LIMITS

AND
CONTINUITY
 Limit
We say that the limit of f ( x) as x approaches a is L and write
lim f ( x)  L
x a

if the values of f ( x) approach L as x approaches a.

y  f ( x)
L

a
 The  - Definition of Limit
We say lim f ( x)  L if and only if
xa
given a positive number  , there exists a positive  such that
if 0 | x  a |  , then | f ( x)  L |  .

L 
L
L 
a
y  f ( x) a 
a 
This means that if we are given a
small interval ( L   , L   ) centered at L,
then we can find a (small) interval (a   , a   )

such that for all x  a in (a   , a   ),

f ( x) is in ( L   , L   ).
 Limit Theorems
If c is any number, lim f ( x)  L and lim g ( x)  M , then
x a x a

a) lim  f ( x)  g ( x)   L  M b) lim  f ( x)  g ( x)   L  M
x a x a

c) lim  f ( x)  g ( x)   L  M
xa
d)
x a 
lim f ( x)
g ( x)   L , ( M  0)
M

e) lim  c  f ( x)   c  L f) lim  f ( x)   Ln
n
x a x a

g) lim c  c h) lim x  a
xa xa
i) lim x n  a n j) lim f ( x)  L , ( L  0)
x a x a
 Indeterminate Forms

Indeterminate forms occur when substitution in the limit

results in 0/0. In such cases either factor or rationalize the
expressions.

x5 Notice form

Ex. lim
x 5 x 2  25

x5
 lim Factor and cancel
x 5  x  5  x  5 
common factors
1 1
 lim 
x 5  x  5  10
Examples Using Limit Rule
Ex. lim x
x 3
2

 1 
 lim x 2
x 3
 lim1
x 3

   lim1
2
 lim x
x 3 x 3

 32  1  10

2x 1 lim  2 x  1 2lim x  lim1


Ex. lim  x 1
 x 1 x 1
x 1 3 x  5 lim  3x  5  3lim x  lim5
x 1 x 1 x 1

2 1 1
 
35 8
 More Examples
1. Suppose lim f ( x)  4 and lim g ( x)  2. Find
x 3 x 3

a) lim  f ( x)  g ( x)   lim f ( x)  lim g ( x)

x 3 x 3 x 3

 4  (2)  2
b) lim  f ( x)  g ( x)   lim f ( x)  lim g ( x)
x 3 x 3 x 3

 4  (2)  6
 2 f ( x)  g ( x)  lim 2 f ( x)  lim g ( x) 2  4  (2) 5
c) lim    x 3 x 3  
x 3
 f ( x ) g ( x )  lim f ( x)  lim g ( x) 4  (2) 4
x 3 x 3
One-Sided and Two sided Limit

The right-hand limit of f (x), as x approaches a,

equals L
written: lim f ( x)  L
x a
if we can make the value f (x) arbitrarily close
to L by taking x to be sufficiently close to the
right of a.
y  f ( x)
L

a
The left-hand limit of f (x), as x approaches a,
equals M
written: lim f ( x)  M
x a

if we can make the value f (x) arbitrarily close

to L by taking x to be sufficiently close to the
left of a.
y  f ( x)

M
a
 Limits at Infinity
1 1
For all n > 0, lim n  lim n  0
x  x x  x

1
provided that n is defined.
x
3x  5 x  1
2 3  5  1
 lim
x x 2 Divide
Ex. xlim 2
 2  4x 2 x  2 4 by x
x2


lim 3  lim 5
x  x 
 x   lim  1 x   3  0  0   3
x 
2

lim 2
x 
 x2  lim 4
x 
04 4
 More Examples
 2 x3 3x 2 2 
 2 x3  3x 2  2   3
 3  3 
1. lim  3
x 
 x  x 2
 100 x  1

  lim  3 x 2 x x 
x  x
  x  100 x  1 
 3 
x x 3
x 3
x 3


 3 2 
 2  x  x3 
 lim 
x  1 100 1 
 1  2  3 
 x x x 

2
 2
1
  4 x 2  5 x  21 
2. lim  3 
x  7 x  5 x 2  10 x  1
 
 4 x 2 5 x 21 
 3
 3
 3 
 lim  3 x x x 
x  7 x 2
 
5 x 10 x 1 
 3  3
 3
 x x 3
x x 
 4 5 21 
 
 x x 2 x3 
 lim  
x  5 10 1
7  2  3 
 x x x 
0

7
0
▪ Continuity of the trigonometric functions and
squeeze theorem

Theorem 1 (squeeze theorem). Suppose that the functions f,g, and h are defined
on some interval I containing a except possibly at a itself, and that f(x) ≤ g(x) ≤
h(x) for all x in I for which x≠ 𝑎. Also suppose that lim 𝑓 𝑥 and lim ℎ 𝑥 both
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
exist and are equal to L. then lim 𝑔 𝑥 both exists and is equal to L.
𝑥→𝑎

sin 𝑡
Theorem 2. lim =1
𝑥→𝑎 𝑡

Theorem 3. the sine functions is continuous at 0.

Theorem 4. the cosine function is continuous at 0.

1−cos 𝑡
Theorem 5. lim 𝑡
=0
𝑥→𝑎

Theorem 6. the sine and cosine functions are continuous at every real number.
Examples:

sin 4𝑥
1. lim
𝑥→0 𝑥

sin 9𝑥
2. lim
𝑥→0 sin 7𝑥

3𝑥 2
3. lim 1
𝑥→1 1−𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝑥 2