2 x3 x4
0
= =0
4
Recall

√  x, x≥0
x2 = | x | =
− x, x < 0

Note:
√
x2 = x as x → +∞
√
x2 = − x as x → −∞
Example
√ ∞
x2 − 3
Evaluate: lim
x →+∞ x+2 ∞
Solution:
√ √ √1
x2 − 3 x2 − 3 √
x2
lim = lim · 1
x2 = x as x → +∞
x →+∞ x+2 x →+∞ x + 2 √
x2
√ √1
x2 − 3 x2
= lim · 1
x →+∞ x+2 x
q
x 2 −3
x2
= lim x +2
x →+∞
x
q
3
1− x2
= lim 2
x →+∞ 1+ x
√
1−0
= =1
1+0
Example
p
Evaluate: lim 9x2 − x + 3x (∞ − ∞)
x →−∞
p p √9x2 − x − 3x
Solution: lim 9x2 − x + 3x = lim 9x2 − x + 3x · √
x →−∞ x →−∞ 9x2 − x − 3x
√1 √
−x x2
= lim √ · 1
x2 = − x as x → −∞
x →−∞ 9x2 − x − 3x √
x2
−x −1
= lim √ · 1x
x →−∞ 9x2 − x − 3x √ 2
x
1
= lim r
x →−∞ 1
9− +3
x
1
=
6
Exercise 1
4x − 3
Evaluate: lim √ .
x →−∞ x − x2 + 2x
Exercise 2
Sketch the graph of an example of a function f satisfying all of the following:
dom f = R,
f (−1) = 2,
f (1) = 0,
lim f ( x ) = 2,
x →−1+
lim f ( x ) = 1,
x →1−
lim f ( x ) = 0,
x →1+
lim f ( x ) = −∞
x →−1−
lim f ( x ) = 2,
x →+∞

Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity

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Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman)

As x → 0+ , f ( x ) increases, and there is no bound to its growth.

Similarly, as x → 0− , f ( x ) increases indefinitely.

limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a is positive infinity

[limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a is negative infinity]

if the value of f ( x ) increases [decreases] without bound whenever the values of x

Remark: In the definition above, “ x → a” may be replaced by “ x → a− ” or

BUT... the symbol is IMPORTANT.

The line with equation x = a is a vertical asymptote of the graph of f if at least

lim f ( x ) = +∞ lim f ( x ) = −∞ lim f ( x ) = +∞ lim f ( x ) = −∞

lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) + g( x )] lim [ f ( x ) − g( x )]

2 If lim f ( x ) = +∞ and lim g( x ) = +∞, then lim f ( x ) g( x ) = +∞.

lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) g( x )]

lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) + g( x )] lim [ f ( x ) − g( x )]

lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) lim [ f ( x ) g( x )]

is called an indeterminate form of type ∞ − ∞.

2 Suppose lim f ( x ) = 0 and lim g( x ) = ±∞.Then

is called an indeterminate form of type 0 · ∞.

lim [ f ( x ) ± g( x )] = lim f ( x ) ± lim g( x ) = L1 ± L2

In item (5), “ x → +∞” may be replaced by “ x → a”, “ x → a− ”, “ x → a+ ”, and

In general, if f ( x ) is a polynomial function, then lim f ( x ) depends only on the

The expression “ x → a” may be replaced by “ x → a+ ”, “ x → a− ”, “ x → +∞”, and

Technique: Multiply the numerator and denominator by x1n , where n is the

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