First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanitites

Science and technology, Engineering and Mathematics

PT Documentation
Limits to Infinity

Caradnang, Mariane C. Engr. Jovette A. Pecayo

STEM 11 H

April 16, 2020

 LIMITS TO INFINITY
Infinty, along with its symbol ∞, is not a number and it is not a place. When we
say in calculus that something is "infinite," we simply mean that there is no limit to its
values.
Let f(x), for example, be fraction. Then as the values of x become smaller and
smaller, the values of f(x) become larger and larger. No matter what large number we
name, it will be possible to name a value of x such that the value of f(x) will be larger
than that number we named.
We then say that the values of f(x) become infinite, or tend to infinity. We say that
as x approaches 0, the limit of f(x) is infinity.
Now a limit is a number. So when we say that the limit of f(x) is infinity, we mean
there is no limit to its values. There is no number that we can name.
Limits at infinity are used to describe the behavior of functions as the
independent variable increases or decreases without bound. If a function approaches a
numerical value L in either of these situations, write
lim f ( x )=L
x→ ∞

and f(x) is said to have a

horizontal asymptote at y = L. A function may have different horizontal asymptotes in
each direction, have a horizontal asymptote in one direction only, or have no horizontal
asymptotes.

NOTE 1: Becomes Infinite. We say that a variable "becomes infinite" or "tends to

infinity" if, beginning with a certain term in a sequence of its values, the absolute value
of that term and of any subsequent term we name is greater than any positive number
we name, however large.

NOTE 2: As x approaches infinity, then 1x approaches 0

lim
x→ ∞
( 1x )=0
Let’s go to the Examples:

x3 +2 x 2+ 3 x
1. lim
x→ ∞ 2 x3 + 4
First you should divide each term and problem with

the highest exponent which is x 3.

x 3 2 x2 3 x
+ +
x3 x3 x3
= 2 x3 4
+
x3 x3

Then simplify each term.

2 3
1+ + 2
x x
=
4
2+ 3
x
and then substitute infinity to all x.
2 3
1+ +
∞ ∞2
=
4
2+ 3
∞
1+ 0+0
= 2+0

Then remember note no. 2 that infinity is equal to 0.

1
Final answer: The function has horizontal asymptote at
2

2 x 2 +3
2. lim
n→∞ x 2−5 x−1
Factor the largest power of x in the numerator from each term and the largest power of
x in the denominator from each term.
You find that.
Final answer: The function has a horizontal asymptote at y = 2.